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vol. 52, no. 2, 2010 Published by NTEU ISSN 0818–8068 AUR Australian Universities’Review
Editorial Policy Book Reviews
The Australian Universities’ Review (AUR, formerly Vestes) is Books for review should be sent to the Editor. Our policy is to
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AUR Editor
Editorial decisions are made by the Editor, assisted by the AUR Satire
Dr Ian R Dobson
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vol. 52, no. 2, 2010
Published by NTEU ISSN 0818–8068
Australian Universities’ Review
3 Letter from the editor 49 The balance between merit and equity in
Ian R Dobson academic hiring decisions: Judgemental
content analysis applied to the phraseology of
ARTICLES Australian tenure-stream advertisements
Gregory J Boyle, David L Neumann, John J Furedy, H
5 Clothing the emperor: Addressing the issue Rae Westbury & Magnus Reiestad
of English language proficiency in Australian The wording of university academic job advertisements can reflect a
universities commitment to equity as opposed to academic merit in hiring deci-
Katie Dunworth sions, but administrators need to be sensitive to this balance.
There are fundamental issues about the nature, measurement and
56 Short-changed: The plight of US universities in
development of student English language proficiency that need to be
the age of economic instability, or around the
addressed if universities are to build on those principles for good
bend: The University of California in the present
practice to make systemic and sustainable progress.
age
11 Hegemony, big money and academic John S Levin
independence With a US$800 million budget shortfall, the University of California
Tim Anderson has chosen to maintain its preeminent position among US public uni-
Is a threat posed to academic independence in corporate universi- versities. This article examines the conditions for this choice and the
ties by the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney? impending outcomes.
18 Cracking the code: Assessing institutional OPINION
compliance with the Australian Code for the
Responsible Conduct of Research 64 Researcher engagement and research
Suzanne E Morris integrity in Australia
A review of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Andrew Crowden
Research institutional authorship policies and their compliance. A response to Margaret Lindorff’s Call for Papers about Human
Research Ethics Committee (HREC) processes (AUR vol. 52, no. 1).
27 Rates of student disciplinary action in Australian
universities 66 Workload determination - an essay in applied
Bruce Lindsay ethics
This paper provides baseline, quantitative data on disciplinary Peter Davson-Galle
action against students in the universities: rates that are not insig- An exercise in applied ethics on the topic of determining work-
nificant given the effort and resources dedicated to dealing with loads in academia.
misconduct and the numbers of students affected.
72 Reach for the Stars
33 Gender and shifts in higher education Arthur O’Neill
managerial regimes: examples from Portugal An analysis of Australian university newspaper advertisements and
Teresa Carvalho & Maria de Lurdes Machado the self-promoting marketing devices employed in the marketing
As higher education institutions substitute the traditional collegial of their products.
model with a managerial one, how do these different models reflect
traditional notions of femininity and masculinity and what potential 76 Watch out! Here comes the TEQSA juggernaut
impact will they have on women in academia. Joseph Gora
Is it possible to be assessed to death?
43 Perspectives on instituting change
management in large organisations REVIEWS
Alan Lawler & James Sillitoe
Australian universities are currently undergoing significant and 79 Power and Influence: the view from the tower
deep-seated change to their funding models, introducing unantici- Making Waves: Medicine, Public Health, Universities and Beyond
pated difficulties and causing significant levels of personal uncer- by David Penington
tainty for staff. Such difficulties might be mitigated by more effective, Review by Paul Rodan
efficient and transparent change management strategies.
A U S T R A L I A N U N I V E R S I T I E S ’ R E V I E W
REVIEWS continued 91 The moving finger writes
Improving Learning in College: Rethinking literacies
81 Some universities are more equal than others!
across the curriculum by Roz Ivanic,ˇ Richard Edwards, David
Structuring Mass Higher Education: The Role of Elite Institu- Barton, Marilyn Martin-Jones, Zoe Fowler, Buddug Hughes, Greg
tions by David Palfreyman & Ted Tapper (eds). Mannion, Kate Miller, Candice Satchwell & June Smith.
Review by Deanna de Zilwa Review by Patricia Kerslake
83 To complete or not to complete. That is the 93 It’s a long way to the top….
question!
Higher Education and International Capacity Building –
How to Recruit and Retain Higher Education Students. A Hand- twenty-five years of higher education links, by David Stephens
book of Good Practice, by Anthony Cook & Brian S Rushton (eds). (ed.).
