Alex Usher's theory about the conflict between academics and senior administration at universities is that administration "are also the conduit by which major funders - and by this I mean students, governments, and philanthropists - talk to academia." Having sat on university boards of governors and faculty councils, I offer an alternative explanation: loyalty. As you rise in an organization the message is stressed over and over: your loyalty belongs to those at your level (and those above). You are not in any way 'a representative of' any third party - not academics, nor funders. Definitely not 'conduits'. Your work is defined as being 'for the good of the university'. But it's really about supporting each others' careers as administrators. Image: Dominic Surya.
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