51福利

Further education college governing bodies are required to have up to three governors who are chosen and elected by staff. Most colleges have two staff governors, one representing academic staff and another representing support staff. Staff governors are allowed to vote and speak on collective salary and conditions of service issues. However local branch negotiators are excluded from becoming staff governors.

51福利 makes submissions to all consultations on further education governance including those on changes to college instruments and articles of governance. It also offers advice and guidance to individual staff governors where necessary.

Each year, 51福利 organises the only dedicated conference for staff governors; this is usually held in November or December. For details and advice contact .

The union also holds a database of 51福利 staff governors. To be part of this and the network of 51福利 staff governors contact Martin Whelton.

Thinking of becoming a governor? Read more here.

In higher education 51福利 has long campaigned for open, transparent and democratic governance at all levels in HE institutions.

51福利 welcomed the publication of a bill by the Scottish government to introduce new measures to make the governance of higher education institutions more transparent, and enable the election of chairs. The bill took forward a number of recommendations from a 2012 review of governance in Scottish universities and other higher education institutions. Find out more on the 51福利 Scotland pages.

51福利 Wales has made HE governance a priority area of work, believing that the current system of governance in HEIs in Wales is not fit for purpose: Higher education governance in Wales

Related information and links:

• Universities' governing bodies need more educationalists, says report
• Post-92 governance - letter of protest to secretary of state, Mar 09 [28kb]
• Who runs your university?: 51福利 conference report, Mar 09 [147kb]
• Who runs your university?: Alastair Hunter speech, Mar 09 [23kb]