Review by Margaret Heagney Review by Timo Aarrevaara
85 What do you want to be when you grow up? 94 The gulf between us
The Consumer Experience of Higher Education: The Rise of Cap- Globalisation and Higher Education in the Arab Gulf States, by
sule Education, by Deirdre McArdle-Clinton. Gari Donn & Yahya Al Manthri.
Review by Maree Conway Review by Stephen Wilkins
87 At last count…..
Teaching by Numbers – Deconstructing the Discourse of Stand-
ards and Accountability in Education, by Peter M Taubman.
Review by Georgina Tsolidis
89 And thereby hangs a tale ...
Narrative Research on Learning: comparative and international
perspectives, by Sheila Trahar (ed.).
Review by Patricia Kerslake
2 , vol. 52, no. 2, 2010
A U S T R A L I A N U N I V E R S I T I E S ’ R E V I E W Letter from the editor Ian R Dobson Another busy year of editing draws towards its end, far as statements about authorship are concerned. As and Australian Universities’ Review (AUR) completes with all things, some universities’ compliance is rather its 52nd volume. We live in interesting times. Austral- better than others. Is your university one of the ones ians have trepiditiously elected their 43rd parliament, exceeding minimum requirements? and one wonders what this will mean for universities. Student misconduct is a burgeoning ‘industry’, but More of the same? Down-hill spiral? Onwards and not so research on the topic. Bruce Lindsay seeks to upwards? You decide! rectify that! He concludes that rates of disciplinary Moving right along, what is published in the pages action against students are not insignificant, consider- of a journal is a function of the material submitted, ing the limited effort and resources applied to issues and AUR is lucky that it continues to receive papers relating to misconduct. Not unexpectedly, plagiarism that cover a broad range of topics’ This issue is no is a major form of student transgression. exception. Perhaps this is in fitting with the current Change is inevitable, it seems. According to any dic- political climate. In a nutshell, papers published cover tionary, the word ‘reform’, so loved by governments of English language proficiency, academic freedom and both persuasions, includes the suggestion that things independence, student discipline, hiring policies, and will improve. One can only guess at the ‘reforms’ to be change (apparently the only constant in higher educa- foisted on universities during the life of the new par- tion). On the international front, we have papers from liament. Clearly ‘reforms’ do make things different, but Portugal and the USA on gender and management, and has there ever been any attempt to analyse or measure university funding, respectively. And don’t forget the these improvements? Do governments ever demand opinion pieces and book reviews. the same levels of ‘accountability’ of themselves that Katie Dunworth’s paper opens with the cited they demand of others? We know the answer to that observation that university students’ English ‘is often one! However, Alan Lawler and James Sillitoe suggest disgracefully shoddy in the fundamentals of lan- that institutions could at least mitigate some of the guage….’ Few would argue with that statement, but uncertainty staff feel when change is afoot, by adopt- it was uttered in 1941! Perhaps some things don’t ing ‘more effective, efficient and transparent manage- change. ment strategies’. They tell us how it could be done The University of Sydney’s Tim Anderson makes better. some pointed observations about the United States Greg Boyle and his colleagues analysed job adver- Studies Centre, of which, he says, we know little tisements in The Australian newspaper for tenured because of the ‘commercial in confidence’ card played academics during three periods, in order to compare by the University of Sydney and the American Austral- the impact of equity and/or merit in hiring decisions, ian Association. with some comparisons with Canada.They believe that Suzanne Morris undertook research to find out human resources departments need to be aware of the which Australian universities comply with the Austral- issues behind the wording of job advertisements, and ian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research so call for more research on the subject. vol. 52, no. 2, 2010 Letter from the editor, Ian R Dobson 3
