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In the latest issue of Academe from AAUP National, Jill Penn writes on job losses and expanding workloads. It all sounds eerily familiar. “Those of us working in higher education are all too familiar with austerity cuts. Often alongside initiatives to lower taxes, especially for the wealthy, state governments cut budgets under the guise of eliminating wasteful spending. Austerity measures inevitably result in stagnant wages, low morale, and attrition. When frustrated academic employees leave, increased job responsibilities fall on the faculty and staff who remain, with no increase in pay. One term for this situation is the academic stretch-out, sometimes called a speed-up.” Penn’s article explores the situation for public universities in Georgia, but it reads like a cautionary tale for the direction that higher education is taking in Ohio. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Penn ends with a call to action. “Reversing the trend of state funding cuts is long overdue. It will take hard work, dedication, and organizing, but it is possible. Since public higher education requires state funds and because state governments have done much of the recent damage, it is essential that academic workers regularly speak to their statewide elected officials about their firsthand experiences. Many elected officials understand very little about the conditions we are working under and how those conditions affect our students.” And of course, Penn also recommends becoming a full member of your local AAUP chapter. You can do that right now at our website! Read the full article at this link.
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