Stephen Downes

This article is ultimately a pitch for a new service, but it's developed in an interesting way. The question is how "to find ways of making decisions more rapidly without sacrificing the notion that in a shared governance system, decision-making responsibilities have to be broadly inclusive." The traditional formal structures, like a Senate, are too rigid, don't meet often enough, and are subject to internal politics. Alex Usher recommends, in the end, that "what institutions need to tackle 'big' issues is a focused, time-limited body that mixes breadth of perspective with expertise and is sent on its journey with some in-depth, balanced research." My first (and best) thought was that Usher has reinvented the Royal Commission process for universities!