Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Laws of the academic jungle
28 October 2009
What’s it all about? The winner of the THE Lord Dearing Lifetime Achievement Award has distilled ten facts of university life to share
It was Wallace Stanley Sayre, a political scientist at Columbia University, who reportedly came up with the most famous law of academic politics: the intensity of feeling is inversely proportional to the value of the stakes at issue.
Anyone involved in sorting out university car-parking will recognise the law’s truth.
Now Sir David Watson, professor of higher education management at the Institute of Education and winner of Times Higher Education’s 2009 Lord Dearing Lifetime Achievement Award, has condensed his observations of the sector into nine rules of his own.
Watson’s “Laws of Academic Life” are:
* Academics grow in confidence the farther away they are from their true fields of expertise (what you really know about is provisional and ambiguous, what other people do is clear-cut and usually wrong)
* You should never go to a school or department for anything that is in its title (which university consults its architecture department on the estate, or – heaven forbid – its business school on the budget?)
* The first thing a committee member says is the exact opposite of what she means (“I’d like to agree with everything the vice-chancellor has just said, but…”; or “with respect”…; or even “briefly”)
* Courtesy is a one-way street (social-academic language is full of hyperbole, and one result is the confusion of rudeness – or even cruelty – with forthrightness; however, if a manager responds in kind, it’s a federal case)
* On email, nobody ever has the last word
* Somebody always does it better elsewhere (because they are better supported)
* Feedback counts only if I agree with it
* The temptation to say “I told you so” is irresistible
* Finally, there is never enough money, but there used to be.
The laws are contained in Sir David’s new book, The Question of Morale: Managing Happiness and Unhappiness in University Life, which is published next month by Open University Press. The book will be reviewed in the 5 November issue of Times Higher Education.
Readers' comments
I particularly like the rule "never go to a school or department for anything that is in its title". There is probably no better example of this than the author's own outfit, the "Institute of Education".
I particularly like the rule "never go to a school or department for anything that is in its title". There is probably no better example of this than the author's own outfit, the "Institute of Education".
"On email, nobody ever has the last word" Ditto Readers' Comments.
"Academics grow in confidence the farther away they are from their true fields of expertise (what you really know about is provisional and ambiguous, what other people do is clear-cut and usually wrong"...as a HE Marketeer, never a truer word was spoken, if i had a pound for every academic who thought he/she knew more than me about how to promote the University, I would not be working here, that's for sure...
What about the rule "it's not what you know, it's who you know"? I have never known a more nepotistic, incestuous, and cronyistic (if there is such a word) "profession" in my entire life. You only have to look at the award - remind me who was on the Dearing Committee?
@ what about, Having sat on many many interview panels at all levels I can assure you that there is no nepotism in my dept. Recent hires are from all over the world. It is a global business and there is no benefit to anyone if you hire second best. That said I think it varies across the disciplines and depts. I have heard horror stories about nepotism in some fields/depts.
I've never heard of Sir David Watson. I believe an important law of the jungle of academic life is 'unto those who have shall more be given'. In fact, that might b an immutable sociological law.
Hear, hear...
There are laws in academic life? Wow! Fabulous! I'll check them out. . .
Agree with the comments, but I add the one about colleagues. The teaching and lecturing post includes others at your own level. The know something, can teach something and are to be acknowledged. This should include post grads who cover for the Reader/Head of Dept while he or she goes off to events. PhD students bring money to the department, they should be treated with respect.
How about "no good deed goes unpunished"?
1. Never, ever question the logic of tenure. 2. Assist in the never-ending expansion of the meaning of academic freedom.
I particularly like the rule "never go to a school or department for anything that is in its title". There is probably no better example of this than the author's own outfit, the "Institute of Education". I'll second that...
What about the rule "it's not what you know, it's who you know"? I have never known a more nepotistic, incestuous, and cronyistic (if there is such a word) "profession" in my entire life. I'll second that...
@everyone. I so often hear people confirming the comments made above by 'What About' - why do we let it happen? Whistle blowing provisions designed to prevent such behaviour, are controlled by those you would complain about!
Grievance procedures... whistle blowing... both carry the whiff of corruption... universities are becoming morally bankrupt. We should be bothered.
Whistleblowing procedures are managed by those they are supposed to oversee. If you decide that the complainant means something stupid, then you can easily dismiss the complaint. Or construe it as a grievance against the Vice Chancellor. Regardless of the outcome, their career is finished...