John Hood
Encyclopedia
John Hood was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford
from 5 October 2004 until 30 September 2009. He was the first Vice-Chancellor to be elected from outside Oxford's academic body, and the first to have addressed the scholars' congregation via a webcast. On 15 November 2007 he announced that he would not seek an extension to his five-year term as Vice Chancellor, and that he would leave Oxford in September 2009.
, he attended Westlake Boys High School in Auckland
, where a house
has been named after him (Hood House). He studied engineering
at the University of Auckland
, where he earned a PhD in Civil Engineering. He then won a Rhodes Scholarship
to Oxford (Worcester College), where he studied for an MPhil in management
. He won a Blue playing squash for Oxford University and also played first-class cricket
for Oxford University in 1977.
He has held a number of directorships in prominent New Zealand companies and bodies, including Fonterra
, Fletcher Challenge
and the New Zealand Cricket
review of 1995. His career at Fletcher Challenge is described in the book Battle of the Titans by Bruce Wallace. From 1998 he was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland
.
He has two daughters (Anna and Nina Hood) and son (Thomas Hood).
. Following a two-hour debate, the proposal was amended by Congregation to allow the election of a fellow insider to the council within five years, resulting in a majority of eight insiders (including the vice-chancellor) to the 15-member council. The amendment was supported by a majority of votes (657 to 502), with both supporters and opponents of the reforms claiming victory.
The amended proposal was brought to vote by Congregation on 28 November 2006, and was defeated by 730 to 456 votes. A postal vote was called on 5 December, with ballots being sent to all 3000 members of Congregation and votes being accepted until 18 December. On 19 December it was announced that the proposal had once again been defeated, this time by 1540 to 997 votes. Dr Hood stated that he would not treat the defeat as a vote of no confidence, citing a need to "put aside division, continue dialogue with all shades of opinion and, in an atmosphere of trust, tolerance and goodwill, promote the academic aims and ideals of Oxford".
The proposed reform met with opposition not because it would invite outside opinion on the university's financial and academic decisions, but because of the impression that control would be wrested from Congregation, thus threatening the university's academic reputation. Furthermore, some opponents claimed that the reform would place too much power in the hands of the vice-chancellor. Other critics questioned the applicability of corporate models of governance in educational institutions. Lord Patten of Barnes has stated that without reforms to Oxford's governance it will be more difficult to raise money that the university needs to advance, particularly with respect to needs-based funding to support students from poorer backgrounds. Similarly, Hood has stated that the issue is not "whether there has to be change, but what kind of change."
Others have criticised the appointment of the Registrar
, Julie Maxton
, who is noted to be a former colleague of Hood. Julie Maxton was chosen for the position of Registrar by way of a selection committee including consultants, external members of council, and the vice-chancellor of Cambridge.
Comparisons have been drawn with Lawrence Summers
, the 27th President
of Harvard University
, who announced his resignation on 21 February 2006 following two motions of censure. Although individual academic staff have been critical of John Hood no formal motions were brought forward calling for his resignation. However, an informal letter of confidence organised by his supporters in February 2006 attracted around 50 signatories from Members of Congregation
. Contested elections to the Council of the University by Congregation have resulted in the election of three leading critics of Dr Hood's proposals, namely Susan Cooper
in 2005, Nicholas Bamforth
in 2006 and Donald Fraser
who was elected unopposed, also in 2006.
In June 2007 it was revealed that the University press office had been monitoring and editing comments in Hood's Wikipedia article in an attempt to protect his reputation. In the same month, two further critics of Hood, Colin Thompson and Peter Robbins, were elected to the Council.
Andrew Hamilton
, who had previously served as the Provost of Yale University
, was nominated on 3 June 2008 to succeed John Hood as Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University from 1 October 2009.
His appointment was confirmed on 16 June 2008.
Plc
, and will be President
and Chief Executive Officer
of the Robertson Foundation
from 2010.
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
from 5 October 2004 until 30 September 2009. He was the first Vice-Chancellor to be elected from outside Oxford's academic body, and the first to have addressed the scholars' congregation via a webcast. On 15 November 2007 he announced that he would not seek an extension to his five-year term as Vice Chancellor, and that he would leave Oxford in September 2009.
Early life and career in New Zealand
Born on 2 January 1952 in Napier, New ZealandNapier, New Zealand
Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
, he attended Westlake Boys High School in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, where a house
House system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
has been named after him (Hood House). He studied engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
at the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
, where he earned a PhD in Civil Engineering. He then won a Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
to Oxford (Worcester College), where he studied for an MPhil in management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
. He won a Blue playing squash for Oxford University and also played first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
for Oxford University in 1977.
He has held a number of directorships in prominent New Zealand companies and bodies, including Fonterra
Fonterra
Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited is a New Zealand multinational dairy co-operative owned by almost 10,500 New Zealand farmers. The company is responsible for approximately 30% of the world's dairy exports and with revenue exceeding NZ$19.87 billion, is New Zealand's largest company.- History :In...
, Fletcher Challenge
Fletcher Challenge
Fletcher Challenge is a now defunct multinational corporation from New Zealand, formed in 1981 by the merger of Fletcher Holdings, Challenge Corporation and Tasman Pulp and Paper...
and the New Zealand Cricket
New Zealand Cricket
New Zealand Cricket, formerly the New Zealand Cricket Board, is the governing body for professional cricket in New Zealand. Cricket is the most popular and highest profile summer sport in New Zealand....
review of 1995. His career at Fletcher Challenge is described in the book Battle of the Titans by Bruce Wallace. From 1998 he was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
.
He has two daughters (Anna and Nina Hood) and son (Thomas Hood).
