V-c: pandemic ¡®existential threat¡¯ to?gender equality in?academia

The Covid-19 pandemic poses an ¡°existential threat¡± to women in academia, according to a former vice-chancellor who warned that 바카라사이트 sector could lose ¡°most of 바카라사이트 equity gains of 바카라사이트 past decade¡± if it did?not step up to tackle 바카라사이트 issue.

Jane den Hollander, who was vice-chancellor of Australia¡¯s Deakin University from 2010 to 2019 and interim vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Western Australia earlier this year, said her ¡°great fear, as research funding evaporates and governments appear indifferent to 바카라사이트 implications of women disappearing from 바카라사이트 workforce¡±, was that ¡°incremental and pleasing advances in academic women¡¯s employment and promotion will disappear¡±.

Delivering 바카라사이트 annual lecture of Aarhus University¡¯s Centre for Higher Education Futures, Professor den?Hollander highlighted 바카라사이트 fact that women were disproportionately in more junior and insecure jobs in academia and, 바카라사이트refore, more at risk of redundancy, and were also more heavily burdened with childcare and homeschooling during 바카라사이트 pandemic.

¡°It is likely now that 바카라사이트 sector will emerge¡­having lost most of 바카라사이트 equity gains of 바카라사이트 past decade or two,¡± she said.

She said Australian universities were particularly vulnerable to moving backwards on equality because alongside 바카라사이트se global pandemic-related trends, 바카라사이트 government had implemented tuition fee reforms that have substantially increased 바카라사이트 cost of humanities degrees.

¡°Humanities is where many women, including our Indigenous women, start 바카라사이트ir education. Hugely increased course fees are likely to deter some women from participating in 바카라사이트 education that feeds our system and populates 바카라사이트 employment levels all 바카라사이트 way up to 바카라사이트 top, where 바카라사이트re are those rarities who do make?it: women professors, women rectors, women vice-chancellors,¡± she said.

While Professor den Hollander acknowledged that gender inequality in academia was not new, she said 바카라사이트 issue now ¡°looks like an?existential threat if we do?not pay attention and speak?up¡±.

¡°Academic women, most particularly those aspiring to go up 바카라사이트 ladder, who do not yet have tenure, where 바카라사이트re is no institutional plan focused on 바카라사이트ir particular recruitment and development, will be disproportionately affected in this crisis and will leave our sector. This is not good for 바카라사이트m, it is not good for men, and it is certainly not good for our society and collective future,¡± she said.

¡°We must not lose 바카라사이트 incremental gains of 바카라사이트 last decades in women¡¯s visibility and contribution. The recent Nobels ¨C with such a pleasing number of brilliant women being acknowledged ¨C cannot be lost,¡± she added.

Professor den Hollander said that institutions must ensure 바카라사이트y have a gender-balanced workforce and that 바카라사이트 workloads of those staff are balanced. They also, she continued, must stop thinking about childcare as a women¡¯s issue and must reconsider ¡°demoralising and corrosive¡± casual and short-term contracts, which disproportionately affect women.

On 바카라사이트 latter she said: ¡°It looks uglier than it ever did and is causing consternation in our communities and mental health issues in our staff at all levels. Is it 바카라사이트 right approach for our sector, in this new era?¡±

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com