Made to measure: early career academics in the Canadian university workplace

• Published in: Higher education research and development Vol. 36; no. 3; pp. 541 - 554
• Main Authors: Acker, Sandra, Webber, Michelle
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 16-04-2017
• Subjects: academic work; Accountability; audit culture; Beginning Teachers; College Faculty; early career academics; Educational Change; Educational Environment; Educational Strategies; Foreign Countries; Job Satisfaction; neo-liberal university; Neoliberalism; Qualitative Research; Resistance to Change; School Culture; Semi Structured Interviews; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Evaluation; Tenure; Canada
• ISSN: 0729-4360; 1469-8366
• DOI: 10.1080/07294360.2017.1288704

While Canada lacks explicit central directives towards research productivity, academics experience frequent and intense reviews of their research, teaching and service through mechanisms such as elaborate tenure and promotion procedures and annual performance reviews. Given that newer academics are sometimes thought to be especially susceptible to contemporary performativity pressures, this article considers seven early career academics (ECAs), interviewed as part of a larger qualitative study, and the nuances of their reactions to evaluative processes, especially the tenure review. On the whole, the ECAs create and deploy strategies to ensure that they meet ever-rising standards, because they love their work and believe they are 'lucky' to be on track to secure a permanent position. They hope for more freedom in 'life after tenure'. However, all have trenchant criticisms of the corporatized university and the ways in which evaluation proceeds.