A U S T R A L I A N U N I V E R S I T I E S ’ R E V I E W Two papers come from abroad. The first is about Taking his lead from Joseph Gora’s paper on mottos gender and management in Portugal, comparing old in AUR 52(1), Arthur O’Neill examines the ways in and new institutions, and universities and polytech- which Australia’s universities present themselves nics. Interviews with women and men were analysed to their world (via their advertisements). He is not in order to establish the extent of gender-based man- impressed! ‘Universities’, he says, ‘could…do without agement stereotyping. The authors finish up ‘by ana- their zany promulgations’. All I can say is ‘Go Boldly lysing perceptions about leadership styles for women and Dream Large!’ (Not necessarily in that order). and men, and the potential implications for women’s Finally, we have left the last word to Joseph Gora, participation in top management in higher education who again shares his opinions with us. This time the institutions’. The other overseas paper is about the target is what he describes as the TEQSA juggernaut. ‘I plight of universities in the USA following the Great can hear the screams from here’, he says. Recession, with particular reference to the University The editorial board decided that AUR should have of California (Riverside). a larger book review section, and it certainly has. No AUR seeks opinion pieces, and this issue features fewer than nine reviews feature in this issue, most of several. The first of these is in support of Margaret them positive. That should please (most of) the pub- Lindorff’s paper on ethics in AUR 52(1). Most would lishers! consider it appropriate for an extensive ethical review On behalf of the editorial board and publication of biomedical or psychological research involving chil- team, I wish you the best for the rest of this year. Please dren, animals or anyone at ‘risk’. It is an open and shut consider the Australian Universities’ Review as a case. However, what about ‘research’ involving people place for your scholarly writings. You can reach a vast not at risk? Do we need processes to be streamlined audience with AUR: it is available for free on the inter- further for those whose research involves, say, asking net (http://www.aur.org.au), and we print around vice-chancellors about government higher education 8,000 copies. policy? Perhaps it is best to err on the conservative side! The second piece also has an ‘ethics’ flavour. It is about determining academic workloads, something that will be of vital interest to AUR readers. 4 Letter from the editor, Ian R Dobson vol. 52, no. 2, 2010
A U S T R A L I A N U N I V E R S I T I E S ’ R E V I E W
Clothing the emperor
Addressing the issue of English language proficiency in
Australian universities
Katie Dunworth
Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia
The English language proficiency levels of students in Australian higher education who have English as an additional language (EAL)
has become an increasingly prominent issue, particularly as it relates to international students. In 2009 this resulted in the publication of
a set of good practice principles for the sector. This paper argues that there are fundamental issues about the nature, measurement and
development of student English language proficiency that need to be addressed if universities are to build on those principles for good
practice to make systemic and sustainable progress in this area.
Introduction vocative title The emperor’s new clothes: ‘Yes, there
is a link between English competence and academic
When it is argued that the English produced by uni- standards’, Bretag (2007, p. 15), explains that ‘all 14
versity students ‘is often disgracefully shoddy in the respondents [in interviews with academic staff] stated
fundamentals of language, abusing everything from that international EAL students generally have inad-
spelling to grammar, syntax and proper usage’, the equate English communication skills for study at the
style in which the observation is expressed may betray tertiary level in Australia’.
its antiquity (it was authored by Theodore Morrison in Concerns about student English language profi-
1941), but the gist of its content has hardly wavered ciency are not restricted to university staff. A recent
across the generations. Surveys and interviews with review of the Education Services for Overseas Stu-
university academics continue to find that respond- dents (ESOS) Act reported that students themselves
ents believe students lack the English language skills to ‘raised concerns about English language standards
communicate at an appropriate level for tertiary study. being too low and the lack of opportunities to improve
(More recent examples include Bretag 2007; Sawir their English language skills’ (Baird 2010, p. 10); and
2005; Jamieson et al. 2000; Coley 1999; McDowell and an investigation into the employment outcomes of
Merrrylees 1998). international students found that English language
What has changed since the 1940s is the nature of proficiency ‘represents a key issue for both graduate
the population against whom such criticism is levelled. job access, and for subsequent mobility within work’
While overall concerns about English language use in (Arkoudis et al. 2009, p.12).The conclusion reached by
an academic context do continue to be expressed, many as a consequence of these widespread concerns
there is now a considerable body of literature in Aus- is that English language entry scores may be too low
tralia that relates specifically to the English language (Baird 2010; Bretag 2007).
