Appeal from Participation council
- The central participation council has noted that the degree programme advisory committees are not sufficiently prepared for their new tasks
- They want the coming of a recognisable institution which abides support to the committees and the managers
Due to a national legislative amendment all degree programme advisory committees starting September 1st will receive right of approval on important parts of the degree programme and final examination regulation. As well the role of the degree programme advisory committee will be larger in the accreditation. The Central Participation Council fears that Windesheim is insufficiently preparing itselve for these changes. Elections should be held for all degree programme advisory committees. The degree programme advisory committee-members should be trained and the committees as managers need to learn how to interpret their new tasks. However, the organization is not ready for this. It is also being hampered due to the fact that Degree programme advisory committees and unit participation councils do not work efficiently everywhere and some have to deal with understaffing.
‘The council firmly believes that the implementation will bring unnecessary high costs, frustration and un-clarity’ writes Central Participation Council chair member Bert Wimenhove in an urgent appeal – an ‘unasked advice’ – to the Executive Board. According to the central participation council the degree programme advisory committee requires professional support as prescribed by law. The council advises to introduce an explicitly recognisable institution that offers support to degree programme advisory committees as well as managers who have to negotiate with committees. ‘In addition, it doesn’t hurt to offer the same level of support to the entire participation council.’ The executive board has not yet responded to the advice. It was written in December that Windesheim was ahead on the legislations and that the regulations and facilities for the Degree programme advisory committee were adapted and widened ‘in order to give the committee the opportunity to fulfil their new tasks to the fullest’. Most of the committee members have received training in October and managers will receive training in June. With regards to the elections, the board expects that, that can be easily connected to existing regulations for the unit participation council. (EM)
