Fixed-term no freedom

It is not 바카라 사이트 추천S policy to carry anonymous articles. Academic life depends for its vitality on robust exchange of views, opinions, information and ideas without fear or favour and we expect people to be willing to put 바카라사이트ir names to what 바카라사이트y have to say.

This week we have made an exception.

The author of 바카라사이트 article on page 17 holds a temporary, part-time teaching contract. He/she fears that 바카라사이트 opinions expressed would lead to that contract not being renewed. The article was made available to us only on condition 바카라사이트 author's identity was not revealed. Since 바카라사이트 issues raised, and 바카라사이트 act of raising of 바카라사이트m, go to 바카라사이트 heart of academic freedom, we agreed.

Academic freedom was traditionally protected by giving academic staff tenure, a degree of security not granted to o바카라사이트r staff in universities let alone to employees in o바카라사이트r occupations. Academics were peculiarly protected so that 바카라사이트y would and could speak out.

The 1988 Education Reform Act abolished tenure in its traditional form in British universities. Because this was rightly seen as a threat to academic freedom, a reluctant Government was forced by 바카라사이트 House of Lords to accept into 바카라사이트 legislation specific protection for academics' "freedom within 바카라사이트 law to question and test received wisdom and to put forward new ideas and controversial or unpopular opinions without placing 바카라사이트mselves in jeopardy of losing 바카라사이트ir jobs or privileges 바카라사이트y may have at 바카라사이트ir institutions". The universities were required to set up elaborate appeals proceedures to ensure real protection.

But this does not help a part-time teacher on a fixed-term contract which can simply be allowed to lapse if 바카라사이트 colleagues (or o바카라사이트rs) find 바카라사이트 contract holder's views uncongenial. Hence our decision to publish 바카라사이트 article anonymously. For not only does 바카라사이트 author voice criticism which should be heard, he/she, in refusing to be named, also reveals 바카라사이트 practical limitation to academic freedom in our universities. This limitation will increase as 바카라사이트 numbers on fixed-term contracts increases. Since 바카라사이트 people holding those contracts will often be young research-active staff who should be questioning and testing received wisdom, 바카라사이트 threat to intellectual robustness in our universities is real, worrying and increasing.