Universities are still patriarchal institutions, with men dominating senior leadership positions. Systemic mechanisms are needed to ensure all our future leaders are able to flourish.
Academics described their universities as exploitative, oppressive, toxic and fiscally driven. They felt themselves being dehumanised and demoralised by management. Most reported feelings of burnout.
Reports of big university budget surpluses appear to undermine calls for their federal funding to increase. But a closer look at how the surpluses were achieved reveals why change is needed.
The problem of insecure employment for academics came to a head during the pandemic. The neglect of this issue is eroding our intellectual capital along with education and employment opportunities.
When working from home, women struggled more than men to find time for the sustained effort needed to produce good, publishable research. Lack of thinking time is a problem for all knowledge workers.
While the official figures are lower than earlier estimates of job losses, they also show certain types of employees – casual, non-academic and younger staff – bore the brunt of the staff cuts.
Changes to National Employment Standards have done little for casual staff hoping for conversion to ongoing positions. A comprehensive review of university work and employment is long overdue.
While 18 universities suffered medium to high financial impacts, the incomes of eight increased or were stable. Overall revenue fell 5% – less than feared – but 35,000 staff lost their jobs.
When academics were asked to draw, write and reflect on their career journeys, the results were revealing. While men were free to focus on their careers, the picture was more complicated for women.
The court found the university was unjustified in censuring the academic for initial conduct that was protected as an exercise in intellectual freedom. But his response to disciplinary action wasn’t.
Academics in all areas have deep concerns about their ability to undertake research during the pandemic and the flow-on effects of this. Women and early career researchers were particularly hard hit.
Student experience or satisfaction surveys are not a reliable guide to teaching performance. Even worse, anonymous survey responses are at times little better than university-facilitated hate speech.
The pandemic is forcing many academics to consider their future. These are tough times for universities and many have lost jobs, but those fortunate enough to have a choice should weigh up all options.
Does intellectual freedom mean academics can say what they want in whatever way they choose? Tim Anderson had a win this week, but a judge must still decide whether he was wrongfully dismissed.
It is the work of social scientists to understand how societies operate and, based on that knowledge, how populations can apply evidence-based solutions to the challenges of the 21st century.
Workplace stress among academics has long been higher in Australia and New Zealand than overseas, and research suggests the flow-on impacts on students could fuel a vicious cycle of negative feedback.
Where policies do address online abuse and harassment, they’re largely ineffective in a world where academics engage with people in a variety of public platforms and through social media.
Professor of Gender, Work and Employment Relations, ARC Future Fellow, Business School, co-Director Women, Work and Leadership Research Group, University of Sydney