Producing, Transforming the Social Composition of and Retaining a New Generation of Academics:

The Rhodes University Programme of Accelerated Development

Saleem Badat Rhodes University, South Africa

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Paper

Describes and critically analyses one initiative, that of the ‘Programme for Accelerated Development’ of Rhodes University in South Africa, that attempts to tackle the triple national and institutional challenge of producing and retaining the next generation of academics, addressing the imperatives of redress and social equity, and ensuring the production of high quality scholars and researchers.

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Framework

• Three simultaneous challenges for South African universities:

To produce and retain a new generation of academics

• To advance redress and social equity for black and women South Africans

• To ensure the new generation possesses the intellectual and academic capabilities related to teaching and learning, research and community engagement that are a necessary condition for transforming and developing South Africa’s universities and enhancing their academic capacities.

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Five Propositions 1. Redress and social equity pressing constitutional

obligations and societal imperatives

2. Achievement of social equity with quality not impossible goal. Imperatives of redress and social equity do not mean any inevitable reduction of quality and the compromise of standards, appropriately defined.

3. Need to distinguish between equity of access and equity of opportunity and outcomes for historically disadvantaged social groups such as

black and women South Africans.

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Challenge of equity of opportunity must be viewed as “part of a wider project of democratising access to knowledge” Means that beyond providing formal employment, universities must also vitally ensure “epistemological access” - which “is central…to the very institution of the university itself and to the role it can play in a new democracy such as South Africa” (2008a).

4. Diversity, equity and quality: Pursuit and achievement of redress and social equity has great value for both diversity as well as quality within universities. Absence of diversity diminishes institutional and scholarly life, and “compromises an institution’s ability to maintain its own missions and goals”, including the commitment to quality and excellence.

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5. Affirmative action: Pervasive inequities “cannot be wished away by invoking constitutional idealism” and ‘equal opportunity’ and “equality of treatment…is unlikely to reduce disadvantage (but) merely maintain it”. To advance social equity, specific measures and strategies such as affirmative action are necessary.

5 propositions advanced serve to ensure that:

Challenges related to the development and retention of a new generation of academics in South Africa are appropriately conceptualized.

Policies, strategies and mechanisms that are innovated for producing, transforming and retaining a new generation of academics indeed address the identified challenges.

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National challenges

I. 2006: academic work force predominantly white (62%) and male (58%)

Black South Africans comprise 91% of population but make up only 38% of academics; African South Africans make up some 80% of population yet enjoy only 24% representation in academic workforce

Women comprise 51% of population, but make up only 42% of academics

Black academics comprise between 12% and 90% of the academic workforce of specific universities and women academics comprise 28% to 52%

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National challenges

2. Current retirement age of 65 means in coming decade:

Over 4 000 (27%) of academics will need to be replaced.

Professors and associate professors - almost 50% due to retire.

Necessary to take into account additional academics required if the university system expands from the current gross participation rate of 16% to that of 20% by 2011 or 2016 at the latest

Also to be considered - loss of academics to the public and private sectors and due to emigration.

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National challenges

3. Size and nature of current outputs constrain the production and transformation of the social composition of the new generation of academics.

Currently graduate 7 881 Masters students and 1 176 Doctoral students - inadequate.

White and male Masters and Doctoral graduates predominate

19% of Masters and 25% of Doctoral graduates are international students - 72% and 69% respectively are from SADC countries (45% and 32%) and other African countries (27% and 37%)

Challenge of ‘brain drain’ that denudes other African countries for benefit of South African universities.

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National challenges

4. Academics inadequately remunerated relative to occupations in public and private sectors that require similar levels of qualifications and expertise

Remuneration differentials significant and widening – latter wield powerful pull on postgraduates and current academics.

Means minimal flow of highly qualified graduates from private and public sectors to universities

From perspectives of social equity and transformation of universities, also denied the contributions of first generation black graduates of working class and rural poor origins, given opportunity costs (lower incomes and support of families) that have to be borne.

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National challenges5. Challenge of ensuring that the new generation of

academics is intellectually and academically equipped - serious and must not be underestimated.

Intellectual and academic decolonisation, deracialisation and degendering of inherited intellectual spaces

Discourses associated with apartheid continue to shape knowledge production and potentially production of new academics

Teaching-learning capabilities that are essential to produce high quality graduates and enhance equity of opportunity and outcomes for students

Transformation of institutional cultures, especially at historically white institutions

Responsibility of conducting research and publishing, so that the knowledge needs of South Africa are effectively met.

