December 19, 2008

About academic management...

I recently attending a bullying and harassment policy briefing session for academics in management roles at my university. The point of the session was to ensure that managers stayed just on the right side of the law, given that (in the words of the session leader) "there is a very thin line between bullying and management."

From: Poll points to distrust of 'petty' managers

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wonder if this will cut any ice with the government. When are they going to realise that education cannot be foisted upon a national. Dishing out NVQ certificates like sweeties does not make he workforce more competent. It devalues the certificate. Educational establishments these days are gravitating towards printing houses.

Anonymous said...

They get away with it because it's legal.

I recently heard about a case involving someone at the place I used to teach at. This individual alleged that the department administration was coercive and abusive towards him. He believed this conduct constituted harassment, as it went on for several years.

He brought up the matter with the staff association and it agreed that he had sufficient grounds to file a grievance. The decision went against him because the conduct in question was not addressed in the contract and, thereby, was not harassment.

This implies that unless it's spelled out in a ratified legal agreement currently in effect that certain behaviour, conduct, or activities are improper, anything that administrators do with a subordinate is fair game.

("Rights? You don't got no rights! You don't need no stinkin' rights!")

El Cid

Anonymous said...

The games that are played... by prestigious academics... who should know better...

When you hear an academic speak out... know what they are capable of...

... what are universities are being reduced to...

... by those who should know better...

Aphra Behn