This site has championed the cause of academics who are being forced to retire this year, 2010, because they are unfortunate to have a default retirement age (DRA) which falls the year before the scrapping of the DRA, which Ian Duncan Smith the Works and Pensions minister has just announced will be from 1 October 2011. (See the link opposite: THE NEW SITUATION EXPLAINED).
It therefore becomes clear that the rush to dump people this year is a cynical strategy to beat the change. We will observe with pleasure universities being forced to completely scrap their existing policies which have slavishly followed the existing Age Regulations.
For those who are being forced out in the next couple of months the only comfort is that they have the moral high ground while the Vice-Chancellors occupy the torrid low ground. For those who still have the opportunity to appeal the sentence, let them make absolutely clear that they feel they are simply being sacrificed.
But after this year no more will academics be interviewed for their own jobs, often with the sure knowledge that the decision has been made against them before they walk into the room: a shattering and humiliating experience.
Meanwhile the very same Vice Chancellors, pro-Vice Chancellors, Heads of Department and HR staff who are the cullers of the 2010 cohort heroes and heroines will enjoy the fruits of the campaign they did nothing to support, but as much as they could to undermine. But it will take a long time for them to wash off the whiff of ageism.
Ed
PS This site will be maintained during the goverment consultation to help ensure that the universities do not try to wriggle out of their responsibilities.
