Pauline von Hellermann#FollowTheMoney 𧔠41/n Ok so the reason for the long pause in this 𧔠was being made rdundant in July, by my lovely (not) employer of 13 years, Goldsmiths University. You can read all about it in this long #AcademicVenting đ§”, tracing the whole sorry saga from first rumblings in Nov â23 to the bitter end. But of course, #redundancy is all about money, and I think about money all the time now (I have to), so really should write it about it all here a bit
Pauline von Hellermann (@pvonhellermannn@mastodon.green)
Half thinking of starting an #AcademicVenting hashtag here, about the dire, dire state of UK (global?) higher education. Sharing nuggets of senior management decisions, neoliberal language, and overall slow collapse. Wonât work of course because most of us canât risk honesty, but honestly: the everyday reality of what is happening deserves recording in all its depressing and damning detail. #Universities #AcademicChatter #neoliberalism
#AcademicVenting #Redundancy đ§”
Interesting but scary - at this moment of wanting to branch out into the âmore-than-Academicâ world , and in general - to read about large scale redundancies at Save the Children. The process, language, and comments from affected staff (âItâs a shitshowâ) are all too familiar.
A friend of mine was recently made redundant by Mind, the mental health charity. HE redundancies all part of a larger process. Which only makes it scarier.
#AcademicVenting đ§”#Redundancy But by yesterday afternoon I somehow turned a corner; I am beginning to work out strategies for being an environmental anthropologist in my own right, even without institutional backing. I may have a new book contract; a small consultancy for the RSPB; and some teaching for the wonderful New School of the Anthropocene. No huge earners but all really helping psychologically right now. Hereâs to #RegenerativeAnthropology!
#ClimateDiary
#AcademicVenting đ§”#Redundancy then I spent this last week with two very different but equally misery-inducing aspects of extrication:
a) sorting out future of my PhD students (4 current, 2 that were due to start now) - many conflicting emotions, and itâs all just so sad;
b) battling with the intersection of email, Outlook, Google, Teams, Adobe, Microsoft, etc. The horrors of this really showed how helplessly entangled we all are in all these platforms! (Not asking for tech advice).
#AcademicVenting đ§”#Redundancy Further twists and turns in the last couple of weeks: AFTER 62 of us accepted enhanced redundancy and 18 took fractional contracts (forced by deadlines), SMT and union struck a deal that the remaining 11 - the ones going for appeal - would be reinstated. Allowing both SMT and UCU to collude on a âno compulsory redundanciesâ narrative; UCU widely celebrating this as a union victory. A bit galling.
After more back and forth (a great 0.5 was advertised for us 3 to compete for - same duties, half pay - but none of us applied) and more charming communications from our âTransformatipn Programme teamâ (always anonymous!) I have now accepted âenhanced redundancyâ. Onwards and upwards!
#AcademicVenting #Redundancy These days I really canât find the words to recount whatâs going on. Letâs just say a lot of back and forth; chaos, incompetence and cruelty; never ending visionless mediocrity that destroys everything.
One thing to report: i have now had the privilege of an ACAS webinar. More competent than anything coming from SMT, but no faces, no in person questions, and a cheery âSee you next timeâ screen at the end. Corporate dystopia, straight from #BlackMirror
#AcademicVenting #Redundancy Two weeks today and sadly not quite there yet with finding new ways forward - for one, there is just so much to do, get your head around, decisions to make around redundancy process itself. And this past week a physical reaction set in, just sheer exhaustion.
Also want to note once more: it really is unbelievable what is being done to myself and 96 brilliant colleagues. The âhowâ aa much as the âwhatâ. And to Goldsmiths. It is total vandalism, brutal, traumatic.
#AcademicVenting đ§”#Redundancy Itâs now been a week - what a week, with two historic elections thrown in too!
A HUGE thank you for all the lovely, supportive messages. They have really helped me, hugely. Knowing that others have gone through this (what a total experience), and that there are other possibilities. Itâs early days (and there is so much work in the reduncancy process itself), but as so many of youâve said: other doors may open.
Maybe i will keep this đ§”to share this transition?
#AcademicVenting #GE2024 #GTTO.
I hate Goldsmiths management. Completely ruining the elections for me and my fellow 96 colleagues made redundant - all brilliant! The very best! - and everyone left behind. I mean, I am super unenthusiastic about Starmerâs Labour but I AM hopeful that they will do something for Higher Education. But itâs too late for us đđĄđđĄđ