proficiency levels of students who have English as an Prompted by the publication of a high-profile report
additional language (EAL), most of whom are interna- on the English language levels of overseas students
tional students. For example, in an article with the pro- graduating from Australian universities (Birrell 2006),
vol. 52, no. 2, 2010 Clothing the emperor, Katie Dunworth 5A U S T R A L I A N U N I V E R S I T I E S ’ R E V I E W
the Australian Government took action, and in 2007 demic staff in a single institution, interviewees varied
the International Education Association of Australia widely on their interpretations, leading to ‘a series of
(IEAA) convened a national symposium, attended by unit-level microcosms in which a sufficient level of
representatives from all Australian universities. This language proficiency is determined… using criteria
led to a set of recommendations for action (IEAA, of which the evaluated are largely unapprised’ (Dun-
2007), and in 2009 the Good Practice Principles for worth 2001, p. 148). Positive outcomes are difficult to
English language proficiency for International Stu- achieve when the desired standards are neither openly
dents in Australian universities were developed, a set articulated nor communally implied. It is incumbent
of ten guidelines for universities that emerged from a on universities, particularly in view of the fact that
project convened by the Australian Universities Qual- they have actively sought out enrolments from inter-
ity Agency (AUQA) and approved by the Department national EAL students, to adopt and disseminate infor-
of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations mation about the nature of language proficiency and
(DEEWR). The Good Practice Principles, published the levels that they believe are appropriate for their
on the Department’s website (DEEWR, 2009), are now courses, so that both academic staff and students are
in the process of being developed into a set of draft able to move towards a common and consistent under-
standards for higher education. standing of the construct and the standards that are
Their introduction has, at a generic level, encour- required at graduation as well as at entry.
aged the debate within universities to progress from Defining English language proficiency in terms of
an argument that focuses primarily on using gate- the bands, grades or scores that students obtain on
keeping devices to restrict access to higher edu- entry, or with reference to the broad general descrip-
cation courses to a more nuanced view that also tors compiled by the instrument developers, is clearly
incorporates the responsibility of universities to inadequate if there is no institutional process to link
address their students’ language development needs the measures that universities accept to the lived
over the course of their studies. Even with the Good experience of the tertiary classroom and if there is
Practice Principles, however, there remain some fun- no rigorous examination of the instruments that are
damental questions to be addressed: about the nature accepted. The first step towards a solution, therefore,
of tertiary level language proficiency, the measure- is that the construct of language proficiency, and what
ment of language proficiency and the ways in which constitutes an appropriate level in any given academic
language proficiency should be developed. Without context, needs to be clearly defined, understood and
clear positions on these issues, universities will find communicated among all those affected by it.This may
it difficult to introduce substantial changes that are well differ between institutions, disciplines or cohorts,
systemic, positive and sustainable. Drawing on data of course, not only because within the outwardly
obtained from a range of research studies and the homogenous environment of academia the forms
experience gained by the author in managing a two- of language used vary considerably across discipline
year institution-wide project at one university to pro- areas and discourse types, but also because graduate
mote student English language proficiency, this paper language needs may differ.
examines the problems that these three fundamental At the same time, if universities were to set entry or
questions pose, and proposes ways in which it may exit requirements for EAL students at a level at which
be possible to move forward. they were genuinely able to operate in all academic
and professional discourse environments at a level
The nature of English language proficiency commensurate with their Australian counterparts who
have English as a first language, then far fewer interna-
The first issue is that ‘English language proficiency’ tional or migrant EAL students would ever obtain an
does not necessarily have a shared meaning at a cross- Australian degree. We need to recognise that most EAL
institutional, intra-institutional or even intra-discipli- students ‘will never draw level with native speakers in
nary level, either in terms of the construct itself or of their control of English’ (Ballard & Clanchy 1997:29)
the level of the construct that is appropriate for any in its standard form. In consideration of an appropriate
year of tertiary study, pace the ubiquity of institutional description and level of English language proficiency,
references to particular IELTS scores. For example, cognisance needs to be taken of the role of English in
Dunworth (2001) found that in 45 interviews with aca- the world today.
6 Clothing the emperor, Katie Dunworth vol. 52, no. 2, 2010A U S T R A L I A N U N I V E R S I T I E S ’ R E V I E W
With the ubiquity of English as a medium of inter- their studies and cope with the initial demands of their
national communication, benchmarks against the ‘edu- course.
