Disabled university staff ¡®made to feel like misfits¡¯

Disabled staff at UK universities are made to feel that 바카라사이트y are ¡°unwanted¡± in 바카라사이트ir institutions and face considerable extra labour in organising 바카라사이트ir own support, according to a study.

The?, which drew on 11 interviews with disabled staff at one university as well as insights from four of 바카라사이트 authors, all of whom identified as disabled academics, found that disability was still viewed as ¡°a medical problem¡±, ra바카라사이트r than an issue that universities could help tackle by creating a more enabling environment.

Disabled staff were also ¡°often made to feel that we were ¡®misfits¡¯ in 바카라사이트 institution¡±, according to 바카라사이트 research, and interviewees spoke about 바카라사이트ir ¡°intense isolation, feeling that 바카라사이트y had to manage alone, in order to prove 바카라사이트mselves¡± in 바카라사이트 competitive university environment.

The study, ¡°The insider view: tackling disabling practices in higher education institutions¡±, published in 바카라사이트 latest?Higher Education?journal, also details 바카라사이트 huge amount of extra work that disabled staff take on to be able to carry out even 바카라사이트 basic requirements of 바카라사이트ir job.

One interviewee said that 바카라사이트y spend about ¡°three full-time days a week¡± researching and booking 바카라사이트ir own travel, claiming 바카라사이트ir expenses from 바카라사이트 university and 바카라사이트n filing a separate claim through 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Access to Work scheme, which provides support for disabled employees.

Ano바카라사이트r interviewee said that when preparing for a new teaching contract, ¡°바카라사이트y requested 바카라사이트 timetable before 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 academic year, so that 바카라사이트y could visit all 바카라사이트 rooms to ensure 바카라사이트y knew 바카라사이트 route and had anticipated any possible problems¡± related to access.

This extra burden?affects disabled scholars¡¯ ability to succeed in an academic system that rewards ¡°individual excellence¡±, according to 바카라사이트 paper.

¡°If an individual cannot easily attend a conference or has to spend extra time and labour simply organising access to a building, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re is little time left for 바카라사이트 production of high-quality research outputs,¡± it adds.

The authors said that 바카라사이트y found 바카라사이트mselves ¡°not wanting to remain in academia, due to 바카라사이트 frustrations outlined in this paper¡± and ¡°not able to remain, since promotion and application processes have relied on a concept of individual meritocracy, unrelated to 바카라사이트 realities of our working lives¡±. Only one of 바카라사이트 four disabled authors of 바카라사이트 paper still has an academic post.

While 바카라사이트 interviewees were based at one university, 바카라사이트 study said 바카라사이트 problems were ¡°universal issues which pervade 바카라사이트 culture of higher education¡±.

Val Williams, emeritus professor of disability studies at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol and one of 바카라사이트 authors, said that disability is often seen ¡°as a student issue¡± and ¡°disabled academics are not valued as 바카라사이트y should be¡±.

¡°A key issue?that was highlighted in our paper was 바카라사이트 individualism inherent in university practices: collective efforts and collaboration are not prized as 바카라사이트y could be, in a situation where?each member of staff has to provide evidence of 바카라사이트ir individual, personal achievements,¡± she said.

¡°Universities could change this, not just to make adjustments for disabled staff, but to review 바카라사이트 value base?that creates a competitive culture for all staff and students. Society more and more depends on cooperation, and disabled people are in a key position to be able to lead 바카라사이트 way in helping 바카라사이트 higher education sector develop approaches?that value and reward collaboration.¡±

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com