Leadership and Ethics in Higher Education 149Chancellor, in the manner of addressing the Vice Chancellor, and in
their demeanour towards the Vice Chancellor, for example.
The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande,
MP often makes ex cathedra pronouncements about matters that are in
the domain of governance and management. At times, the current
Minister expresses undisguised disrespect for Vice Chancellors, meets
with Chairs of Councils, and student leaders without reference to the
Vice Chancellor. It is no wonder then that student leaders prefer to deal
directly with the Ministry about institutional matters. A typical example
is the manner in which the President communicated a decision arrived at
about the ‘2016 No Fee Increase’ concession on 23 October 2015,
personally through the media, and not through University Councils
whose domain it is to set fees and as stewards of the finances of the
university. The proposed amendments to the Higher Education Act
whereby the Minister seeks to give himself power to make directives to
university managements about transformation is another instance.
Clearly this is a management and governance matter, and not directly a
matter of policy.
Ultimately authority is given by the office one occupies, but respect
is earned. The Vice Chancellor is the institutional leader and exercises
authority subject to oversight by Council. That means that the Vice
Chancellor must earn the respect of staff and students by the manner in
which she or he exercises leadership on campus and in society. The Vice
Chancellor is a visible presence, someone with gravitas, an intellectual
and moral authority, and a person of vision and quiet influence in the
affairs of the institution. The tone for the culture and moral stature of the
institution is set by the Vice Chancellor. It is the Vice Chancellor who,
leading by example, shapes the institutional discourse, translates that
into strategic objectives of the institution, communicates these and seeks
the widest possible consensus for the institution to journey forward
together to achieve such objectives. To achieve any of that, the Vice