cated native speaker’ are giving way to constructs such If this argument is accepted, then it follows that a
as English as an international language (EIL) that may level of English language proficiency that has been set
ultimately be ‘easier for speakers of other languages to for beginning students is unlikely to be an appropriate
learn and use’ (Yano 2001, p. 130), or English as a lingua indicator of students’ capacity to participate effectively
franca (ELF) which acknowledges the importance of in subsequent years of study. Unfortunately, this posi-
the language as a communication tool between non- tion is not consistent with the numerous processes in
native speakers (Mauranen, Hynninen & Ranta 2010). place whereby students are awarded exemption from
It may be time to review the forms of English language completion in Australia of components of their degree,
deemed as acceptable within the walls of Australia’s for example through a system of recognition of prior
tertiary institutions, particularly within those which learning (RPL). This system is itself fraught with its
claim in their mission statements to have engaged in a own complexities (e.g. Fox 2005; Cantwell & Scevak
process of ‘internationalisation’ and which accept onto 2004); but the concern for this paper is that it means
their campuses students from around the world, many students may commence their studies at an Australian
of whom do not subsequently become permanent university part-way through their degree course, while
residents in Australia. This, their levels of English lan-
it is acknowledged, would guage proficiency, if they
...there remain some fundamental
be a difficult undertaking. are measured at all, are not
‘Uncoupling any language
questions to be addressed: about required to be correspond-
from its native speakers the nature of tertiary level language ingly more developed
is... a challenging idea that proficiency, the measurement of language than those undertaking
will require a considerable proficiency and the ways in which language the course in full. This also
effort of adjustment of atti- proficiency should be developed. applies to some transna-
tudes and long-established tional students when they
concepts of just what a lan- transfer to Australia to com-
guage is’ (Seidlhofer, Breiteneder & Pitzl 2006, p. 24). plete their degree, as their prior tertiary learning envi-
It is also important to take into consideration that ronments may include a lack of exposure to English
language proficiency, like academic literacy, is not a outside the classroom or, sometimes, even within it
binary state. Rather, it is best viewed as a contextu- (Victoria University 2005). In short, with the complex
ally-specific continuum, along which language users range of enrolment practices that now exist in Austral-
move at varying rates. The student body in Australian ia’s universities, it is not sufficient to set a single stand-
universities is becoming increasingly heterogeneous. ard for entry level proficiency. If we are to be confident
Widening participation policies, internationalisation, that students have the language resources to partici-
technological developments, a broadening of academic pate effectively in their studies, then we need to pro-
entry requirements, a rise in occupations requiring ter- vide indicators of the required levels of proficiency at
tiary qualifications and changes in the demographics key points along the road towards degree completion.
of Australia’s population (see, for example, Australian
Education International [AEI] 2009; Access Economics Measuring English language proficiency
2008; Birrell et al. 2008; Scott 2008) have resulted in
enrolments of students with diverse educational, lin- The second issue is how entry-level English language
guistic and cultural backgrounds. We can no longer proficiency is to be measured. Universities now accept
expect any student, regardless of background, to arrive numerous means by which entry requirements can be
at university replete with the requisite ‘graduate’ level met (Leask, Ciccarelli & Benzie 2003), with some uni-
of English language proficiency. Many students experi- versities recording over fifty different, incommensura-
ence difficulty with academic literacy practices (Lea & ble, measures (Curtin University of Technology 2009;
Street 2006); EAL students simply face a wider range of Coley 1999). If institutions define a sufficient level of
challenges. English language entry levels should there- proficiency in terms of a particular score on one of
fore be viewed as just that: the point on the continuum those measures, and then use those same scores with-
at which it is believed that students can commence out further investigation to claim that students who
vol. 52, no. 2, 2010 Clothing the emperor, Katie Dunworth 7A U S T R A L I A N U N I V E R S I T I E S ’ R E V I E W
attain them are sufficiently competent in English, then lent’ to IELTS, implying not only that this latter test is
they have surrendered their autonomy and control of a synonym for proficiency, but also that equivalence is
the construct to the organisations that produce the not only possible but has been established). However,
approved instruments. Acceptance at face value of the benefits of flexibility are lost if the instruments
any given score goes against the advice, it should be themselves have not been validated by an institution
added, of the publishers of the two most prominent as suitable for entry to its programs, or subjected to
international English tests used in Australia, IELTS and any disinterested and publicly available analytical
TOEFL. The IELTS guide for stakeholders (n.d.) states, process. Universities have a responsibility when evalu-
for example, that ‘the level of English needed for a can- ating applicants’ entry levels of language proficiency
didate to perform effectively in study, work or training to ensure that students are not being exploited; this
varies from one situation to another. That is why each requires an understanding of what the various meas-
individual organisation can set its own minimum IELTS ures actually mean in practice.
