The Toxic University by John Smyth

Author:John Smyth
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan UK, London

On the basis of this, Brett admits to having ‘a surge of resentment …every time I read… [of] the Vice Chancellor making one of his claims to the universal excellence of his institution…’ (p. 19).

The broader point being alluded to here is that there is a hidden professional ethic at the core of academic work that is invisible to those who do not fully understand or appreciate the nature of academic work, and that is amenable to corruption, even if it can sometimes be resisted. Macfarlane (2007) calls this aspect of the work ‘academic citizenship ’, and in many respects, he says, ‘it is the glue that keeps academe working’ (cited in Havegal 2015, p. 1). The invisibility of this academic service work makes it highly susceptible to what Macfarlane (2012) calls ‘unbundling’ (pp. 51, 70–72) in a context of competitive pressures. What he is referring to in this notion of unbundling is the way individual academics are forced to make invidious choices because of pressures placed on them to engage in activities that are economically rewarding to their institutions. As Power (2014) typified it, it comes in the form of the academic asking ‘Can I afford to be a good academic citizen’ (p. 2). In an interview he did with the Times Higher Education, Michael Power , professor of accounting at the London School of Economics, is reported to have said about the current competitive trajectory being placed on academics in the UK, that:Such individuals were once described to me as “Thatcher’s children”. My observation is that more academics see themselves as sole traders utilising the university franchise for career development solely in terms of research. In short, rising individualism is hollowing out departments . There is no doubt in my mind that academic culture is changing in this way . (Cited in Havergal 2015, 29 January, p. 2)

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