Policy & ReformVET & TAFE
Crisis of confidence in universities
Universities are wonderful places to be employed and to do really worthwhile work, whether directly in educating students, or doing research and engagement. Why then does research conducted by universities, by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) and by independent investigators, reveal increasing levels of dissatisfaction over the health of the institutions and the impacts of this on staff and students?
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How true! “Complaints and complainants are to be “managed” not resolved”.
You are absolutely on the ball. I think the culture of universities has become even more distorted than you suggest by the fear many staff have of losing their jobs or not getting a stable contract, let alone tenure. In the seventies, (and in other cultures around the world still), it was considered normal for academics to debate and disagree about ideas. Today even in academic seminars, vigorous views can be seen as anti-social or indiscreet at best.
After spending a short time in the public service I was amazed to see that in 2001 academic group exchanges resembled those in the former! less senior staff furtively looked at the power holders in carefully choosing their words.
This fear is directly linked to government decreases in base funding over 2-3 decades, and to the theories that stipulate that as much of Australian public spaces as possible ought to be crafted along business models.
Hi Jeannie !