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Rhodes University Challenges 1. 2007: overwhelmingly white (83%) and male (65%)

academic work force = related to being ‘historically white’ university (HWU)

Black representation across 6 faculties: ranges between 5% and 28%; women between 27% and 50%

Level of academic departments: blacks make up between 0% and 67% and women between 0% and 100%

Significantly less progress in deracialising and degendering academic work force in comparison with other HWUs

2. Retirement age of 65 years: in coming decade 27.7% of academics will need to be replaced. 47% of professors and associate professors are due to retire.

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Rhodes University Challenges

3. Growth trajectory

2.5% per annum and increased student enrolment from 6 000 in 2007 to 6 500 students in 2010, and 7 000 by 2013.

Expansion of postgraduate enrolments from current 25% and establishment of new niche postgraduate and research programmes and facilities.

Will inevitably be some loss of academics to other universities and the public and private sectors.

New and additional academic staff, especially with

doctorates and research and supervision expertise, will have to be found.Together with impending retirements creates opportunities for changing the social composition of academics.

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Addressing the Challenges: The Rhodes Programme for Accelerated Development

1. PAD established in 2002, following donor grant

2. Purposes:

To help University accelerate its staff profile transformation

To provide opportunities to aspiring Black and women academics to enhance their ability to compete successfully for permanent posts - opportunities seen to include the provision of development posts in academic departments

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3. Aims of PAD three-fold:

To offer suitable black postgraduates academic posts to retain or attract them to Rhodes

To offer black postgraduates three-year contract posts that would facilitate their entry into an academic career in a supportive environment so that they do not lose momentum as researchers while establishing themselves as teachers

To provide the incumbent with an establishment post if the contract appointment was successful and the person wished to continue at Rhodes

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4. Employment Protocol set out requirements of PAD lecturers:

Undertaking of a reduced teaching load (50%) Completion of a Masters degree or substantial

progress towards completion of a PhD, or active involvement in research if already in possession of a PhD.

Completion of Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education (PGDHE) offered by the University’s Centre for Higher Education Research, Teaching and Learning (CHERTL)

Also eligibility criteria for candidates, recruitment procedures, selection of candidates, procedures for selection and placement, conditions of placement, conditions of service, conditions of service for mentors, etc.

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5. Salient features of PAD as it has evolved between 2002 and 2008:

i. An initiative seeking to advance redress and social equity by providing opportunities to aspiring black and women academics to develop as high quality academics

ii. Programme organised and coordinated by CHERTL, a specialist entity with considerable expertise and experience on higher education learning and teaching issues

iii. PAD enjoys the strong support of the University leadership, which champions and is involved in the PAD in various ways

iv. Candidates are recruited and carefully selected from within and outside Rhodes University and accorded status of academics

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v. PAD lecturers have a reduced teaching load and are expected to pursue higher degrees or undertake postdoctoral research under the guidance of a supervisor

vi. Each PAD lecturer has a mentor who is a senior academic. The mentor may also be the research supervisor or may be different from the research supervisor

vii. The PAD lecturers must complete either specific modules of the PGDHE or the whole PGDHE qualification offered by the CHERTL

viii. Orientation workshops are held for PAD lecturers and mentors to build shared understanding of the programme and of specific roles and responsibilities

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ix. The PAD lecturers are required to attend a new lecturers orientation workshop that is organised annually by CHERTL to induct academics that are new to Rhodes University

x. Three year development plans are formulated by lecturers and mentors and are a critical component of the PAD

xi. There are regular progress reports by mentors on the PAD lecturers, which the lecturers have sight of and are also read by the Head of Department, the Dean of the Faculty and the Vice-Chancellor

xii. There are annual critical evaluations of the PAD to inform its ongoing development

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xiii. PAD lectureships are linked to forthcoming retirements in academic departments, and anticipated resignations or growth in student enrolments that would require additional academic staff

xiv. PAD lecturers are guaranteed appointment to posts in academic departments on the basis of successful screening.

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5. PAD has had an impact at a number of levels.

i. Level of the PAD lecturers. Between 2002 and 2010 19 aspiring black and women academics will have been afforded the opportunity to acquire higher degrees and develop as teachers and researchers, with prospects of ongoing employment at Rhodes.

ii. Level of the mentors, for whom the PAD has been an important learning experience in mentoring of new academics, and with potentially valuable lessons also for dedicated postgraduate supervision.

iii. Level of the academic department, with the PAD offering additional teaching support and the PAD lecturers serving as catalysts of new ideas around learning and teaching and research.

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iv. The PAD has suggested a new model of the development of new academics

v. Significant impact on CHERTL, as coordinator of the PAD - invaluable experience and expertise acquired related to design and practice of mentoring, induction of new academics into higher education learning and teaching and on research supervision.

vi. Impact on University as a whole - important lessons learnt regarding the design and implementation of a structured development programme for a new generation of academics: a) for redress and social equity intent and b) for creating opportunities for new academics to succeed.

