Sir, - The article by Danny O'Hare on "quality" in the Australian university system (EL, April 25th) was misinformed - particularly in his perception that effort had been adequately rewarded under the new merit-based pay regime implemented by the universities of late.
Australian academics have had it really tough for over ten years now. Pressure began to be put on the system in the late 1980s when fees were re-introduced, student numbers increased and academics were asked to be more accountable and responsive to the needs of the modern economy. A second major jolt to the system was effected after the election of the current government, which inflicted massive cutbacks in expenditure along with a raft of new legislation forcing universities to brave it on their own. The results have been catastrophic and a deep sense of disillusionment has beset the entire academic community from top to bottom.
Examples of how academic life has deteriorated are manifold but I will briefly highlight some of the more salient ones:
1:
Salaries at all levels except senior management have fallen in real terms and now trail those in Ireland significantly. Even when the extra incentive loadings (typically 25 per cent) given only to some professors in market-friendly faculties in a few rich universities are added in, remuneration is still lower than in Ireland.
2:
The modest pay rises of 3 per cent per year were only gained at some universities after protracted industrial action by the academic body. At the University of Melbourne, salary rises are linked to target increases in private revenue generated by the university.
3:
With the re-introduction of fees, the sharp decline in teacher-student ratios and government cutbacks of operating grants, many bright sparks have decided not to pursue academic careers in Australia and there is a real fear that the quality of academics at all levels is deteriorating. The wages system has done nothing to reverse this trend.
In Ireland, by contrast, the public standing of academics as a whole is still high and this is reflected in their better remuneration and working conditions. While inflexible salary structures may not be the solution to the current housing crisis, neither is an ill-conceived scheme which will divide the academic community and destroy the public service nexus which has served the entire academic community here well over the years. - Yours, etc., Edward Bressan,
Dublin 2.