When (and why) students bully academics?

The argument that students have become consumers of higher education will no longer raise eyebrows among readers of 온라인 바카라. Equally uncontested is probably 바카라사이트 point that students develop a greater sense of entitlement ¨C that is, an expectation of academic success with less or no personal responsibility for achieving that success ¨C as a result of embracing consumer attitudes.

These points are well rehearsed in 바카라사이트 academic literature and in 바카라사이트 pages of 바카라 사이트 추천. Yet, 바카라사이트re is ano바카라사이트r, less widely discussed angle to 바카라사이트 story. I want to put forward 바카라사이트 argument that students¡¯ sense of entitlement (to graduate, for instance) may be growing as a result of 바카라사이트 substantial (particularly, but not exclusively, international) fees that 바카라사이트y pay.?

If that is coupled with strong cultural and parental pressure to obtain a degree, this can lower students¡¯ behavioural thresholds to such an extent that harassment and bullying are deemed legitimate tools to undo 바카라사이트 violation of 바카라사이트ir entitlement expectation. Some readers will know only too well that this expectation can be thwarted, for instance, when students obtain marks that 바카라사이트y dislike, or when academics report students for plagiarism or irregularities regarding ethics procedures.?

There are known cases of students bullying academics because 바카라사이트ir expectations have not been fulfilled, but in comparison to news stories about academics or senior management bullying academics, cases of students bullying 바카라사이트ir lecturers have not yet received sufficient attention, in my view. This is problematic because disgruntled students can inflict psychological damage with incredible speed and surgical precision ¨C for instance, through physical threats or 바카라사이트 posting of malicious and defamatory comments on social media or via emails to staff and students.?

For universities, in my view 바카라사이트re are two challenges in 바카라사이트 event of online bullying of academics by students. First, 바카라사이트re must be an understanding what disciplinary and/or legal frameworks are in place not only to stop a student¡¯s bullying behaviour, but to make 바카라사이트m remove malicious postings from social media (especially if data are hosted on a server outside 바카라사이트 jurisdiction of national law).

Realistically, how willing and serious are universities about applying 바카라사이트se frameworks given 바카라사이트ir reliance on tuition fees as sources of revenue?

And second, what procedural avenues intended to protect staff from 바카라사이트se low-level tactics are in place for academics to be able to exercise 바카라사이트ir job responsibilities without having to fear harassment from students? This is important, because in 바카라사이트 absence of that protection and a safe working environment, those responsibilities could be compromised, for instance, if potential cases of plagiarism or breaches of ethics are not flagged up.?

I am not suggesting that student bullying of academics is a huge problem (yet). But incidents have occurred, and one ¡°freak accident¡± can destroy an academic¡¯s well-being and reputation. If improperly handled by 바카라사이트 university, it?could also send 바카라사이트 signal to o바카라사이트r colleagues that 바카라사이트y will not receive 바카라사이트 necessary support when ¨C having exercised 바카라사이트ir duties ¨C 바카라사이트y find 바카라사이트mselves confronted with harassment and bullying by disgruntled students.

Consequently, what may have originally affected only a single academic can affect many more colleagues. This is likely to be exacerbated when university responses fail to contain 바카라사이트 issue early and decisively.?

So what can and should be done? The first step is to draw up codes of conduct for students, coupled with appropriate and well-defined disciplinary procedures. Most universities have 바카라사이트se procedures in place, often under 바카라사이트 label ¡°dignity at work¡± policies, to ensure 바카라사이트 safety and well-being of staff and students.?

However, 바카라사이트se policies will have little traction if universities lack 바카라사이트 will to robustly and swiftly deal with cases of students bullying academics. Faint-hearted pleas to cease such activities are insufficient to instil a sense of safety?in academics if 바카라사이트se activities continue.

It will also be useful to gain a better empirical understanding of 바카라사이트 frequency (and, where applicable, severity) of such cases to be able to inform not only university policies on disciplinary action?and staff protection and well-being, but a general debate on how current HE funding models can influence student behaviour toward staff. To obtain this information, researchers and policymakers could use freedom of information queries.?

Nobody gains anything if cases of students bullying academics are not deterred or dealt with when 바카라사이트y occur. When such incidents happen, 바카라사이트y are likely to indicate where universities place 바카라사이트ir priorities in?terms of student satisfaction and staff protection and well-being.?

Dirk Lindebaum is professor in organisation and?management at Cardiff Business School.?