Controversy at Oxford
Dr Hood's term as vice-chancellor of Oxford has been the subject of controversy and divided opinion. Dr Hood had proposed to reform the 900-year-old tradition of complete self-governance by introducing a number of external members to council, and by separating academic and financial boards. The initial proposal called for a majority of external members of council, bringing Oxford into line with all other UK universities except the University of CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. Following a two-hour debate, the proposal was amended by Congregation to allow the election of a fellow insider to the council within five years, resulting in a majority of eight insiders (including the vice-chancellor) to the 15-member council. The amendment was supported by a majority of votes (657 to 502), with both supporters and opponents of the reforms claiming victory.
The amended proposal was brought to vote by Congregation on 28 November 2006, and was defeated by 730 to 456 votes. A postal vote was called on 5 December, with ballots being sent to all 3000 members of Congregation and votes being accepted until 18 December. On 19 December it was announced that the proposal had once again been defeated, this time by 1540 to 997 votes. Dr Hood stated that he would not treat the defeat as a vote of no confidence, citing a need to "put aside division, continue dialogue with all shades of opinion and, in an atmosphere of trust, tolerance and goodwill, promote the academic aims and ideals of Oxford".
The proposed reform met with opposition not because it would invite outside opinion on the university's financial and academic decisions, but because of the impression that control would be wrested from Congregation, thus threatening the university's academic reputation. Furthermore, some opponents claimed that the reform would place too much power in the hands of the vice-chancellor. Other critics questioned the applicability of corporate models of governance in educational institutions. Lord Patten of Barnes has stated that without reforms to Oxford's governance it will be more difficult to raise money that the university needs to advance, particularly with respect to needs-based funding to support students from poorer backgrounds. Similarly, Hood has stated that the issue is not "whether there has to be change, but what kind of change."
Others have criticised the appointment of the Registrar
Registrar (academic)
In education outside the United Kingdom, a registrar or registrary is an official in an academic institution who handles student records. Typically, a registrar processes registration requests, schedules classes and maintains class lists, enforces the rules for entering or leaving classes, and...
, Julie Maxton
Julie Maxton
-Biography:Born in Scotland, she studied at University College London, Canterbury University, and the University of Auckland. At Auckland her career was both academic and administrative, with periods as the Dean of Graduate Studies and as an Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor. Most recently, she was...
, who is noted to be a former colleague of Hood. Julie Maxton was chosen for the position of Registrar by way of a selection committee including consultants, external members of council, and the vice-chancellor of Cambridge.
Comparisons have been drawn with Lawrence Summers
Lawrence Summers
Lawrence Henry Summers is an American economist. He served as the 71st United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1999 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. He was Director of the White House United States National Economic Council for President Barack Obama until November 2010.Summers is the...
, the 27th President
President of Harvard University
The President of Harvard University is the chief administrator of the university. Ex officio the chairman of the Harvard Corporation, he or she is appointed by and is responsible to the other members of that body, who delegate to him or her the day-to-day running of the university...
of Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, who announced his resignation on 21 February 2006 following two motions of censure. Although individual academic staff have been critical of John Hood no formal motions were brought forward calling for his resignation. However, an informal letter of confidence organised by his supporters in February 2006 attracted around 50 signatories from Members of Congregation
Congregation (university)
A Congregation is a formal meeting of senior members of a university, especially in the United Kingdom.Examples include the Regent House in the University of Cambridge, and the House of Congregation and the Ancient House of Congregation in the University of Oxford.In recent times, very few...
. Contested elections to the Council of the University by Congregation have resulted in the election of three leading critics of Dr Hood's proposals, namely Susan Cooper
Susan Cooper (physics)
Professor Susan Cooper has been Professor of Experimental Physics at Oxford University since 1995, and a Professorial Fellow of St Catherine's College, Oxford...
in 2005, Nicholas Bamforth
Nicholas Bamforth
Nicholas Bamforth BCL, MA is a Fellow in Law at Queen's College, Oxford, and a lecturer in Lawat the University of Oxford since 1999. He had previously worked at UCLand Cambridge....
in 2006 and Donald Fraser
Donald Fraser (Geology)
Professor Donald Gordon Fraser is Professor of Earth Sciences at Oxford University, a Tutorial Fellow at Worcester College, Oxford, and in 2008-09 held the office of Senior Proctor within the University....
who was elected unopposed, also in 2006.
In June 2007 it was revealed that the University press office had been monitoring and editing comments in Hood's Wikipedia article in an attempt to protect his reputation. In the same month, two further critics of Hood, Colin Thompson and Peter Robbins, were elected to the Council.
Andrew Hamilton
Andrew D. Hamilton
Andrew David Hamilton is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford.-Early life:He was a pupil at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford and studied chemistry at the University of Exeter. After studying for a master’s degree at the University of British Columbia he received his PhD from...
, who had previously served as the Provost of Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, was nominated on 3 June 2008 to succeed John Hood as Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University from 1 October 2009.
His appointment was confirmed on 16 June 2008.
Later career
He is a non executive director of BG GroupBG Group
BG Group plc is a global oil and gas company headquartered in Reading, United Kingdom. It has operations in 25 countries across Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, North America and South America and produces around 680,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. It has a major Liquefied Natural Gas ...
Plc
Public limited company
A public limited company is a limited liability company that sells shares to the public in United Kingdom company law, in the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth jurisdictions....
, and will be President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
and Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the Robertson Foundation
Robertson Scholars Program
The Robertson Scholars Program is a joint full-ride merit scholarship and leadership development program at Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill...
from 2010.
See also
- List of Vice-Chancellors of the University of Oxford
- Lord Patten of Barnes, ChancellorChancellor (education)A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of Oxford University