The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology's (KNUST) Governing Council has abolished the decades-old practice of faculty voting for Deans and Pro-Vice-Chancellors, instead opting for appointments. This change comes barely a month into the tenure of KNUST's new Vice-Chancellor. The decision has been met with opposition from three staff unions: the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA), and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union of the Trades Union Congress (TEWU-TUC).
For years, KNUST's Deans and Pro-Vice-Chancellors were elected by the faculty members who worked under them. However, the Governing Council has now decided that these positions will be filled by appointment rather than election. This shift in governance has raised concerns among staff unions, who argue that it undermines the participation of academics in university decision-making. The change affects not only the university's leadership but also the academic experience of its students.
The three unions opposing the change represent the academic and senior administrative staff most directly affected by the decision. They had filed formal petitions opposing the switch before the Council proceeded with the decision. The unions argue that the change is a transfer of power from the academic community to the university's central leadership. Under the old system, elections produced leaders who enjoyed the confidence of their colleagues.
A Dean heads an academic faculty, overseeing teaching standards, staff matters, and student affairs within that faculty. A Pro-Vice-Chancellor sits just below the Vice-Chancellor in the university's central leadership, typically responsible for a broad portfolio such as academic affairs or research across the whole institution. The Governing Council is the university's highest decision-making body, responsible for policy, finances, and senior appointments.
The change has drawn comparisons to Ghana's national elections, where even a head porter has the constitutional right to help choose the President of the Republic. However, academics at KNUST are now denied a vote in choosing the leaders of their own academic units. The decision has also been situated within a wider pattern of tension at the university, including recent student protests over hostel fees and allegations of police assault on students.
The 2018 disagreement at KNUST escalated into a major institutional crisis, leading to disruption, property damage, and the eventual dissolution of the Governing Council. The current situation has raised concerns that KNUST may be on the brink of another crisis. The analysis warns that Council should not assume its legal authority to make appointments automatically makes the decision the right one, and calls for the Council to pause the process and engage with the unions.
It remains unclear whether the unions plan further action, such as strikes or legal challenges, or if the Council intends to reverse or modify its decision. For now, the change stands as announced, with no timeline given for review or reversal. The dispute has sparked a fundamental debate about who holds power at KNUST and whether academics retain any formal voice in how their university is run.
Key points
- The KNUST Governing Council's decision to scrap elected Deans and Pro-Vice-Chancellors has sparked opposition from staff unions.
- The change affects the academic experience of KNUST's students and the participation of academics in university decision-making.
- The situation has raised concerns about the potential for another crisis at KNUST, following a similar situation in 2018.
