Academic promotions are Faustian bargains

Further, the notions on which these decisions rest, that of "international standing" and "equitable standards" are at best social constructions and at worst chimeras. International standing is often measured by the number of invited or keynote presentations you give. If you are on the conference club circuit, you get invitations from your mates and give the same paper 20 times, using a slightly different title each time. How are equitable standards defined? Academics seeking internal promotions are required to satisfy much more stringent criteria than those applied to academics seeking appointments to positions either within or outside the university. There are also demonstrably different standards applied across disciplines. The standards for equity also seem to change with the composition of the committee. A little like judges – some are hanging, some more lenient. Internal promotion is worse than a lottery. A winning ticket remains a winning ticket, regardless of the committee who scrutinises it.

These procedures surrounding internal academic promotions create learned helplessness in those subject to them and, like Gavin in his dealings with the government, "failed" academics come to know the feeling of "total impotence" he describes.

The following letter from Michael Thomson, President of the NTEU to the Vice Chancellor (18^th February 2004), deplored the new organisational structure in the university in which staff have become the responsibility of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Infrastructure).

"In view of your previous comments lauding the contribution of staff as the most important asset of the University, the categorisation of the organisational structure in these terms sends a somewhat inappropriate message to staff. Staff are in effect reduced to the status of inanimate objects. In view of your declaration that staff are the University's greatest asset, the Branch believes it would be appropriate to encapsulate explicitly this sentiment in the organisational structure. At the very least, it would be fitting to rename the position 'Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Infrastructure)' 'Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Staffing and Infrastructure)'."

Perhaps our relegation to inanimate objects is strategic and sensible. Inanimate objects cannot complain, argue, protest, challenge or change the rules. Above all, as inanimate objects, we will not undergo "a magical transformation from prince to frog" and like Dr Nelson, "throw the university into a state of industrial chaos"!