A good place to learn what an inefficient, non-communicative hierarchical organisation is like to work for. The good thingsThe people on the ground are just amazing. There are wonderful teams that work in IT, EdTech, E-Delivery, student administration, Access Ability, Student Learning Support, the library, and of course, the sessional staff are great too. These people, along with the academics keep the place running smoothly, and made the role worthwhile. I also really enjoyed working with the students. At ACAP, they are from all walks of life and bring their own unique experiences and personalities to class. I really enjoyed these interactions, and that made the job worthwhile and rewarding.
The challengesThe expectations and workload are unmanageable. The management and executive are unempathic when the staff request alleviation of duties due to being overworked. Even by their own metrics, academics are working above 100% at less pay than any other institution. Academics are often asked to complete additional duties at short notice, which impacts their other roles. This becomes frustrating when you can see this is because of poor time management by senior executives/managers.
Feedback is pointless in this organisation. Any information provided is quickly swept under the carpet and not actioned.
Promotions and career development are actively discouraged in two ways. Firstly, the system prevents academics from meeting core competencies across all academic areas (research, teaching, administration) by drowning staff in administrative tasks. Secondly, individuals applying for academic promotion need to provide a business need for an academic promotion.
Finally, there is a distinct lack of communication from the hierarchy. This is particularly disappointing as the ACAP of old was very inclusive and communicative, with staff often consulted to make key decisions.