NSW inquiry recommends accountability overhaul

Recommendation 2 

That the NSW government, as part of its review of university enabling acts, consider amendments to the legislation to require university governing bodies to have regard to the wellbeing, health and safety of staff and students when exercising their functions and making significant strategic, organisational and operational decisions.

Recommendation 3 

That, in order to better protect the psychosocial safety of staff and address fears of reprisal, the NSW government, as part of its review of the enabling acts, consider how the legislation can provide checks and balances on the very significant power held by heads of school, deans and other senior leaders. 

Recommendation 7 

That the NSW government consider establishing an independent external mechanism through which university staff can confidentially raise governance, integrity and maladministration concerns, with appropriate whistleblower protections. 

Recommendation 8 

That the NSW government amend the enabling acts for all NSW universities to strengthen representative governance by increasing minimum requirements for 50 per cent elected academic staff, professional staff and student representation on university councils. 

Recommendation 11

That the NSW government amend the enabling legislation for each NSW university to require the establishment of an independent university council secretariat at each university, accountable to and operating under the direction of the university’s governing body rather than university management. 

Recommendation 14 

That, to improve transparency in university council decision-making, the NSW government require NSW universities to publish the minutes of university council meetings, including the rationale for major decisions affecting staff and students, subject to appropriate confidentiality requirements.

Recommendation 15

That the NSW government improve legislative provisions for transparency and accountability in university executive decision-making.

Recommendation 16 

That the NSW government: require universities to disclose in their annual reports in a standardised format the process and considerations by which remuneration for their vice chancellors and senior executives is determined, including key performance indicators, bonuses, incentive arrangements, allowances, loan arrangements, reimbursements and other material non-salary benefits.

Recommendation 18

That the NSW government prohibit NSW universities from providing staff or student data to private third-party organisations for sector-wide benchmarking, analytics or comparative performance products unless the explicit informed consent of affected staff and students has first been obtained, in line with the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research.

Note: Recommendations have been edited for brevity.