Chomsky believes that the American university system is being destroyed, as education is not the goal by those who run universities. Alan Ryan, who reviewed Benjamin Ginsberg's book "The Fall of the Faculty", believes that universities are being destroyed by managers, who care about their prestige and salaries more than education.
In a Skype meeting with “a gathering of members and allies of the Adjunct Faculty Association of the United Steelworkers in Pittsburgh, PA”, 4th February 2014, Chomsky explained how the American university system is being destroyed. He believes that universities managers are keen to keep their costs down. Faculty are increasingly hired on the Walmart model as temps.
Chomsky wrote:
"when Alan Greenspan was testifying before Congress in 1997 on the marvels of the economy he was running, he said straight out that one of the bases for its economic success was imposing what he called “greater worker insecurity.” If workers are more insecure, that’s very “healthy” for the society, because if workers are insecure they won’t ask for wages, they won’t go on strike, they won’t call for benefits; they’ll serve the masters gladly and passively. And that’s optimal for corporations’ economic health."
Why would they do it like that? "Because education is not their goal", said Chomsky.
In his review of Benjamin Ginsberg's book "The Fall of the Faculty: the rise of the all-administrative university and why it matters" (Oxford University Press, 2011) Alan Ryan (emeritus professor of political theory, University of Oxford) wrote:
”Academic prestige comes from publishing, winning awards for excellent teaching, getting research grants and doing interesting research. Administrative prestige is measured by the number of "reports" an administrator has, which is to say, how many people report to them. Deans need associate deans, assistant deans, deanlets and a bevy of secretarial staff, less to achieve anything truly useful than to enhance their prestige - and their salaries, because one's pay goes up in proportion to the number of staff one directs.”
How could they do that? Again, education is not their goal!
为什么不适应？我置身其中，越卷越深，深感高校行政化、权力化日趋严重，尤其在本科教学评估中的作为，公然全体造假，已丧失了最起码的大学精神。
I cannot fit into the culture of this administration-driven oppressive-management, which collectively fabricates measurable deliverables.
The university is not maintaining the minimal spirit of a university.
近年盛行的数字化考评、高校排名，让各级像疯了一样抓项目、课题、报奖...
In recent years, universities chase after measurable deliverables and ranking.
Staff at every level crazily chase after projects, popular areas, funding, etc.
上级考什么，下边就干什么，行政权肆无忌惮地侵害教育权和学术权。
Staff deliver exactly what the management wants [and nothing more].
The management blatantly infringes teaching and academic freedom.
Higher: Year of the Rat, broadcasted on BBC Radio 4, 14:15 5th May 2015:
Return of the comedy series about the UK's worst university. Jim is sent to China to recruit new students. But the new interim Vice Chancellor seems to be setting him up to fail.
Higher: Creative Solutions, broadcasted on BBC Radio 4, 14:15 6th May 2015:
Comedy series about Hayborough University, ranked 132nd in the UK.
Jim has returned from China in triumph and is rewarded by being promoted to Makeshift Vice Chancellor.
But a rather shady educational company is working with the board of governors and wants to do a deal
with the university.
[End]
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