Lack of transparency & accountability in universities cause immense harm to people, which for many has long-lasting consequences
This thread lists data & stats to show the scale of wrongdoing in unis
It makes for grim reading & it is only the tip of the iceberg
#BrokenAcademia
This thread lists data & stats to show the scale of wrongdoing in unis
It makes for grim reading & it is only the tip of the iceberg
#BrokenAcademia
SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
💢70% female students (= >1 million students) experienced sexual violence while at uni
💢26% male students (= ~283k students) experienced sexual violence
💢40% students (=1 million students) had at least 1 experience of sexualised behaviour from uni staff
2/
💢70% female students (= >1 million students) experienced sexual violence while at uni
💢26% male students (= ~283k students) experienced sexual violence
💢40% students (=1 million students) had at least 1 experience of sexualised behaviour from uni staff
2/
Millions of students experience sexual misconduct. Yet unis fail students over & over:
💠 >50% students believed that their uni did not respond adequately to their complaint.
💠50% of students believed that the uni had denied their experience or made reporting difficult
3/
💠 >50% students believed that their uni did not respond adequately to their complaint.
💠50% of students believed that the uni had denied their experience or made reporting difficult
3/
RACISM
⚠️24% of ethnic minority students experience racial harassment
⚠️In most cases their harasser was another student, but a large number said it was their tutor or academic
⚠️International students told us about feeling unwelcome, isolated and vulnerable
4/
⚠️24% of ethnic minority students experience racial harassment
⚠️In most cases their harasser was another student, but a large number said it was their tutor or academic
⚠️International students told us about feeling unwelcome, isolated and vulnerable
4/
⚠️>50% of staff described incidents of being ignored or excluded because of their race
⚠️>25% experienced racist name-calling, insults and jokes.
⚠️Much of this took place in plain sight of colleagues
⚠️Most incidents were part of a pattern of repeated harassment
5/
⚠️>25% experienced racist name-calling, insults and jokes.
⚠️Much of this took place in plain sight of colleagues
⚠️Most incidents were part of a pattern of repeated harassment
5/
It is worth remembering that:
⚠️ only 2% of academics are black
⚠️less than 1% of professors are black
⚠️there are only 25 black female professors in UK universities
6/
⚠️ only 2% of academics are black
⚠️less than 1% of professors are black
⚠️there are only 25 black female professors in UK universities
6/
Are universities effective at dealing with complaints of racism?
In short, absolutely not:
💠students/staff don’t have faith in their unis; complaints process
💠they fear retaliation
💠and consequences to their studies/career
7/
In short, absolutely not:
💠students/staff don’t have faith in their unis; complaints process
💠they fear retaliation
💠and consequences to their studies/career
7/
Students from a “working class” background have reported severe and systemic bullying from staff and other students at several institutions
8/
👇
8/
👇
LGBT+ DISCRIMINATION
‼️14% of students have been the target of negative comments or conduct from staff in the last year because they are LGBT
‼️This rises to more than a third of trans students compared to seven per cent of LGB students who don’t identify as trans
👇
9/
‼️14% of students have been the target of negative comments or conduct from staff in the last year because they are LGBT
‼️This rises to more than a third of trans students compared to seven per cent of LGB students who don’t identify as trans
👇
9/
DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION
❌Students with disabilities drop out at higher rates bc of a lack of support.
❌Of the full-time undergrads who declared a disability, those with mental health conditions had the lowest continuation rate (86.8%) compared to non-disabled students
10/
❌Students with disabilities drop out at higher rates bc of a lack of support.
