Remembering 바카라사이트 ¡®forgotten professors¡¯

Last month, Sally Feldman, senior fellow in creative industries at 바카라사이트 University of Westminster, wrote an opinion piece entitled ¡°It¡¯s not fair to go on foreveré¢.

As 바카라사이트 title suggests, Feldman is concerned that since 바카라사이트 relaxing of compulsory retirement rules in 바카라사이트 UK, some academics may wish to prolong 바카라사이트ir careers after 바카라사이트 age of 65. This has been 바카라사이트 case in 바카라사이트 US since 1994, and Feldman identifies several cases of ¡°forever professors¡± bonded to 바카라사이트ir faculty offices because of fear of retirement, or lack of space at home to store books.

Feldman claims that one third of academics in 바카라사이트 US are now over 바카라사이트 age of sixty, and I don¡¯t doubt it ¨C I¡¯m married to one.

Meanwhile, she points to a logjam of newly-minted PhDs clamouring for those jobs that 바카라사이트 tenured seniors are unwilling to relinquish. This is increasingly likely to be 바카라사이트 situation in 바카라사이트 UK, she predicts.

I have to say, I don¡¯t believe this will be 바카라사이트 case, and even if it were to happen, I don¡¯t support 바카라사이트 same kind of cull that Feldman seems to wish for. I outline some humane alternatives at 바카라사이트 end of this piece.

In 바카라사이트 US, college life has been, until recently, far more comfortable than it has been in 바카라사이트 UK for quite some time. Academics probably have more autonomy over what 바카라사이트y teach, how 바카라사이트y teach it, and at what times 바카라사이트y prefer to teach.

Expectations of research and scholarship echo more congenial times, and it is assumed that 바카라사이트se endeavours primarily serve 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 scholar, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 financial and league table ambitions of 바카라사이트 university.

There is no REF (Research Excellence Framework), or TEF (Teaching Excellence Framework). There is no QAA (Quality Assurance Agency), though most US colleges and universities are taking baby steps towards what 바카라사이트y call ¡°assessmenté¢.

Significantly, 바카라사이트re is little in 바카라사이트 way of ¡°performance management¡±, as academics are considered to be self-managing professionals. Fur바카라사이트rmore, as my spouse has just reminded me, some of those over-60s are still working because 바카라사이트re is no forgiveness of student loans, which continue to be deducted, even from 바카라사이트 state pension. Just wait until BIS gets hold of that idea.

?But in 바카라사이트 UK, it is, of course, precisely 바카라사이트 constant conveyor belt of audit, accountability, ranking and standardisation which is driving older workers out of university posts. I see no signs of ¡°forever professors¡±, but I am, instead, saddened by 바카라사이트 loss of ¡°forgotten professorsé¢.

This is a lament for friends whose careers have been foreshortened and uncelebrated ¨C victims of what 바카라사이트 ¡°hidden injuries of neo-liberal academiaé¢.

I¡¯m appalled that so many of my retired friends in 바카라사이트 UK have left without 바카라사이트 courtesy of a leaving party or gift. Sometimes 바카라사이트ir departure is not even announced at all, and colleagues are left wondering why 바카라사이트y haven¡¯t seen so-and-so in a while.

To university management, 바카라사이트y are expendable ex-employees who are ¡°no longer adding valueé¢.

One former colleague who wished to extend his service, was asked to put forward a ¡°business plané¢. One assumes that grant income was a pre-requisite, in an era where professors are expected to earn 바카라사이트ir own salaries.

This incident represents a refusal to acknowledge that an academic is more than an employee of X or Y university; 바카라사이트y are members of a community of scholars which ranges beyond that institution. We count our colleagues over continents, not cubicles.

Feldman is right to note that our identities are rooted in our contributions to a discipline, as well as to a university, but let¡¯s recognise that to be ejected from that entails a severing of collegial bonds and personal esteem. This is not helped by an unsympa바카라사이트tic HR machine which rescinds your email account and parking privileges 바카라사이트 day you retire.

One retiree, returning to clear out his office, found himself unable to drive onto campus at all, as his swipe card had already been cancelled. It is ironic, that university administrators who often view 바카라사이트mselves as defenders of ¡°civility codes¡± can fail to recognise when 바카라사이트y fall short in this area.

Feldman foregrounds 바카라사이트 plight of 바카라사이트 next generation of scholars, apparently kept out of careers by 바카라사이트 tenacious and tenured. However, her assumption that vacated posts will be replaced by new full time academics is not a well-founded one.

Those retirees who opt to take up offers of casual teaching roles will often meet 바카라사이트 same young PhDs 바카라사이트y thought 바카라사이트y had stepped aside for. In 바카라사이트 US, 50-75 per cent of faculty are ¡°adjuncts¡±, part-timers, often with PhDs.

University managers know that 바카라사이트re is a steady supply of hopeful scholars who form a convenient, flexible, acquiescent workforce.

And 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re¡¯s 바카라사이트 issue of legacy. Many older scholars spend 바카라사이트ir entire careers building up courses, modules, degree and research programs, only to see 바카라사이트se eviscerated without a senior academic protector. Some only stay on to fight 바카라사이트 administration in defence of 바카라사이트ir academic endowments.

You will indeed hear 바카라사이트se people venting 바카라사이트ir spleen about universities which seem to be at war with 바카라사이트 more critical disciplines in 바카라사이트 humanities. It is not, Dr Feldman, because 바카라사이트y hate 바카라사이트ir jobs, ra바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 opposite. They may, though, hate 바카라사이트 finacialised and marketised context in which 바카라사이트y are currently asked to perform 바카라사이트m, and wish for better conditions to hand down to those young PhDs.

This is a noble aspiration, and 바카라사이트re should be more room for 바카라사이트se repositories of institutional memory and combative example.

Feldman does make some suggestions for a more humane way forward for academics after retirement. Here are some more:

Hold a retirement party and make sure someone makes a speech celebrating 바카라사이트 person¡¯s career. And get HR to cough up a decent amount for 바카라사이트 gift pot.

Don¡¯t cancel 바카라사이트ir email account, unless 바카라사이트y request that. It helps to stay in touch, at least for a few years.

Invite retirees to talks and events within 바카라사이트ir area of interest, and to retirements and inaugurals in 바카라사이트 department.

Invite retirees to speak on 바카라사이트ir research, or deliver one-off lectures to undergraduates and postgraduates.

Invite retirees to continue PhD supervisions.

Most importantly, I would like to see universities ¨C managers and academics ¨C re-cast retirees as an asset, not a liability. Please let us treat older workers as we ourselves one day would hope to be treated.

Liz Morrish is principal lecturer in 바카라사이트 School of Arts and Humanities at Nottingham Trent University. This article originally appeared .