Higher Education Council Legal Advisor to Resign After Critical Audit Report

Yael Tur-Kaspa, the legal advisor to Israel's Council for Higher Education (CHE), will retire after more than 20 years in her role following an unprecedented critical audit report. The report, authored by internal auditor Iris Shterk and commissioned by the CHE's audit committee chaired by Roy Folkman, exposed serious concerns about Tur-Kaspa's conduct. It was the first time a state authority's auditor issued such a harsh critique of its own legal advisor's work.

The audit found that Tur-Kaspa frequently provided verbal legal opinions rather than written documents, and that key legal matters were outsourced to external law firms at a cost exceeding one million shekels annually. It was unclear if she reviewed these external opinions. The report also highlighted a lack of oversight over her work and alleged she sometimes blocked senior CHE officials from contacting the government legal advisor. Additionally, potential conflicts of interest were raised due to her relationship with her husband, the CEO of Tel Aviv University, recommending she avoid involvement in related discussions.

The report further accused Tur-Kaspa of intervening in non-legal matters, causing unnecessary delays and dependency on the legal office. Following the report's publication and a related dismissal process, a confidential mediation agreement was reached in which Tur-Kaspa agreed to resign. Concurrently, the CHE decided to soften the audit report's language.

This development marks a significant administrative shift within the CHE, reflecting heightened scrutiny of legal advisory roles in public institutions. Tur-Kaspa's departure concludes a lengthy tenure amid calls for greater transparency and accountability in the council's legal affairs.