Archival image of chair holders and personal professors in cortege. Photo Resource The WUR Council has agreed to the new chair plan. Among other things, the plan states that WUR will be reviewing the management structure of chair groups, as it will the appointment policy for professors by special appointment.
The chair plan forms the scientific foundation of Wageningen University. In addition to the research and education tasks of all 95 chair groups, it describes three areas where WUR wants to make improvements ‘after broad consultation within the organization’. What exactly will be involved isn’t always that clear.
One area for improvement is in the appointment policy for special professors. The aim, advantages and disadvantages, and risks need to be better defined in the policy, according to the chair plan. For example, the independence — both actual and perceived — of these professors is a relevant issue. Another is how the skill sets and criteria for special professors compare with those for personal professors.
In addition, more of a long-term vision is needed on the portfolios of the chair groups, ‘in order to identify promising topics and to phase out obsolete topics, which will improve the succession planning for chair holders and other professors,’ according to the plan.
Term of office
The second area for improvement is in the organization of the chair groups. The plan sees ‘possibilities for optimizing the management structure and making it more efficient.’ Remarkably, the plan doesn’t mention the suggestion made by the previous WUR ombudsperson to restrict the term of office of chair holders — who are currently appointed for life. As she said, ‘People aren’t keen to give up that position, even if there is good reason for them to do so.’
The WUR Council noticed that omission too. The Council therefore advises the Executive Board to ‘take the ombudsperson’s points concerning the term of office and leadership qualities of chair holders into serious consideration’. Eva Meijer, on behalf of the WUR Council: ‘We also recommend having a broad composition for the committee tasked with working out the details of the plan, to include not just professors but also researchers and lecturers.’
