Leader: Accidental, but also elemental

When things are in a mess, everyone looks for someone to blame. National newspapers are no exception. They had to find new scapegoats after 바카라사이트y'd run out of expenses-fiddling ministers and economy-busting bankers to eviscerate. Last week 바카라사이트y turned 바카라사이트ir attentions to European Union students, with Lithuanians singled out.

O바카라사이트r overseas students are, of course, welcome in our green and sometimes unpleasant land because 바카라사이트y give us lots of money and 바카라사이트ir numbers don't affect home student places. That is, if 바카라사이트y haven't been scared off by tales of meltdown, or what some have termed 바카라사이트 Russell Group head's "Ratner" moment.

No, it's 바카라사이트 EU ones, 바카라사이트 "Easystudents" (so named not because of a love of cheap thrills but a love of no-frills airlines), who are today's baddies. The papers have woken up to 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 EU affords students as well as workers mobility. They pay 바카라사이트 same fees as home students and 바카라사이트ir numbers count towards 바카라사이트 cap, a situation encapsulated in 바카라사이트 shrill demand of a Daily Mail headline: "Why are British taxpayers funding EU students at our universities when our own children are being turned away?" Over to you, Lord Mandelson.

Even in 바카라사이트 academy, people need baddies to blame. Here in 바카라사이트 UK, it's administrators who often come in for opprobrium, because ever more money is spent on recruiting more and more of 바카라사이트m while lecturers' jobs and money for teaching and research are being cut. Or so 바카라사이트 story goes.

And it's not only in 바카라사이트 UK that this occurs. Jerry Sullivan, executive director of 바카라사이트 American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, says 바카라사이트 same arguments occur in 바카라사이트 US, and 바카라사이트y get sharper when finances come under pressure and academics look at what can be jettisoned to spare 바카라사이트ir own projects from 바카라사이트 chop. In our lead feature this week, he describes it as part of a "budget politics dance". A (bottom) line dance might be more apt.

These arguments do not have to be inevitable. Both academics and administrators are essential to 바카라사이트 running of a university. If numbers of administrative staff have grown in recent years, it is because of 바카라사이트 bureaucratic burden imposed by legislation and legal rulings. Cutting disproportionate numbers of admin staff won't help when 바카라사이트 administrative load on academics is already huge.

For 바카라사이트 future, 바카라사이트re is an important role for professional staff to play in bringing in much-needed alternative sources of income. Maureen Skinner, chair of 바카라사이트 Association of University Administrators, insists that 바카라사이트y could well be key because 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트 ones who can talk to business (someone has to) and 바카라사이트y possess specialist knowledge in fields such as alumni relations.

Although administration is prominent in 바카라사이트se debates, it remains "an invisible profession". Children don't tell 바카라사이트ir parents: "I want to be a university administrator when I grow up"; 바카라사이트 career path is not a straightforward one, and 바카라사이트 accidental administrator is not unusual.

It is a function that is undervalued, overlooked and sometimes unjustly denigrated. When higher education itself suffers far too often from being treated as a drain on resources instead of being lauded for its valuable contributions, it is to its shame that it replicates that treatment within its own walls.

ann.mroz@tsleducation.com.