score for applicants, depending on specific require- To sum up, we need to bring to the debate a more
ments’ (p. 8). TOEFL documentation states that ‘using sophisticated understanding of how we measure
test scores appropriately to make decisions with posi- entry-level language proficiency and students’ capac-
tive consequences is the joint responsibility of the test ity for language development. It is therefore important
user and the test publisher’ (ETS 2008, p. 10). Both that universities should be able to present academi-
these test publishers make cally defensible criteria for
available a range of materi- accepting any given meas-
...we need to bring to the debate a more
als to assist end-users with ure of English language
sophisticated understanding of how we
their decision-making on proficiency, and that they
entry scores or bands.
measure entry-level language proficiency should be able to demon-
Yet it is not clear at a and students’ capacity for language strate how the efficacy of
generic level how any proc- development. those measures that they
ess or instrument gains a accept are monitored.
place on a university’s list
of approved measures. There are indications from the Developing student English language
literature that scores are sometimes simply set by refer- proficiency
ence to the policies of other institutions (Feast 2002;
Boldt & Courtney 1997), a process which, without The third issue is how student English language pro-
intervention, can lead to a kind of passive downward ficiency is to be developed and progress assessed. It
drift. Coley (1999, p. 13) concludes that ‘the various is by no means clear that there is consensus among
grades, levels and scores in relation to these tests and academic staff or university hierarchies as to whose
other entry measures are the results of decisions of responsibility the development of high levels of lan-
an administrative nature which are based on available guage proficiency should be. Australian universities
university places and not on students’ language ability provide lists of the generic graduate attributes that
for university study’. It has certainly been extensively they expect their students to develop within their
documented (most recently by Baird 2010, p. 10) that courses of study, almost all of which include some vari-
no university in Australia follows the guidelines pub- ation on ‘high level communication skills’ (which, it
lished by IELTS on appropriate entry scores for a range may be argued, of necessity incorporate a degree of
of discipline areas. language proficiency).
In any consideration of gatekeeping measures of However, the process of integrating the graduate
English language proficiency, we should always bear in attributes into the academic curriculum has been far
mind ‘that what is being measured is that most flexible, from unproblematic. Issues have ranged from staff
multidimensional, fugitive, and complex of human abil- resentment towards a superimposed agenda (Sumison
ities, the ability to use language’ (Spolsky 1995, p. 39). It & Goodfellow 2004) and the lack of conceptual clarity
would appear from this that it is in the interests of flex- of the attributes (Moore & Hough 2005) to complicat-
ibility that the higher education sector has not been ing environmental factors such as casualisation of the
reduced to relying on a single test (although there is a academic workforce and the growth in student num-
tendency to classify the range of measures as ‘equiva- bers (Green, Hammer & Star 2009). It cannot therefore
8 Clothing the emperor, Katie Dunworth vol. 52, no. 2, 2010A U S T R A L I A N U N I V E R S I T I E S ’ R E V I E W
be assumed that academic staff are willing, able and Good Practice Principles (DEEWR 2009) imply. What
prepared to take responsibility for the development is important is that language development should be
and assessment of post-entry student English language fully integrated into teaching and learning curricula,
proficiency, in spite of the fact that language and con- and resourced accordingly. So long as English language
tent are inextricably linked. development is seen as an adjunct to tertiary educa-
Generic English language development workshops, tion rather than an essential component of the educa-
seminars and individual consultations provided by tive process, it is unlikely that students will be offered
university learning centres provide a valuable service optimally effective ways of improving their language
for some students, although there is agreement in the proficiency, and the status quo will remain.
literature that attendance rates, when activities are vol-
untary, tend to be low (e.g. Arkoudis & Starfield 2007; Conclusion
Hirsh 2007). Research in this area tends to be more
supportive of the provision of language, communica- Increased student mobility in a globalised world, along
tion skills and academic literacy development from with other factors, has transformed higher education in
within discipline areas, particularly when it is managed many ways; tertiary English language use has become
collegially by both discipline-based staff and academic a highly prominent subject as a result.The quotation at
language and learning colleagues (e.g. Andrade 2006; the beginning of this paper suggests an endless loop
Crosling & Wilson 2005; Barrie & Jones 1999; Skillen et of dissatisfaction within the academy with students’
al. 1998; Johns 1997; Bonanno & Jones 1996). language use.
