i see red

oh why wasn't the red report my bedtime story two months ago?! looks good, but i find it all very contrary, to be honest: some high-ups at my institution are very involved in the reports and yet, it's notably difficult, from the bottom up perspective, to actually get accurate numbers of and information about casual academics at my institution.

it's encouraging and interesting that such a report has been commissioned at this time (in relation to enterprise bargaining) and even more intriguing that higher ed institutions are partaking in such studies but steadfastly refusing to actually do anything about the effects of increasingly casualised tertiary teaching. at street level it is very much hush-hush, with conditions and employment subject to the whims of each faculty, and the entire process is generally swept under the table (financially and otherwise).

this disparity between the clouds and the dirt was present before, during and continues after the report: i had a hand in reviewing my institution's draft casual academic policy late last year, and it was so ambiguous that it left us all ripe for abuse (most decisions were left at faculty level with no provision for policing!) . but at least they have a (voluntarily introduced) policy, and today my school passed it's own policy completely on the initiative of one staff member! so maybe things are looking up?

perhaps, but unfortunately, at the end of the day, it's the numbers, not policies (nor numbers of policies!) that do the talking. so until we get our hands on some numerical evidence it may prove difficult to change my institution's attitude towards and treatment of casual academics. maybe the statistical hardships are a 'feature' and perhaps a 'privilege' of my being at said institution but hey, i like a challenge. a thorn i shall continue to be...