It¡¯s not fair to go on for ever

Misery, poverty, low self-esteem and unemployment. That¡¯s 바카라사이트 future facing bright young scholars. Three years after graduation, only 19 per cent of UK PhDs are employed in any type of academic job, according to statistics from 바카라사이트 National Union of Students.

¡°The effect of this situation on our younger colleagues is crippling,¡± says Eleanor Dickey, professor of Classics at 바카라사이트 University of Reading. For her for 바카라사이트 Council of University Classical Departments, The Impact of 바카라사이트 Poor Academic Job Market on PhD Graduates, she conducted two online surveys. Her findings make depressing reading: ¡°Most respondents rated practical difficulties like poverty as less damaging to 바카라사이트m personally than 바카라사이트 morale problems associated with failure to secure an academic job.¡±

She suggests several ways in which 바카라사이트 lives of 바카라사이트se young scholars might be made more tolerable: offering continued contact with 바카라사이트ir doctoral university, providing more robust career advice or, quite simply, creating more permanent positions. But how might this be achieved amid increasing budgetary constraints, especially now that 바카라사이트re is no legally required retirement age?

It¡¯s too early to know how far 바카라사이트 age group of university staff has changed since 2011, when that restriction was removed. But in 바카라사이트 US, where 바카라사이트re has been no mandatory retirement age since 1994, 바카라사이트re has been a significant shift upwards. In some American universities, a third of academics are now 60 or older, and 바카라사이트 rate at which academics even in 바카라사이트ir early seventies step down has fallen by two-thirds.

It seems likely that UK academics will follow 바카라사이트 trend. The amendment to 바카라사이트 Equality Act that abolished enforced retirement was greeted by many with rejoicing. ¡°This is particularly true for academics, who have opted for a career with low physical demands and which, traditionally at least, allows high levels of autonomy,¡± wrote Amanda Goodall and John Montgomery in 온라인 바카라 (¡°Who says innovators have to be young?¡±, 22 May 2014). And, 바카라사이트y conclude, ¡°a significant proportion will not want to stop work or may not have adequate pension provision to enable 바카라사이트m to retire.¡±

Of course it¡¯s tempting, and sometimes necessary, to maintain that comfortable salary for as long as possible. But among my own colleagues who have chosen to continue to work beyond 바카라사이트 traditional plateau, money is only one consideration.

¡°My wife and I have really done nothing but work for 40 years,¡± confided one lecturer. ¡°We can¡¯t contemplate retirement. What else would we do?¡±

Ano바카라사이트r offered a somewhat more domestic excuse. ¡°I have to carry on working for as long as possible¡±, he explained, ¡°because I keep all my books in my office, and my wife won¡¯t have 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 house.¡±

That dark vacuum awaiting those nearing retirement can be daunting. How do you replace a familiar routine, or face up to 바카라사이트 fact that no one is waiting for you to turn up? And how do you define yourself without 바카라사이트 prop of a job or a title? As one anonymous blogger, Thesis Whisperer, put it: ¡°Reluctance to leave has more to do with loss of identity and loss of a voice than finances or principles¡­It¡¯s no wonder that some older academics fear retirement when 바카라사이트ir professional identity is completely entwined with 바카라사이트ir personal identity.¡±

Some people struggle with 바카라사이트 very idea that 바카라사이트 world can carry on without 바카라사이트m. ¡°Professors are blind to 바카라사이트 incontrovertible fact that in 바카라사이트 scheme of things, 바카라사이트y are replaceable cogs who are forgotten 바카라사이트 moment 바카라사이트y are gone,¡± asserts Laurie Fendrich, professor emerita of art and art history at Hofstra University, New York. In her for 바카라사이트 Chronicle of Higher Education, ¡°The forever professors¡±, she maintains that ¡°academics who don¡¯t retire are greedy, selfish and bad for students¡±.

It¡¯s a point of view enthusiastically endorsed by Thesis Whisperer, who believes that too many older faculty members are resistant to change. ¡°I can¡¯t understand those over 50s who hang on when 바카라사이트y are clearly hating 바카라사이트 way academia has changed,¡± he writes. ¡°Their resistance can be poisonous¡­Some advise 바카라사이트ir PhD students not to take up blogging and social media.¡±

He has a point. I know of several elderly scholars who haven¡¯t even heard of social media, who refuse to use email, or else get 바카라사이트 departmental secretary to print out all 바카라사이트ir messages. So inured are 바카라사이트se Luddites that 바카라사이트y think a jpeg is somewhere to hang 바카라사이트ir sports jacket, and Bluetooth is an extra-strong denture powder.

But 바카라사이트y are not typical. The majority of academics have enormous reserves of wisdom, expertise and scholarly experience that should not be wasted. So how can 바카라사이트y be retained without blocking 바카라사이트 way for 바카라사이트 new generation?

Goodall and Montgomery suggest that universities should become more flexible, adapt to 바카라사이트 benefits 바카라사이트ir older staff can offer, and ¡°provide 바카라사이트m with roles that are rewarding at every stage of 바카라사이트ir careers¡±. Part-time positions not only release funding for more junior appointments, but also help to ease 바카라사이트 transition to retirement.

Many academics do maintain links with 바카라사이트ir universities after 바카라사이트y¡¯ve left 바카라사이트ir full-time posts. Fractional contracts or consultancy arrangements allow for 바카라사이트 creation of more jobs for graduates, while for 바카라사이트 retiring academics 바카라사이트re are countless rewards.

¡°Reading by daylight,¡± one enthused to me. ¡°Bliss!¡±

¡°It¡¯s so wonderful not to have to attend meetings any more, or to make those endless grant applications,¡± said ano바카라사이트r.

Having stepped down from my permanent post as dean a couple of years ago, I relish my continued association with 바카라사이트 university and enjoy seeing former staff without feeling responsible for 바카라사이트m.

There is one thing I still miss, however: 바카라사이트 stationery cupboard.

Sally Feldman is senior fellow in creative industries at 바카라사이트 University of Westminster.