If the university has any say in it, the new rector magnificus will once again be a woman. The UG wants to promote diversity on an administrative level as well.
This according to the profile for a new rector the university council received for approval. The profile, which will inform the text of the job opening that will soon be published, states that in case of multiple suitable candidates, a woman is preferred.
Diversity
The profile was recently the subject of discussion during a committee meeting. Council members asked why diversity, rather than quality, will be leading in the choice for a new rector. According to secretary-general Stephan van Galen, this is always a difficult decision, since both are so important.
‘We want a diverse board’, he said. ‘There are already two men on the board, so this is something we have to take into consideration. Research has shown that it has a positive impact on collaboration and performance. That means both concepts are equally important as far as I’m concerned.’
According to the council, the way the profile is currently worded suggests that diversity takes precedence over quality. Van Galen emphasised that this isn’t true and that the council can suggest changes to the text. ‘But I do want to say that diversity doesn’t happen by itself, which is why it’s important to write texts like these’, he said.
Different backgrounds
The council members also wondered why the concept of diversity didn’t extend beyond the male-female binary. They’d like to see the profile cast a wider net and include people from different backgrounds.
The university council has shared its questions and suggestions with the supervisory board. Van Galen didn’t identify any insurmountable issues and expects the council’s suggestions will be incorporated in the profile.