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REVIEWS
Life at the top? Lessons Learned: Reflections of a University President by William G. Bowen Princeton University Press, 2011, Princeton, NJ, USA. ISBN: 9780691149622 Review by Bernard O’Meara This book should be read by all Australian Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors and those aspiring to these roles. In his long career President emeritus Bowen joined Princeton in 1958, was provost at Princeton from 1967–1972, President from 1972–1988 and President of the Mellon Foundation from 1988–2006. This book follows his journey through this period and the lessons he learnt along the way. He happily discusses both his achievements and errors as he shapes messages to future university Presidents and leaders to help them deal with this complex and high profile role. While his time at Princeton finished in 1988 much of the book is devoted to the time he spent there. He acknowledges that even in America Princeton is unique. Basically, Princeton is a private arts and sciences university that has only one faculty that is divisionalised into smaller specialised units and, as such, is highly centralised. It is wealthy and has an outstanding reputation. Notwithstanding the uniqueness of Princeton the advice given in the book can still apply to Australian Vice-Chancellors. It is noteworthy that on the topic of shared governance the former President states that the Trustees (University Council members) have ultimate authority in all matters. The relationship between himself and the Chair of Trustees was important as they worked together on many topics. However, in Australia, University Councils have been reluctant to exercise much power as the concept of shared governance is different in that Australian Vice-Chancellors take on both operational and strategic roles. O’Meara and Petzall (2007) noted in their research that it was not uncommon for a University Council to seek a Vice-Chancellor who could set the strategic direction of their university. Such councils would have the new incumbent present them with a recommended strategic direction rather than work with the
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Life at the top?, Review by Bernard O’Meara
Vice-Chancellor to set the direction jointly. University Council members come from a variety of backgrounds and have different skill sets and experiences. They are mainly part-time, meet only when a meeting is required and it is not a requirement that councillors live within the university community or to have studied at a university. The relationship between the Chancellor of RMIT, Don Mercer and the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Ruth Dunkin and the relationship between Chancellor Jerry Ellis at Monash and Vice-Chancellors Professors Robinson and Larkins effectively demonstrate how fragile such relationships can be.The relationship between the President and Trustees of Princeton was developed over many years and while it is emphasised that the President works for the Trustees it is also emphasised that the Trustees chose not to exert the power they do possess. The book also charts the history of Princeton from 1967-1988 and outlines the processes in place to determine if Princeton should become embroiled in societal and political issues. During the Vietnam War, the Navy,Air Force and Army Reserve Officers’Training Corps (ROTC) programmes at Princeton came under intense scrutiny. Initially the staff voted to treat such programmes as non-credit bearing activities which effectively eliminated any incentive for Princeton students to engage in such activities. However, the President engaged in intensive communication with Trustees, staff and students and argued that the University should not deprive any group of students wishing to engage in such long standing activities.The underlying issue was not one of discrimination but one that highlights the role of the modern university in society. The exchange argument used by Cole (2010), that education institutions provide society with research and talent, and in return universities including staff vol. 53, no. 2, 2011