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[innocent]

I have posted about a year ago a general warning against working at Eastern Mediterranean University in Northern Cyprus. This was a very general note, and I don't think that it gave readers much of an idea of what I was complaining about.

I tried yesterday to post a note detailing my full experience at EMU, but it was pulled by the moderator, apparently for legal concerns.

I have noticed that this occurred in a number of cases in which people wanted to disclose information about particular institutions. I think that this is unfortunate because such policy enables rampant phenomena of bullying and mobbing in academic institutions.

Certainly, under traditional rules of academic discourse, full disclosures and open discussion of uncomfortable facts are ill advised. However, with the changing face of academia (not for the better) I think that it is important for victims to speak and for abusive institutions to be exposed. 

It is also important that important institutions like the Chronicle of Higher Education will consider this changing reality and engage with it.

My story is "out there" and you will find it if you look hard enough. But my point here is that the "old school" roles of academic discourse are enabling racist, unethical and criminal activity. These issues should be at the headlines of academic journals.

[normative_]

You should leave.

[innocent]

I should leave... what? EMU (already left)? This forum? This planet?

Your response, curt and uncourteous smacks of certain sensitivity. Are you a closet bully?

[expatinuk]

I have posted about a year ago a general warning against working at Eastern Mediterranean University in Northern Cyprus. This was a very general note, and I don't think that it gave readers much of an idea of what I was complaining about.

You warned people. Don't continue to beat this particular drum because then you sound like a person with a mission. You say you've left, great for you. You need to get on with your life and forget about a 'bad job'.

Many folks on this fora have had bad experiences in employment. You'll find that almost everyone recommends... 'get over it... and move on.'

It's the mentally healthy thing to do.

[innocent]

Dear Expatinuk,

Is it really the "mentally healthy" thing to do? Would it really be best to me to carry around the trauma silently for the rest of my life?

   I feel a little like a rape victim. Everyone agrees that I went through something "bad"… but no one really wants to hear about it; strangers, friends and family members encourage me not to pursue this. I will not achieve anything… it will only make me feel worse…

   But what if I insisted on seeing what good can come out of this? What if I would look like a "person with a mission"? Is that such a horrible thing to be?

   You write that many other people had "bad experiences." Well, shouldn't we discuss what these "bad" things are? Shouldn't we bring them out openly so that institutions will be forced to relinquish unethical and criminal practices?

   Please don't worry about my mental health. I have been scarred for life, and I don't fool myself to think that anyone cares. But should I just sit back and enable institutions to do more of the same? Call me person with a mission… I've been called worse (as you can imagine).

[qrypt]

I recommend a different tack: write an article, for publication under your real name, and find a venue for it that is willing to publish it, having assured themselves that it would be invulnerable to lawsuits re libel, defamation, etc. 

I read your post, and if even half of it is true (and why wouldn't all of it be, I know) it's a sad and disgraceful story.  Assuming it is true, I'd be very pleased to see it get wider circulation than it would get here. 

But I can also understand why the owners of the CHE are not willing to act as host for what might be a rant by someone with who-knows what agenda/vendetta, etc.  I'm not saying this is what I think it is -- the point is simply that publishing this sort of stuff ought to require a more thorough process.

I'm not concerned about your mental health; I'm more concerned about the actions of irresponsible people and institutions.  So great -- give it a go -- but it would have to be done the right way (where, for purposes of this post, I'm the one defining "right"). 

[innocent]

Thanks. I did send this as an article to CHE but I never received a reply. Can anyone suggest a different venue where this might be appropriate?

[the_walrus]

You could try Times Higher:  http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/

[innocent]

Thanks!

[qrypt]

I'm not quite sure you understand what I'm getting at, though.  You have to ask yourself: why would a newspaper publish what you wrote, with no evidence that your assertions are true?  Why would they expose themselves to legal trouble that way?  If you want to get it published, you're going to have to satisfy them that all this negative stuff is in fact true. 

Simply sending them what appeared in your post yesterday isn't going to do it. 

[innocent]

What would be the equivalent of a sperm sample in this case?

[normative_]

I should leave... what? EMU (already left)? This forum? This planet?

Leave EMU of course and get over it. You didn't write that you had done. Also, most people would cease to be so riled once they'd moved on to greener pastures.

I think Qrypt's advice to have evidence is valuable when faced with bad situations at the university, wherever and whatever they are. Indeed, there's no substitute for proof. It may not help directly at the institution involved (I can't imagine it would have changed EMU for you), but it may help you get something published, if that's possible.

Good luck.

[innocent]

Thanks, Normantive_.

I have files and files of proof, but I haven't been able to interest anyone in looking at them yet... I keep them in the hope that a lawsuit might be possible in N Cyprus one day (currently it's not a possibility).

I did take The_walrus' advice and I think that I found a good venue for my records. I sent it to a blog of Bullying of Academics in Higher Education (http://www.bulliedacademics.blogspot.com). This is a great source for victims of bullying, mobbing and harassment.
 
I have found this site through the Times Higher Education (thank you, The_walrus), which also features a new article on this subject (http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=402214&c=2).
 
I encourage anyone who is suffering harassment and ill-treatment to contact the blog of Bullying of Academics in Higher Education (again http://www.bulliedacademics.blogspot.com). It offers a network for victims, offering several venues, including a facebook group and a forthcoming conference on bullying and harassment (http://www.bullying2010.com/).
 
This site can also be approached with complete anonymity, and offers a great deal of practical advice, comfort and support.

Thank you again everyone for your advice. If anyone can suggest more venues for this issue, I'd be grateful for the input.