Higher education staff, academic interns and students suffer from the trend of privatization among US colleges and universities and this could be experienced by UK counterparts soon, according to Karen Kelsky.

Karen "Dr Karen" Kelsky, former professor and job consultant for academics revealed that US academics are suffering from the practice of privatization trends in higher education. Due to this, she adds that academics hoping to look for jobs relevant to their fields should harbor no illusions. Privatizing education resulted in decrease of state funding and has snowballed to a lot of issues that US academics are experiencing in the present.

Some of these issues include insecure employment for researchers and lecturers. Tenured positions are replaced with contractual stints with low-paying wages. Furthermore, postgraduates are having a hard time paying off their financial debt.

Karen Kelsky: UK Academics to Suffer Same Fate as Counterparts in US Colleges and Universities

Karen "Dr Karen" Kelsky has heavily criticized the issue of privatization of higher education in the US, The Guardian reported. On her way to tour UK university and college campuses, she intends to bluntly tell UK academic hopefuls that the situation happening in the US could very well happen in the UK as well. Her tour started last week and the UK campuses she will visit include UCL, Warwick, Edinburgh, Cambridge and Oxford.


Dr Karen told the outlet that there are only a quarter of US university lecturers that have tenured positions while the rest are on contractual jobs without the promise of employment security, benefits and health insurance. She adds that those with PhD's or actively trying to get their doctorates belonging to the 75 percent are hardly sustaining their finances because of their employment. Furthermore, their US student debts and interests are climbing by the year it is unpaid as well. She calls the situation aptly as a "bona fide crisis."

Dr Karen also called out how the government has let down its academics and students by letting private companies take over US universities and colleges. The disparity over the privileged and those trying to get by in higher education has widened because of profit-driven institutions. However, Dr Karen softened the blow to UK academics that if they don't find the future situation daunting and wish to pursue an academic career, she can help them in the right direction.

Who is Karen "Dr. Karen" Kelsky ?

With academic careers, Dr Karen has a lot to say because she has the experience for it. Karen Kelskey is the founder and president of "The Professor Is In," a website that dedicates to doling out advice, strategy and consultation for those with PhD or incoming PhD hoping to get an academic career. Dr Karen is a former tenured lecturer ath the University of Oregon and University of Illinois with 15 years of experience. She launched the website in order to provide insight for those who are trying to climb the academic tenure career path.

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Tags Colleges, Universities, US, UK, Higher education, Academics