How the University Works: Higher Education and the Low-Wage Nation (Cultural Front, 3)

Uncovers the labor exploitation occurring in universities across the countryAs much as we think we know about the modern university, very little has been said about what it's like to work there. Instead of the high-wage, high-profit world of knowledge work, most campus employees―including the vast majority of faculty―really work in the low-wage, low-profit sphere of the service economy. Tenure-track positions are at an all-time low, with adjuncts and graduate students teaching the majority of courses. This super-exploited corps of disposable workers commonly earn fewer than $16,000 annually, without benefits, teaching as many as eight classes per year. Even undergraduates are being exploited as a low-cost, disposable workforce. Marc Bousquet, a major figure in the academic labor movement, exposes the seamy underbelly of higher education―a world where faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates work long hours for fast-food wages. Assessing the costs of higher education's corporatization on faculty and students at every level, How the University Works is urgent reading for anyone interested in the fate of the university. As Much As We Think We Know About The Modern University, Very Little Has Been Said About What It's Like To Work There. Instead Of The High-wage, High-profit World Of “knowledge Work,” Most Campus Employees - Including The Vast Majority Of Faculty - Really Work In The Low-wage, Low-profit Sphere Of The Service Economy. Tenure-track Positions Are At An All-time Low, With Adjuncts And Graduate Students Teaching The Majority Of Courses. This Super-exploited Corps Of Disposable Workers Commonly Earn Fewer Than $16,000 Annually, Without Benefits, Teaching As Many As Eight Classes Per Year. Even Undergraduates Are Being Exploited As A Low-cost, Disposable Workforce. Foreword : Resistance Is Not Futile / Cary Nelson -- Introduction : Your Problem Is My Problem -- The Informal Economy Of The Information University -- The Faculty Organize, But Management Enjoys Solidarity -- Students Are Already Workers -- Composition As Management Science -- The Rhetoric Of Job Market And The Reality Of The Academic Labor System -- Appendix A: Yeshiva University 444 Us 672, Justice Brennan, Dissenting -- Appendix B: Brown University 1-rc-21368, Liebman And Walsh, Dissenting. Marc Bousquet ; Foreword By Cary Nelson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 255-273) And Index. Content: Acknowledgments Foreword: Resistance Is Not FutileCary Nelson1 Introduction: Your Problem Is My Problem 2 The Informal Economy of the "Information University" 3 The Faculty Organize, But Management Enjoys Solidarity 4 Students Are Already Workers 5 Composition as Management Science 6 The Rhetoric of "Job Market" and the Reality of the Academic Labor System Appendix A: Yeshiva University "Justice Brennan, Dissenting" Appendix B: Brown University "Liebman and Walsh, Dissenting" Notes Works Cited Index About the Authors Instead of the high-wage, high-profit world of knowledge work, most campus employees - including faculty - really work in the low-wage, low-profit sphere of the service economy. This title exposes the seamy underbelly of higher education - a world where faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates work long hours for fast-food wages.