A University Consists Not of its Estate, but... its Academic Staff : Jonathan Wolff, Professor of Philosophy at University College London. (March 2, 2010)

Jonathan Wolff, professor of philosophy at University College London writes a monthly column for the Guardian. He opens his March offering with "Do academic job losses have to be the first resort?"

After noting that during the better times the emphasis by government and UK university administrators was to invest in upgrading infrastructure, which he agrees was much needed, he observes that with the hard times now being visited upon Britain mightn't it have been wise to have set aside a financial cushion: "Not that the universities had any choice, as the money arrived ring-fenced for building programmes. But now one can wonder whether that was the right thing to do. Rather than, say, saving for a rainy day."

Professor Wolff then contributes what ought to be the bleeedin' obvious but which is repeatedly effectively denied in the event:

When a funding crisis comes, the most obvious response is to cut the wage bill. But a university consists not of its estate, but its people. And by its people, and with apologies to others, I mean its academic staff. If a university starts to shed academic staff, the international marketplace responds. Academic stars will leave and none can be induced to replace them. Research students go to where the best academics are. They would rather work in a shed with a Nobel prize-winner than sit in a glass and chrome palace with a succession of temporary lecturers. A university can live off its reputation for the purposes of undergraduate recruitment, but not for very much else.

What to do? Maybe in some cases redundancies cannot be avoided. But need they be a first resort? Some US universities have responded to the funding crisis with "furlough days" – essentially ordering their staff to take a few days unpaid leave, to spread a small amount of misery widely rather than heaping it up on a few individuals. Of course, universities are dynamic organisations, with the right to reconsider their strategic priorities and decide where and how to invest their resources. But unless they keep in mind that their most important resources, by far, are the human ones, they may eventually find themselves with little of anything else of value.

Oh yes, I nearly forgot to mention that Professor of Philosophy Jonathan Wolff opened his essay with: "In an episode of the superb 1980s university satire, A Very Peculiar Practice, the vice-chancellor and his deputy – both American imports – discuss the possible closure of the philosophy department. 'Gee, I don't know,' says one of them, 'it's good to have some old guys around, talking about truth and beauty.' Sadly, similar, though less supportive, conversations are taking place once again."