❌Of the full-time undergrads who declared a disability, those with mental health conditions had the lowest continuation rate (86.8%) compared to non-disabled students
10/
GENDER DISCRIMINATION
⁉️The gender pay gap in unis is 12%
⁉️Women dominate at the early-career ranks, as seniority & salary increase the percentage of women staff decreases. At professor level, less than one quarter of staff are women
11/
⁉️The gender pay gap in unis is 12%
⁉️Women dominate at the early-career ranks, as seniority & salary increase the percentage of women staff decreases. At professor level, less than one quarter of staff are women
11/
BULLYING
Hundreds of academics have been accused of bullying students & colleagues:
🔴aggressive behaviour
🔴extreme pressure to deliver results
career sabotage
🔴HR managers appearing more concerned about avoiding negative publicity than protecting staff
12/
Hundreds of academics have been accused of bullying students & colleagues:
🔴aggressive behaviour
🔴extreme pressure to deliver results
career sabotage
🔴HR managers appearing more concerned about avoiding negative publicity than protecting staff
12/
SUICIDES
The number of students taking their own lives has overtaken the general population for first time in 2018. The suicide rate among UK students had risen by 56 per cent in the 10 years between 2007 and 2016, from 6.6 to 10.3 per 100,000 people
13/
The number of students taking their own lives has overtaken the general population for first time in 2018. The suicide rate among UK students had risen by 56 per cent in the 10 years between 2007 and 2016, from 6.6 to 10.3 per 100,000 people
13/
RESEARCH MISCODNUCT & FRAUD are common in universities & research institutes and this is particularly dangerous as it can create false results on which other research is built and it weakens the public’s trust in research
14/
14/
Other wrongdoing that is prevalent in universities 👇
15/
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IMPACT
The effect of university wrongdoing on victims can be devastating:
✴️It can cause or aggravate mental illness and drive people to suicide
✴️It can prevent the victim from completing their course, from continuing their job & from finding a job elsewhere in academia
16/
The effect of university wrongdoing on victims can be devastating:
✴️It can cause or aggravate mental illness and drive people to suicide
✴️It can prevent the victim from completing their course, from continuing their job & from finding a job elsewhere in academia
16/
✴️Wrongdoing can be costly for the individual in terms of health and finances, with many students and staff having to use their savings or taking out loans to pay for legal fees.
17/
17/
✴️Ultimately it is the UK taxpayer that finances universities.
✴️Therefore, universities are charging the taxpayers millions - if not billions - every year to cover up their wrongdoing through legal fees, settlements (including NDAs), and higher insurance premiums
18/
✴️Therefore, universities are charging the taxpayers millions - if not billions - every year to cover up their wrongdoing through legal fees, settlements (including NDAs), and higher insurance premiums
18/
How do unis cover up their wrongdoing?
NDAs are a tool for universities to suppress information that the public would find shocking in order to protect the reputation of the university and of university managers
19/
NDAs are a tool for universities to suppress information that the public would find shocking in order to protect the reputation of the university and of university managers
19/
According to the information provided by unis, which is likely to be heavily doctored to minimise the full picture:
⛔️Unis used 11k NDAs in 5 years
⛔️2/3 of unis spent 87m on NDAs in 2 years: this is from students' fees & taxpayer's money
20/
⛔️Unis used 11k NDAs in 5 years
⛔️2/3 of unis spent 87m on NDAs in 2 years: this is from students' fees & taxpayer's money
20/
Through NDAs & instilling fear of retaliation, universities prevent the staff and students of that university, as well as prospective staff & students, from understanding the full extent of wrongdoing and corruption within the university: it is a tool for information control
21/
21/
NDAs & fear of retaliation allow universities to escape accountability. If there is a known bully, sexual predator or wrongdoer, unis are able to keep this person at the uni without anyone knowing. This means that this person can continue to harm others with impunity
22/
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IN SUMMARY
Uni wrongdoing is endemic because:
⚠️Unis have a culture where wrongdoing is not only tolerated but covered up
⚠️Inadequate complaints processes rife with conflicts of interests
⚠️Fear of repercussions for the complainant
⚠️No external oversight
23/
Uni wrongdoing is endemic because:
⚠️Unis have a culture where wrongdoing is not only tolerated but covered up
⚠️Inadequate complaints processes rife with conflicts of interests
⚠️Fear of repercussions for the complainant
⚠️No external oversight
23/
References:
Summary of data: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/spec…
Staff Exploitation: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/spec…
Whistleblowing in HE: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/spec…
24/
Summary of data: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/spec…
Staff Exploitation: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/spec…
Whistleblowing in HE: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/spec…
24/
MEDIA ARCHIVES
Sexual misconduct: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/univ…
Discrimination: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/univ…
Bullying: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/univ…
25/
Sexual misconduct: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/univ…
Discrimination: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/univ…
Bullying: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/univ…
25/
Suicides & mental health: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/univ…
University coverups: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/univ…
Financial Mismanagement: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/univ…
END
University coverups: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/univ…
Financial Mismanagement: dobetteracademia.co.uk/index.php/univ…
END
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