There are various models of such initiatives that Morrison’s concerns may seem quaint at a distance
appear to have been successful. Beasley and Pearson of more than half a century because his arguments rest
(1999), for example, describe a program where addi- on unexamined assumptions about the ‘proper usage’
tional, optional, study time was provided within an of language. If we wish to avoid falling into the same
‘organisation and management development’ unit for trap, universities need to articulate communal and
students who had been identified by an early diag- defensible understandings of the nature of language
nostic writing assignment as requiring assistance. The proficiency and the levels that are appropriate for
program was successful in that it attracted high num- tertiary study, ensure that they have the procedures
bers of attendees, and there was a reduction in the in place to assess those levels over the duration of
failure rates on the unit. Key elements of the program courses of study and provide the resources to inte-
included the attendance of the discipline-based coor- grate the facilitation of students’ language growth into
dinator at the extra sessions, the experiential nature the tertiary education process. Then we will have laid
of the language workshops (tasks being related to the the foundations for a workable system; one in which
unit of study), and the ‘progressive redesigning of the the weak will not be left to sink or swim, but also one
management course curriculum, in terms of the nature in which the hardworking and talented will have the
and timing of the various assessment tasks’ (Beasley opportunity to reach their full potential.
& Pearson 1999 p. 310). A summary of case studies of
this and similar programs with positive outcomes in Katie Dunworth is an Associate Professor in the School
terms of student grades and/or student feedback is of Education at Curtin University of Technology, Western
described in Arkoudis and Starfield (2007, pp. 19-23), Australia.
most of which include a framework of early diagnosis,
a development strategy that involves either adaptation References
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10 Clothing the emperor, Katie Dunworth vol. 52, no. 2, 2010A U S T R A L I A N U N I V E R S I T I E S ’ R E V I E W Hegemony, big money and academic independence Tim Anderson University of Sydney, Australia This article considers whether a threat is posed to academic independence in corporate universities by the United States Studies Centre (USSC) at the University of Sydney. The USSC rapidly worked its way into Australia’s oldest university, building a unique governance structure in which a private business lobby vets senior academics and controls the Centre’s finances. Despite a secret management agreement, the aims, control mechanisms and some of the outcomes of this project are fairly plain. The Centre has undermined academic independence, dressed up the business lobby’s agenda as ‘normal’ academic activity, and has raised broader questions about the capacity of the corporate university to manage conflicts of interest. Academic independence is uncertain in the age of the declining superpower, at a time of war and economic corporate university. A central ethical problem is that, crisis. This constitutes a powerful blow against aca- as with neoliberalism in general, the corporate institu- demic independence, when corporate persuaders are tion sees no real conflict of interest between private highly active. In the US itself, there have been moves to interest and public purpose. These conflicts, unseen ‘protect students from liberal political bias in the class- or disregarded, can work their way into institutional room’ and to restrict academic research that might structures and become thoroughly ‘normalised’. threaten the vision of a ‘New American Century’ (Allen, Such is the case with the United States Studies Deeb & Winegar 2005). Centre (USSC), established at the University of Sydney University of Sydney managers argue that the Cen- in 2007. Created with the specific purpose of counter- tre’s association with reputable academics, and back- ing Australian fear and criticism of the United States ing for the Centre from the University’s Senate and its of America following the invasions of Afghanistan and executive managers, maintains sufficient safeguards Iraq, Australia’s oldest university rapidly compromised to protect academic independence and guard against its normal governance structures. It allowed a private possible conflicts of interest (Spence 2009). This business lobby group, the American Australian Associa- ignores deeper structural problems. Various types of tion (AAA), to exercise unique control over the Cen- sponsorship have become embedded in the Austral- tre’s finances and academic appointments. University ian university system in recent decades, though less managers have kept secret the detail of the AAA’s man- strongly in the social sciences. In context of the social agement powers under ‘commercial in confidence’ sciences in times of war, writers have noted earlier claims. The effect of this has been to contribute to a threats to, but the vital role of, academic independence mostly servile and uncritical discussion of the world’s (Williams 2006: 15-17). The neoliberal context and the vol. 52, no. 2, 2010 Hegemony, big money and academic independence, Tim Anderson 11
A U S T R A L I A N U N I V E R S I T I E S ’ R E V I E W
peculiar corporate nature of Australian ‘enterprise uni- ment’. Chairman of the Australian affiliate of the AAA,
versities’ has been addressed (Marginson & Considine Mr Malcolm Binks, said the US Studies Centre would
2000), and it has been observed that neoliberalism be ‘a major extension’ of the AAA’s existing ‘privately-
embedded in such institutions ‘channels and limits aca- funded education program’ in Australia. ‘We have the
demic freedoms’ (Marginson 2006). Research income strong support of Association patron Rupert Murdoch
is already far more highly valued in Australian govern- and our Advisory Council and we believe that the
ment support schemes than actual published research, Centre will become a major contributor to the deep-
making income an end in itself, while the elevation of ening relationship between our two countries’ (AAA
sponsorships and consultancies tend to ‘favour prede- 2006a). Additional but unspecified private donations
termined outcomes’ in the constitution of knowledge would supplement the Australian government grant.
