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[bobavakian]

This isn't anti-American (some of my best friends.....), BUT.....

My dept is now 1/3 American (I'm at a good UK uni). I actually think this is a problem - a big problem and one that is storing up trouble in the future. Why?

Because we now, in every staff meeting, have numerous contributions along the lines of "we do it in America like this" (with the open inference that it is better The American Way).

There is undisguised contempt for the British university system, including admin (which I subscribe to on that one!) but then an attempt to refuse point blank to co-operate on things like double marking, appeals etc because it "infringes academic freedom". Reference to things like the QAA is casually brushed away as "crap".

We have got one guy who makes a point of inviting new staff over for dinner so that he "can tell it like it is", which from what the new guys say consists of a one hour monologue about how terrible the UK is and how rubbish British academics are.

We have got another who has openly said in front of dept members and students that British PhDs are "glorified MAs", that "anyone can get a job at a British university", that only American journals count, that only American publishers count etc.

Same person said on Monday (I heard) that he declared to one of the new people (from outside the UK but not American) that there is a divide in the dept and the new guy had to decide what side he was on. The divide? British academics "versus" (his words) the rest.

At least three or four of the Ameican staff run modules that consist ENTIRELY of American authors, with not even one reading from a British author. It's as if British academia doesn't exist (which it doesn't as far as these guys are concerned).

The ONLY collaboration most of the Americans want to develop is with other Ameicans, American universities etc. There is ZERO (and I mean ZERO) interest in collaborating with British or European colleagues. And there is ZERO interest in institution building or building up the discipline here. The only thing that counts is America and American interpretations of the field.

There is now a critical mass who try and dictate that job ads are placed in American websites as, and I quote, "that is where the best people are". They lobby hard (harder than the average British person would) and so more and more have been hired.

It is really getting to a head. Our students are complaining, saying that the place is turning into some sort of colony.

That's it. 

Warning to others: keep an eye on how many are hired because once they reach a critical mass, expect HEAPS of trouble. I know, I'm having to live through it.

[kaysixteen]

You hired the Yanks.  You must have had Brit applicants, but you hired the Yanks anyhow.  Why did you do so, unless, deep down, you suspect American PhDs in your field may well be superior to the domestic model?

[qrypt]

I would have guessed that you are a member of the department I used to work in - except that that department is now being closed down, in no small part because of nonsense like this. 

I used to participate in it myself (after all, there is a lot to complain about regarding British universities); I learned not to do it after a while, but many of my colleagues just carried on, alienating people to the point where no one really cared when it was decided to close us down. 

[sandgrounder]

Ouch that must be rough. Particularly galling if like me you work in a field where the cutting edge is definitely not the US!

We have a few prize specimens from across the pond but not quite that bad. Although in some cases I have lost all respect for the quality of PhDs from several US universities, as their scary gaps in subject knowledge became worryingly evident.

Do your lot also have the charming habit of dismissing abysmal teaching evaluations and peer observations as anti-americanism by any chance? Had one of those until a delightful US visiting student insisted on making a formal complaint about his teaching, while praising his British colleagues to the skies to the pro vice chancellor...that stopped that nonsense nicely.

[bobavakian]

You hired the Yanks.  You must have had Brit applicants, but you hired the Yanks anyhow.  Why did you do so, unless, deep down, you suspect American PhDs in your field may well be superior to the domestic model?

I didn't hire anyone. I'm not in charge.

[bobavakian]

Do your lot also have the charming habit of dismissing abysmal teaching evaluations and peer observations as anti-americanism by any chance?

Peer observations are obviously "infringing my academic freedom" and "we don't do that back home, so why do we need to do it here? I'm not doing it".

So far, I haven't heard of the nationality card being played re: student complaints. We did have one who on his first ever lecture in the dept started with "I'm American and I don't believe in appeals and you won't be able to appeal anything with me".

Students went ballistic (because of his attitude rather than the message apparently) and it ended up with the Dean, but he didn't learn and is still at it. After all, his way is the best way and those piddling little Brits will soon learn. 

[scotia]

Fortunately so far the 'American way is the only way' brigade are a definite minority here, even among those from the US. Indeed, it was an American (from New England I think) who told the most strident member of the 'all Brits are s**t' camp to '****  off back to the US and leave us in peace so we can get on with what we need to do without your imperialist whining'. That was a fun meeting.

[babbinacara]

Re:

Warning to others: keep an eye on how many are hired because once they reach a critical mass, expect HEAPS of trouble. I know, I'm having to live through it.

Say your vent had been about Afro-Caribbeans or Jews...your warning would make me very worried, but worried about you.
Wait, I am worried. My dept is about 1/3 of US origin, and we all put in our time, STFU, get brilliant teaching evaluations and do excellent research. Are we not really Americans? Or is it that Americans come in as many varieties as do the British, good and bad?
Your department didn't hire Americans, it apparently hired a**holes. Someone at a good UK university should be able to tell the difference.

[larryc]

My Moroccan Neighbors Won't Stop Their Damn Ululating
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/33340

[inthediaspora]

And then there is the other side of your story.  My department (a 5*) consists of about 1/3 non-British Ph.ds (US, Australia, New Zealand).  When any of us offer other possible ways of dealing with a problem/issue/practice etc, our British colleagues wait for us to finish speaking and then, without skipping a beat, continue discussing the issue from where they had left off, as if we had never said anything!!  Its got to the point that none of us either bother to speak or, alternatively, attend the meeting if we can help it.  The British can be very, very xenophobic as well, you know. 

[expatinuk]

And then, of course, there's the 'That's not how it's done here.' comment. When how it's done here is the reason for whatever the problem is.

[bobavakian]

And then, of course, there's the 'That's not how it's done here.' comment. When how it's done here is the reason for whatever the problem is.

Thank goodness you've come over here to show us how it should be done properly.

[kaysixteen]

It comes back to the same basic problem, sir.  You have, as a department, hired the Yankees, because someone in authority believes their credentials, etc., superior to those of the locals.  That person is right, of course, and your whining sounds like anti-American sour grapes.  It has been some time since Americans cared much to tolerate being looked down upon by our betters from the Mother Country.

[bobavakian]

You have, as a department, hired the Yankees, because someone in authority believes their credentials, etc., superior to those of the locals.  That person is right, of course

Have you ever left Kansas? There's a big scary world out there - but you'll need a passport. Better to stay at home.

[secretweapon]

Yes, I am familiar with the "Annoying US academics abroad who give us, the silent majority of sensible US academics abroad, a bad name" contingent.  Most of the Americans in my university just want to do their jobs.  They object to stupid policies because they are stupid, but they don't nationalise administrative issues.  They did their research before they came here, understood that they were joining a different kind of university system, and they don't believe that "different" automatically means "wrong."

Then there are a handful of troublemakers... *sigh.*  I want to ask some of them why they left the US if it was so wonderful, but I suspect the rumours are true: that they are difficult people and, at a distance from the conferences culture to which they belong, and in the absence of 3-day interviews, we don't always realize what jerks they are until after they have been hired.  I can think of one person in particular who often threatens to go back to the US; we're thinking of calling this person's bluff...