It’s not widely known, but, when the UK's Vice Chancellors last marched on Whitehall, they did it to this chant:
What do we want? – More leadership development materials ...
When do we want it? – By the end of the next semester.
Oddly, this didn't make the press (I think Katie Price, Boris Johnson and Phillip Green were talking about a new Airport for London), but those who did hear about it must have included those organizations which are said to be planning to put the squeeze on Hefce for additional tax-payer cash to be tipped into the ESD / Quality trough for yet more materials which universities don't realise they need.
Hefce, having already spend $zillions on all this, is caught in a web of its own weaving, and will find it hard to say 'No', especially as the supplicants have such a 'good' track record. It will result in their being stung for yet more cash they cannot spare for a product no one will read.
Much better were the Funding Council to buy a job lot of Bob Lutz's Icons and Idiots: Straight Talk on Leadership, which is both witty and wise, and give one to every VC in the country. Better still, give one to every Deputy VC and PVC who might then be in a position to fight back. It's available from all good Amazons everywhere ... .
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