The word 'culture', so used, embraces the entire inheritance of knowledge, beliefs, expectations, values, norms, symbols and institutions through which humankind escaping barbarism becomes civilised. Any authentic university thus becomes a conduit through which not only present but also future stakeholders may access what Matthew Arnold once called 'the best that is known and thought in the world'. Hence the vital importance of institutional autonomy and academic freedom. Like monks, university communities must be able to protect knowledge and truth from those who, through philistinism or neglect, might otherwise lose or destroy part or all of the best that is known and thought in the world. Collegiality', like 'managerialism', needs careful analysis.
Common usage invests it with little more than expressive value.
Collegial decision-making must be representational. Not everyone has the necessary knowledge and expertise to inform every decision. The diversion of time and commitment away from direct scholarly activities that would be needed to achieve that would be disastrous. Outside individual departments, collegiality must therefore be exercised largely through representative forums. What collegiality does mean, however, is that everyone, at whatever level or in whatever arena of a university, should have an opportunity to be involved in the development and direction of the institution.