#AcademicVenting Now it’s my husband’s turn. After two rounds of voluntary in year in which his uni lost 500, they need to loose 200 more. Yesterday 600 profs and assistant profs (always the most expensive) received their “at risk” letters and he is one of them. His odds in his pool are better than mine were, but still: it is all unbelievably triggering.
Even if it’s not him in the end: aeful for everyone. It really is extremely hard for middle aged profs to find other jobs.
#AcademicVenting Deep in marking (for one of my part time fixed term jobs). It is all blogs and worksheets. I miss essays!
Essays are such an excellent form of assessment. As a lecturer you can design questions that force the student to read the literature, really think about a topic, develop an argument, write well. I can’t think of a better way of embedding knowledge. Marking fairer and more constructive too.
Here’s to the #Essay!
#AcademicVenting 🧵 Higher education, certainly in the UK, continues to be in dire straits - here the tally Queen Mary UCU is keeping.
What are we doing about it as academics? I can tell you.
We are talking about opening new MAs (to generate more money) , or closing MAs (to save money).
That’s what 80% of departmental meetings across the country are taken uo by now. I am not even joking. That’s all we have.
#AcademicVenting 🧵this is a good piece on how #AI “is destroying the university and learning itself” - partly because right now universities are busy embracing AI, spending fortunes whilst letting go of staff
https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-destroying-the-university-and-learning-itself
Unsurprisingly, the 'tone' of #AcademicVenting is more of a problem than what the 'tone' signifies.
More institutional time is spent on 'correcting' tones than resolving the substance the 'tone' is denouncing.
I know what that means in my context. Avoiding details, deliberately. Reminds me of Ahmed's 'Complaint'.
@piege yes.
Valuable work isn't systematically promoted. Skewed, status-quo/safe work often is.
I'm not dissing those who get promoted for good reason.
I'm noting that from my perspective, there are macchiavellian chancers who get influential posts based on inherited privilege/performative metrics (eg ill-defined 'impact' criteria).
They work back from criteria so short-term 'impact' is captured. This is different to sustained impact which requires time & #AcademicFreedom
I can't stomach how Trump mirrors-models-normalises #academia 's hollowed-out individualistic promotion-speak:
'I single-handedly achieved X'
'I saved Xn lives'
'I'm the only one who can do X'
'Nominate me for a prize'
'Put in writing how essential I am'
Whilst undermining the collective good.
🤮
Pauline von Hellermann
Dr Julia Molinari PhD SFHEA