Is academia facing a massive burnout crisis?
Academics are increasingly "reevaluating whether their jobs are worth the high cost to their personal well-being. They are less willing to continue in positions with oversized workloads, salaries that do not keep up with inflation, and inflexible policies."
48% of universities report that faculty turnover is increasing and >70% of academics reported mental health difficulties in 2021.
via https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/01/trends-faculty-exiting-academia
@academicchatter #AcademicChatter
@erinnacland
> Academics are increasingly "reevaluating whether their jobs are worth the high cost to their personal well-being.
I know a number of people who have completed postgrad degrees, evaluated exactly this, and gone for jobs outside academia, which are often better paid and more secure (compared to pre-tenure adjunct lecturing positions), but always less stressful. Managerialism is a cancer in universities.
Managerialism is bad at universities but it is worse elsewhere. OTOH, the job of an academic can be very satisfying and life enhancing, depending on how one views their jobs. A lot of hard work perhaps little pay, but the pleasures of the opportunity to live at the bleeding edge of one’s disciplinary knowledge is life giving in itself
@arinbasu1 @academicchatter @erinnacland @strypey the academy vs. industry argument has been going on for a long time. I still see 100+ applicants for TT positions in top universities, and see plenty of people who are happy in academia. Similarly, some people are miserable in industry, while others are happy. Individual abilities and skills, values, vision, experiences are all factors in this.
BTW talk to anyone in industry about a sabbatical in academia and it will lead to a whole other conversation.
Beautifully expressed and excellent summary and frame of the issue, must say. As you so nicely stated, it is, finally someone’s life perspective, there is no absolute answer.