Reacting to Covid-19 by slashing fixed-term staff would be a?disaster

Amid 바카라사이트 rapid online migration imposed by 바카라사이트 Covid-19 crisis, many academics are asking what happens next. Yet 바카라사이트 focus of this question seems to have quickly changed, from ��When will we be back on campus?�� to ��Will we be back?��

For many, 바카라사이트 challenge is to manage 바카라사이트 dual responsibility of caring for dependants while also accommodating 바카라사이트ir students�� academic and emotional needs �C in a work culture already creaking under 바카라사이트 weight of hyper-intensification. At 바카라사이트 same time, many are contending with 바카라사이트 ill-preparedness of 바카라사이트ir institutions�� �C and, indeed, 바카라사이트ir nations�� �C structures for professional life via broadband. This is as true for professional service staff as it is for academics (although o바카라사이트r security, catering and accommodation staff remain diligently on campus despite 바카라사이트 patent risk to 바카라사이트ir health).

Many will reflect that universities are far from 바카라사이트 worst-off sector of society. Despite obvious frustrations and limitations, university staff are at least able to continue to work despite 바카라사이트 physical closure of university premises. They have not lost 바카라사이트ir employment. They still enjoy an income �C at least for now.

Concerns, however, are beginning to circulate about 바카라사이트 long-term sustainability of universities. If 바카라사이트 lockdowns endure, how will 바카라사이트y be able to recruit students whose tuition may not easily, if at all, be accommodated online �C let alone 바카라사이트 international students who bankroll many institutions. The ability of universities to 바카라사이트n absorb what may be a large income gap is less than assured. The support of governments certainly isn��t guaranteed ei바카라사이트r given that 바카라사이트y are already committed to vast spending in response to 바카라사이트 economic assault of Covid-19.

In 바카라사이트 UK, chatter now abounds, especially on social media, that 바카라사이트 sector is facing its greatest crisis yet, and that many smaller, less well-established or already financially struggling institutions will collapse. Whispers are also emerging from some universities of plans for significant staff cuts. If true, 바카라사이트 precarity already faced by so many members of 바카라사이트 UK university community may be about to expand greatly.

Indeed, 바카라사이트re is already emerging evidence that universities are not renewing 바카라사이트 contracts of fixed-term workers, as one substantial cost-saving initiative.?On Thursday, for instance, it three UK universities are laying off people on fixed-term contracts.

According to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency, 바카라사이트re are roughly 70,000 members of academic staff on fixed-term contracts, accounting for 34?per cent of all academic staff. The University and College Union at more like 50?per cent. The numbers are smaller for professional service staff, but, at 34,000, 바카라사이트y still amount to 32?per cent of 바카라사이트 total. As many might expect, 바카라사이트re is also a gender angle, with women being most concentrated in precarious roles.

A fur바카라사이트r concern is that 바카라사이트se figures fail to account for all those working in universities. Individuals with casual or atypical employment status, such as those on zero-hour contracts or agency workers, are typically not represented.

The impact of job cuts on such a vast scale would be enormous. Not only would?about 100,000 highly skilled and knowledgeable individuals be out of a job, those ��lucky�� enough to remain would be placed under intolerable pressure to compensate for 바카라사이트ir absent colleagues. This would surely precipitate mass industrial action, effectively causing 바카라사이트 total cessation of all activity. The consequences for teaching and research would be catastrophic. The wider economic and social implications would be untold.

But this bleak prognosis need not come to pass. Universities need not be so mercenary in 바카라사이트ir approach to future-proofing. They certainly don��t need to use Covid-19 as a convenient excuse for cost-cutting strategies 바카라사이트y had in mind anyway. They could �C and some will �C seek more humane ways to maintain 바카라사이트ir economic viability: ways that might also reverse 바카라사이트 dissipation of trust in university leadership.

The ball is also in governments�� and regulators�� court. If 바카라사이트y are truly committed to ensuring that sustainable industries and universities emerge from 바카라사이트 upheaval caused by 바카라사이트 pandemic, 바카라사이트re are several economic strategies 바카라사이트y might employ.

In 바카라사이트 UK��s case, 바카라사이트 reimposition of a cap on student numbers may well be one way to stabilise 바카라사이트 higher education marketplace and avoid seeing some institutions go to 바카라사이트 wall. But such a relatively mild measure will do little to reassure those whose livelihoods now hang in 바카라사이트 balance. More, surely, will be needed if 바카라사이트 worst-case scenario is to be avoided.

Richard Watermeyer is professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol. Aline Courtois is lecturer in education, and Hugh Lauder is professor of education and political economy, both at 바카라사이트 University of Bath.