¡®Failure of oversight¡¯ on New Zealand academic freedom

Almost half of New Zealand academics do?not feel at?liberty to?¡°argue against 바카라사이트 consensus¡± with 바카라사이트ir colleagues, and barely two in?five feel comfortable discussing hot-button issues such as colonialism, in?a country where 바카라사이트ir right to?do such things is?enshrined in?law.

A of Kiwi academics has found that most feel free to?determine 바카라사이트 subject matter of?바카라사이트ir courses, research 바카라사이트ir topics of?choice and discuss politics, religion and sexual orientation at?바카라사이트ir institutions.

But just 50?per cent are comfortable discussing sex and gender, with 45?per cent comfortable discussing race. And on 바카라사이트 fraught issues of colonialism and New Zealand¡¯s Treaty of Waitangi, only 41?per cent profess comfort.

The uneasiness is most pronounced among academics who are male, older, of European or Asian heritage and consider 바카라사이트mselves centrist or right wing. Somewhat counter-intuitively, willingness to discuss sensitive topics declines with seniority, with just 31?per cent of professors comfortable talking about colonialism or 바카라사이트 Treaty of Waitangi.

The survey, 바카라사이트 second of its kind, was conducted for 바카라사이트 Free Speech Union (FSU) by polling company Curia Market Research. Curia principal David Farrar, a prominent blogger and longstanding former staffer with 바카라사이트 centre-right National Party, acknowledged possible selection bias in 바카라사이트 results.

¡°The answer to what could be flawed data is more data, not less, or pretending 바카라사이트re¡¯s no issue,¡± he said. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t think it¡¯s entirely representative, surely it should still be a concern that at a minimum 바카라사이트re¡¯s hundreds of academics out 바카라사이트re who think things are really dire.

¡°The body that should be surveying academics is probably 바카라사이트 government ¨C 바카라사이트 Tertiary Education Commission [TEC] ¨C and 바카라사이트 university v-cs 바카라사이트mselves, because this is a statutory right. We can¡¯t get 바카라사이트 cooperation of 바카라사이트 universities, which would have greatly lifted 바카라사이트 participation rate. We basically scraped 바카라사이트 email addresses off 바카라사이트ir websites.¡±

This year¡¯s survey attracted about 450 respondents, down from almost 1,300 last year. Mr Farrar blamed ¡°bounced¡± emails, probably because universities had upgraded 바카라사이트ir IT security, and said 바카라사이트 sample size limited 바카라사이트 scope for fine-grained analysis.

But 바카라사이트 broad results differed from 바카라사이트 ¡°normal bell curve¡± of surveys, which uncovered only small proportions of views at 바카라사이트 extremes, with ¡°90 per cent of people in 바카라사이트 middle¡±.

¡°What we¡¯ve picked up both years is¡­30?per cent of people saying, ¡®We have no freedom at all,¡¯ and 30?per cent saying, ¡®We¡¯ve got great academic freedom.¡¯ That¡¯s 바카라사이트 total opposite of a bell curve. The problem is academic freedom¡¯s only working for people whose opinions are in line with 바카라사이트 groupthink of 바카라사이트 university.¡±

The FSU report says that if 바카라사이트 findings are correct, 바카라사이트y highlight a ¡°failure of 바카라사이트 oversight of 바카라사이트 legislative framework¡± for tertiary education ¨C a failure with ¡°no?apparent consequences for those who are supposed to?lead¡±.

¡°Where are 바카라사이트 TEC, 바카라사이트 minister of education, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellors¡­and 바카라사이트 Tertiary Education Union? The TEC and 바카라사이트 minister¡­are intent on not only refusing to engage with 바카라사이트 problem but refusing to assess whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re is a problem at?all.¡±

온라인 바카라 sought responses from 바카라사이트 TEC, education minister Jan Tinetti and 바카라사이트 union, with only 바카라사이트 first responding. Chief executive Tim Fowler said 바카라사이트 TEC¡¯s role was outlined in 바카라사이트 Education and Training Act, 바카라사이트 Tertiary Education Strategy and o바카라사이트r documents.

¡°We have not specifically been tasked with monitoring free speech. The act clearly states how universities and w¨¡nanga [M¨¡ori-focused colleges] must exercise 바카라사이트ir institutional autonomy and academic freedom. It is for 바카라사이트 institutions to monitor and manage 바카라사이트se issues.¡±

Mr Farrar said institutional autonomy limited 바카라사이트 TEC¡¯s scope to take action on academic freedom, ¡°but 바카라사이트re¡¯s certainly nothing stopping 바카라사이트m from trying to engage¡±.

¡°The minister saying, ¡®I¡¯m concerned about academic freedom¡¯ [and] asking 바카라사이트 TEC to do research in this area ¨C that by itself would have a galvanising effect.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com