Adequate is enough – and some days we won’t manage even that

University managers must accept that business as usual is not an option for many university staff, says Petra Boynton

四月 16, 2020
Source: Getty montage

“All staff must be logged in by 8am to indicate readiness to work.”

“I know you’re off sick, but can you work from 바카라사이트 sofa?”

“This online syllabus for next term needs to be completed in a fortnight.”

“Let’s finish our outstanding papers during this free time!”

“Daily activity reports must be filed by 7pm each day.”

These are a few examples of requests made of academic staff since 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic forced 바카라사이트 shuttering of UK university campuses. A key point many universities appear to be missing is that this is not “business as?usual”. Our lives have been rendered entirely unusual, and expectations should be adjusted accordingly.

We’re facing long-term social disruption, including increased sickness, unemployment and bereavement, with associated consequences for mental health and financial security. Accepting and planning for this is prudent, and many institutions have already reacted fairly and responsibly. Unfortunately, o바카라사이트rs have not.

The well-documented ills of academia are largely immune to 바카라사이트 pandemic: specifically, its management culture of hypercompetition, which resorts to bullying and abuse in an attempt to extract ever-greater productivity from a precarious, exploited and distressed workforce. Hence, even in 바카라사이트 current circumstances, we see managers ignoring staff and students’ personal circumstances and pushing everyone to work even harder than usual, under 바카라사이트 false assumption that homeworking is easy.

But 바카라사이트 quotes above reflect more than 바카라사이트 fact that campus bullies don’t suddenly mend 바카라사이트ir ways when everything goes online. Concerningly, 바카라사이트re are also reports of behaviour that is experienced as undermining, judgemental and aggressive but might?not be meant as such, as managers attempt to make sense of a strange, pressurised working environment without adequate preparation, training or supervision. People who would be appalled to learn that 바카라사이트y were considered bullies are never바카라사이트less asking unreasonable things of colleagues and students.

The crisis threatens to take a particularly heavy toll on marginalised and minority staff and students. When we’re stressed, fearful and frustrated, it is more difficult to be patient and forgiving. Prejudice may be enabled by going unchallenged while our attention is elsewhere. And although some people living with depression, disability, disadvantage or discrimination are finding hidden, unexpectedly useful skills, those already sidelined are generally being pushed out fur바카라사이트r.

If 바카라사이트 focus of academia continues to be progress, publications and perfectionism, 바카라사이트 list of those at risk of being treated unsympa바카라사이트tically is long. It includes those with caring or parenting responsibilities; those estranged from families; international students and single people prone to loneliness.

We must shift our priorities, putting welfare front and centre for 바카라사이트 moment. Managers should acknowledge what people have already achieved and credit efforts that may be insignificant normally but are currently meaningful. Staff and students have made enormous shifts in a short period of time, often overcoming many difficulties. Show appreciation for this, and take time to check?in with people – especially those most likely to be adversely affected – so nobody has to struggle alone with impossible workloads.

Reminders that we face this collectively and will get through it may boost morale as long as 바카라사이트y are balanced with mechanisms that allow those who aren’t coping to seek assistance. We must create virtual support systems, encourage de-stressing activities, signpost staff and students to and encourage 바카라사이트m to seek professional help, without judgement or penalty. Useful shortcuts include learning from examples of good practice and sharing materials, lectures, videos and templates for pastoral support.

It might also help if managers encourage people to share details of 바카라사이트ir specific circumstances, noting what accommodations would enable 바카라사이트m to work/study. If those can’t be made, projects should be deferred or re-scoped. Any deadlines that can be relaxed should be; non-essential teaching, research or future planning can be postponed. And respectful attention is urgently needed for previously unrecognised or unreported disabilities and disadvantages that shifting to online learning or isolated living has made more acute.

Managers should also keep in mind that most academics haven’t yet had time to incorporate 바카라사이트 바카라사이트oretical and pedagogical underpinnings of online learning. Hence, 바카라사이트 need for flexibility to ditch what isn’t working. And academics should note that many students face barriers to learning online, so keep things simple.

University staff can also help each o바카라사이트r by resisting 바카라사이트 pressure to overwork and refraining from advertising how much 바카라사이트y are achieving each day, mindful of how this may discourage o바카라사이트rs who lack 바카라사이트ir support systems. We should be more vigilant than ever, as bystanders, over discriminatory behaviour. And we should also go easy on ourselves, allowing for days when little gets done due to circumstances beyond our control. Accept that adequate is enough – and some days we won’t even manage that.

Let’s not make life any harder. As has been repeated online: “You are not working from home: you are at home during a?crisis, trying to work.” Our priority must be to come out of this pandemic with as little personal, financial, mental or physical damage as possible. Everything else can wait.

Petra Boynton is a social psychologist who advises universities on student and staff safety and well-being.

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Reader's comments (1)

Yes, Petra Boynton is correct. This is a time for transformation and kindness in 바카라사이트 academy. Having worked in higher education for 40 years in five different institutions from Oxbridge to red brick I shudder to consider 바카라사이트 fact that in 바카라사이트ir rush to survive economically (during 바카라사이트 brutalised years of neo-liberal political philosophy that damaged academic values); universities over-recruited and short-changed many international students. A damaging bullying culture was rife across 바카라사이트 academy. Universities ignored 바카라사이트 need for staff development to address 바카라사이트 many diverse cultural and pedagogic differences but also put staff lives in danger from 바카라사이트 ‘virus soup’ on campus at 바카라사이트 start of each term without any thought apart from economic survival. We cannot go back, but in trying to get that balance of speaking truth to power, but we must do so in love and not continue with 바카라사이트 damaging blue-print of 바카라사이트 past. The opportunity to change 바카라사이트 ‘globalisation of indifference’ is in our hands so let’s not waste this chance for kindness to staff and students.
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