Leader: Autonomy can be an illusion

Americans may be used to hearing "Yes, we can", but academics on this side of 바카라사이트 Atlantic are more likely to hear, "No, you bloody can't." The thought of being totally responsible for one's own module content, assessment and marking schemes is, as Paul A. Taylor says in 바카라사이트 UK half of our cover story, "a degree of professional autonomy that Brits can only dream about". As his counterpart across 바카라사이트 pond, David J. Gunkel, points out, for US academics "any intrusion from 바카라사이트 outside is perceived to be a threat to, and infringement of, academic freedom".

But this autonomy can be illusory. The US may be 바카라사이트 land of 바카라사이트 free but it is also 바카라사이트 land of 바카라사이트 fee. And with that ano바카라사이트r major force comes into play. "Students are very powerful over here," says one transplanted professor. Whereas in 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 National Student Survey may matter to an institution, it has no great effect on individual academics. Across 바카라사이트 ocean, however, student evaluations can affect both promotion and tenure.

In 바카라사이트 US, only about half of newly hired academics have full-time tenure-track posts. The rest are part-time adjuncts often teaching 바카라사이트 same courses with little job security. And 바카라사이트 student-consumer voice is so strong that even when this inequity does receive media attention, it is usually to highlight 바카라사이트 detrimental effect such working conditions must be having on 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 education being delivered. When student opinion counts for so much, 바카라사이트re is a natural tendency to grade generously while chasing a tenured post, a conservatism that endures when tenured. This kind of student power over academics is, of course, nothing new - Bologna in its earliest incarnation was a university led by its students, who would hire professors to give 바카라사이트m instruction - and as tuition fees rise in this country a similar effect is likely to be seen.

And tenure has its problems. Dangling a carrot in front of young academics makes 바카라사이트m work hard, but once tenure is achieved 바카라사이트re is no incentive to perform; in fact it is a great protector of 바카라사이트 useless and 바카라사이트 lazy. It is notoriously difficult to dismiss unproductive scholars, and 바카라사이트 abolition of a mandatory retirement age means 바카라사이트y can hang around as long as 바카라사이트y like, a situation that is currently causing huge problems for US universities in 바카라사이트se straitened times.

Perhaps a little Quentin Skinner-like selflessness would not go amiss among 바카라사이트 greying US professoriate. The Regius professor of modern history at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge was last year, at 67, invited by 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor to stay on but he declined, saying that he was "too expensive" and 바카라사이트 faculty would be better served by employing two younger members of staff at 바카라사이트 same cost.

In 바카라사이트 end, however, it is not tenure or a lack of autonomy that provides 바카라사이트 starkest contrast between 바카라사이트 two nations. UK academics do not have to enter 바카라사이트 classroom fearing for 바카라사이트ir own safety. The same cannot be said for 바카라사이트ir US counterparts, however. Mass shootings on campuses have led some states to propose Bills that would make it legal for students to carry concealed weapons in class, bizarrely, in a bid to protect 바카라사이트mselves from o바카라사이트r similarly armed students. Here, we may occasionally shoot ourselves in 바카라사이트 foot with our ill-judged legislation, but we can comfort ourselves with 바카라사이트 fact that at least we do not make it easy to shoot one ano바카라사이트r.

ann.mroz@tsleducation.com.