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6. Outcomes of the PAD

19 lecturers will have been on the PAD, with 5 currently still on the programme.

16 (84%) black, 12 (63%) women and 16 (84%) South Africans.

7 lecturers completed Masters degrees, 3 completed doctoral degrees, and 4 undertook postdoctoral research. Of the 5 lecturers still on the programme, 3 are undertaking doctoral study and 2 postdoctoral research.

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26% (5) have been appointed to permanent posts. 3 lecturers have been invited to apply for available posts. Most recently appointed 3 lecturers all eligible for posts on completion of their three-year contracts. Thus, of the 19 lecturers, 57% (11) could assume academic posts at Rhodes.

Of the remaining 8 lecturers, 3 opted to assume posts at other South African universities, 2 are working in the research and development field, 2 are employed by the state and 1 is undertaking doctoral study at another South African university.

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6. Key lessons of the PAD

Overall, PAD an excellent, well-managed academic accelerated development programme.

Still, scope for further improvement.

Problems less to do with current academic model as much as with original design of programme and institutional conditions and challenges.

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Lesson 1

Aim was to “provide the incumbent with an establishment post” if the contract appointment was successful and the person wished to continue at Rhodes.

Yet, no explicit commitment was given to PAD lecturers and there was inadequate institutional planning in this regard.

PAD lectureships need to be linked to posts in academic departments that could become available through retirements, anticipated resignations or student enrolment growth

Funds have to be committed to create, if required, supernumerary posts to accommodate successful PAD lecturers.

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Lesson 2

PAD is a very expensive programme, and if retention is to be improved some firm decisions in these regards seem necessary.

Debate essential on what the retention target should be - target of 100%, while probably difficult, is not impossible.

Lecturers could seek to leave the PAD during their three-year contracts, as 4 did, to take up posts at other universities or elsewhere. Raises the issue of whether they should be bound to certain contractual obligations.

Further issue: should lecturers be bound to a stipulated period of service on completion of their contracts.

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Lesson 3

Entity such as CHERTL critical to effective design and implementation of academic dimensions of programme and ongoing development

CHERTL has raised awareness of the complexities related to universities and teaching and learning and the dilemmas they pose. Through the PGDHE and other mechanisms it has sought to provide effective support and also enhance the teaching capabilities of PAD lecturers.

Lesson 4

PAD must receive strong support from the University leadership, which must also be involved in various ways

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Lesson 5

Selection of the ‘right’ lecturers and attention to their status

Appropriate mentors

Effective induction within academic departments

Practical matters related to office space, facilities and equipment.

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Lesson 5

Inadequate attention paid in PAD to research supervision - if goal is to enhance research, knowledge production and publishing and ensure a much stronger representation of black and women academics in these arenas.

Could be more effective utilisation of the opportunities provided by PAD to share ideas and practices as a community of supervisors and supervisees, and innovate new models of supervision that enhance lecturer capabilities related to theorizing, research methodologies, methods and techniques, analysis, argument and writing.

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Lesson 6

Lessons learnt from PAD not sufficiently drawn on to shape the development of new academics on ‘normal’ contracts

• No immediate significant impact on institutional recruitment procedures and concomitantly on the staff profile.

Cannot be assumed that the vital lessons that a PAD may have for institutional policies and practices will necessarily be absorbed, embraced and trigger institutional changes.

• Raises question of the permeability of the institutional culture to absorbing lessons and changing key institutional practices.

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Lesson 7

Recurrent issue of ‘stigma’ of affirmative action and perception of PAD lectureships as affirmative action posts.

Possibly a commentary on attitudes and anxieties related to affirmative action and institutional culture than on the qualities and potential of the PAD lecturers.

Raises question of institutional culture and its openness to learning and transformation from at least five specific perspectives: those of ‘race’, gender, being young, being junior and being new to the institution - has a critical bearing on the ability of Rhodes to attract and to retain PAD lecturers, and black, women and new lecturers more generally.

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Conclusion

Urgent interventions required on part of state, universities and business.

A failure to invest in and cultivate a new generation of high quality academics will have far-reaching consequences.

Redress and social equity will be negatively affected.

Quality of academic provision will be increasingly debilitated

Goal of transforming and developing South African universities, including enhancing their teaching and research capabilities, will also be compromised.

Ability of universities to contribute to development and democracy through a new generation of outstanding scholars that are committed to critical and independent scholarship and social justice will be hampered.

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