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[slapntickle]

Yet more depressing news. The UCU reports that the 'Number of managers in higher education has risen at twice the rate of academics:

1 March 2012
The number of managers in UK higher education has risen at more than twice the rate of academics in the past eight years, according to analysis by UCU

The full-time equivalent number of managers has increased by 40% since 2003-04. At the same time the number of academic staff only increased by 19%. In other words, the number of managers has risen at more than twice the rate of the number of academics (see table below).

Meanwhile the full-time equivalent ratio of academics (including teaching-only, research-only and teaching-and-research academics) to managers has fallen from 10.8:1 to 9.2:1, according to UCU analysis of data provided by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=5984

I suppose this trend was inevitable considering the explosion in Management courses across the country. Of course, upon graduation these management graduates need a job, which is why we saw a "40%" rise since 2003-04. This trend is worrying because it takes the power away from those who know what their students need(academics) and gives it to those who don't(managers). No wonder teachers are feeling bored and cynical and leaving the profession in droves when interfering manages start meddling in their affairs.

We should not forget that the word university is derived from the Latin universitas magistrorum et scholarium, which roughly means community of teachers and scholars. Within this definition there is no mention of managers. Too many cooks are definitely destroying the broth. Time to get out of the kitchen . . .

[scot47]

Interesting that the development of "Management Education" as a pseudo-academic subject coincided with the beginning of the rapid decline if the the advanced indutrialises states.