Tracking my work hours reveals a crisis brewing in academia. Being a successful academic shouldn't require us to also be an accountant, HR manager, safety coordinator, travel agent, etc. #WorkLifeBalance #academia bit.ly/49Zc0KN - ThreadSky

urban-sci.bsky.social • 90 days ago

Tracking my work hours reveals a crisis brewing in academia. Being a successful academic shouldn't require us to also be an accountant, HR manager, safety coordinator, travel agent, etc. #WorkLifeBalance #academia
https://bit.ly/49Zc0KN

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floryannelli.bsky.social•25 days ago

We're talking about this w/Wolf, also because in Germany this seems to be pretty much the same, with exceptions. It would be interesting to know the experience of other German profs, but from what I've seen where i worked, very well funded groups can have their own admin assistance, but most don't.

thoba.bsky.social•25 days ago

German Prof here. Yeah, it's the same here. Not only a lot of the same BS stuff that doesn't serve any tangible purpose. But also a still largely paper-driven administration. We have a competent admin person supporting my group, but I also end up with roughly the same 40-40-50 distribution of work.

floryannelli.bsky.social•25 days ago

My feeling is that the uni grows in admin at the higher lever, as you say, but has been slowly cutting positions at the lab level (e.g., secretaries, lab managers, or technicians), particularly when new professorships are created. Often, you have to negotiate this, but it should be a given IMO.

floryannelli.bsky.social•25 days ago

Though you don't like complaining, and i get that, nothing will change until more people complain and organize. Working +48 hours is illegal in Canada, too, right? Then, it's a violation of your rights as a worker, and it shouldn't be acceptable. Even for the University.

floryannelli.bsky.social•25 days ago

Btw thank you for sharing! 💜

urban-sci.bsky.social•25 days ago

I'm starting to think that the only way to effect change is to join them. Those of us with grey hair need to take admin roles and advocate.

floryannelli.bsky.social•25 days ago

theorecol.bsky.social•25 days ago

One of the great academic paradoxes is that those who stand up, scrutinise and offer alternative solutions are too often by-passed for admin roles because of these traits.
A great colleague with extensive international experience and networks was overlooked for a Faculty Internationalisation...

urban-sci.bsky.social•25 days ago

Agreed!

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