(Thornton 2008: 5-6). The changes brought by the Former politicians from both the Labor and Liberal
US Studies Centre are in many ways continuations of parties endorsed the Centre. It is testament to the
these broader forces; yet through its secret, devolved AAA’s influence over the state that it both initiated and
management provisions and direct subordination to a assumed control of a mostly public-funded project.
corporate lobby the Centre represents a naked threat Politicians of all stripes were well aware that Murdo-
to academic independence, displaying the brute force ch’s media and investment network allowed him to
of hegemony and big money. make and break political leaders. Further, the Howard
This article considers the threat posed to academic Government had already tackled the question of ‘anti-
independence by the USSC, through the lens of a Americanism’ in wartime Australia, through directing
simple but important ethical problem – that of con- an inquiry into the supposed ‘bias and anti-American
trolling conflicts of interest and preserving academic coverage’ of the Iraq war, in certain of the ABC’s radio
independence in the corporate university. It charts the programs (ICRP 2003). Defending the image of the US
creation of an openly partisan body at the University of was a willing collaboration.
Sydney, explores the serious departure from university By November 2006 the University of Sydney had
governance structures in accommodating the Centre emerged from the pack victorious, successfully link-
and notes some of the outcomes of the project. ing itself to the promised A$25 million, and perhaps
more after private donations. There had been tenders
Creating a partisan body from other leading Australian universities, including
Melbourne and ANU, and Sydney’s Vice-Chancellor
The founding aim of the centre was no secret. Rupert Gavin Brown announced: ‘This is a centre for all of
Murdoch - despite his decades-long domination of the Australia … there’s never been a more important time
Australian media and his use of that power to promote for Australians to develop a better understanding of
a corporate, pro-US agenda - was alarmed at ‘anti-Amer- the United States, its people, its government and its
ican’ prejudice in Australia.A 2005 Lowy Institute opin- society’. The Centre would focus research on the core
ion poll had found, in the context of the bloody Iraq themes of ‘power and democracy, ‘wealth creation
war, that as many Australians (57 per cent) feared ‘US and rights protection’ and ‘American thinking’. These
foreign policies’ as feared ‘Islamic extremism’ (Cook themes had been decided on ‘after consultation with
2005: 13). Murdoch is reported to have told colleagues academic and business advisers in the United States
in the New York based American Australian Associa- and Australia’. Some ‘highlights’ planned for 2007
tion (AAA), a private business lobby drawing together included: opinion polls on ‘what Australians think
corporate executives and former politicians) ‘this about the United States’, a ‘national summit’ on US
is ridiculous, what are you blokes going to do about studies and a ‘classic American film’ festival (University
it?’. Within a matter of months the AAA had ‘sold the of Sydney 2006). The 2007 film festival did not even-
idea for a [US Studies] centre to the Howard Govern- tuate; perhaps someone discovered that US film and
ment’ (Lane 2007). A$25 million of public money was television already saturated Australia; later in 2009 the
committed to the project, with the AAA as trustee. In Centre did provide some sponsorship for the Sydney
a press release from New York the AAA welcomed the Film Festival.
Howard Government’s move, saying the centre would Rupert Murdoch’s role was celebrated at an AAA
‘deepen the appreciation and understanding of the dinner in Sydney, held to launch the USSC. He was
United States’ culture, political climate and govern- explicit about the ideological task facing the Centre:
12 Hegemony, big money and academic independence, Tim Anderson vol. 52, no. 2, 2010You can also read
