Abstract
This paper aims to explore Academic Staff Governor (ASG)
roles at three further education colleges in England. Uniquely,
the research focuses on ASG activities, the understanding of
ASG roles, and aspects of the role that can be reimagined,
which may be of benefit to practising governors, particularly
ASGs such as further education (FE) teacher governors. The
study draws upon relevant literature to identify concepts
related to governors’ roles and activities. An interpretivist
stance is used to collect predominantly qualitative data
through a combined methods approach, and to engage with
ASGs and external governors. During fieldwork, qualitative
and quantitative evidence was analysed from semi-structured
interviews, questionnaire responses, observations of
governance meetings and governance documents. Findings
suggest that ASGs’ insiderness, their affiliation with other
groups and decision-making circumstances may influence
their governing activities. Activities rooted in operational
settings such as professional-information giving were highly
valued by other governors, while there were uncertainties
about the benefit of having managerial staff as ASGs. There
was evidence indicating uncertainty among the college staff
regarding the role of an ASG in the colleges’ boards. As a result
of the study, to conceptualise an ASG’s role in FE colleges, ‘The
3 RaPs (Roles as Position/Perceived/Practice) Framework’ for
an ASG’s role has been developed. The research recommends
clear and specific role descriptions for ASG posts; action
to allow more opportunities for ASGs to act as governors
in order to transform the scope of the role. Finally, several
recommendations are set out in order to address ASGs’
insiderness, to promote ASGs’ professional profiles in the FE
sector and to improve the methodological approach for use
in similar future research.
roles at three further education colleges in England. Uniquely,
the research focuses on ASG activities, the understanding of
ASG roles, and aspects of the role that can be reimagined,
which may be of benefit to practising governors, particularly
ASGs such as further education (FE) teacher governors. The
study draws upon relevant literature to identify concepts
related to governors’ roles and activities. An interpretivist
stance is used to collect predominantly qualitative data
through a combined methods approach, and to engage with
ASGs and external governors. During fieldwork, qualitative
and quantitative evidence was analysed from semi-structured
interviews, questionnaire responses, observations of
governance meetings and governance documents. Findings
suggest that ASGs’ insiderness, their affiliation with other
groups and decision-making circumstances may influence
their governing activities. Activities rooted in operational
settings such as professional-information giving were highly
valued by other governors, while there were uncertainties
about the benefit of having managerial staff as ASGs. There
was evidence indicating uncertainty among the college staff
regarding the role of an ASG in the colleges’ boards. As a result
of the study, to conceptualise an ASG’s role in FE colleges, ‘The
3 RaPs (Roles as Position/Perceived/Practice) Framework’ for
an ASG’s role has been developed. The research recommends
clear and specific role descriptions for ASG posts; action
to allow more opportunities for ASGs to act as governors
in order to transform the scope of the role. Finally, several
recommendations are set out in order to address ASGs’
insiderness, to promote ASGs’ professional profiles in the FE
sector and to improve the methodological approach for use
in similar future research.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 138-157 |
Number of pages | 20 |
Journal | Research in Post-Compulsory Education |
Volume | 23 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published (VoR) - 2 Jan 2018 |
Keywords
- Academic staff governors
- further education
- governance
- organisational roles