Stood down for Standing up for what he believes in…
- July 15th, 2010
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Never underestimate facebook to keep you up to date with everyone’s personal details (your ex-boyfriend’s imminent parenthood) to the professional (B-Sharp ending at the end of 2010)…
And now… the standing down of John McCallum from the University of New South Wales was announced to me by Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=123594317685540&ref=ts
I first met John McCallum when I was 12. I had been brought to Sydney to be a part of the Scientia program at UNSW- to participate in McCallum’s week long seminar: Australian Comedy: Do we Play it Safe? Can you picture me? A precocious girl from a small country town, traveled by CountryLink to Sydney for the first time. My mother, wary of the city and the muggings it held, had our travel money (2 x $50 notes) concealed within each cup of her bra. As things do when you are 12, that course had a profound effect on me… and I think about how much it inspired me to move to Sydney- and how really it was a turning point for me and just how much I learnt and what a huge impression it made on me. So, to declare my hand- I have a grand affection for the man- who is widely regarded by practitioners as the premier reviewer of Australian newspapers, by playwrights as a friend (and critic), by students as a great inspiration, and generally the thinking theatre woman’s sex symbol.
UNSW senior staff have taken a stance on their conditions and have decided to not release the students results until their conditions are met “At the core of the dispute are demands for a reduction of staff on short-term contracts. Paid parental leave and academic workload are also being discussed.”… according to the SMH: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/staff-stood-down-in-university-dispute-20100709-1041e.html
McCallum, who not only is the author of Belongings: Australian Playwriting in the 20th Century (Currency Press), a recent speaker at The Sydney Writers Festival, the Sydney Theatre Critic for The Australian Newspaper, and Pascall prize winner for Criticism… is also a lecturer who marks the essays and reports of several hundred students AND supervises his fair share of Honours/Post-Grad Students… is a pretty significant figure in the writing about Australian Theatre… (and they are just the things I know about his career, off the top of my head… I’m sure there is more… (John, if you are reading this… um… I’m embarrassed a bit to be blogging about you… but please forgive any faux pas/ omissions in your bio- consider it a hurried, clumsy over-sight)… Anyway, John McCallum is well liked, well respected, hard working, impressive, accomplished and currently not being paid by the UNSW for his work. He has joined a group of senior staff to protest the working rights and conditions of ALL staff… he’s taking a fall for the less senior, the more vulnerable academics.
As a result 95 people on Facebook have joined the “UNSW. Standing down John McCallum was not a good move” and already comments such as Ken Dray’s:
“how can they stand down a national living treasure?”
and Andrew Johnston’s call to students:
“John is and always has been one of the most approachable, pragmatic and knowledgeable lecturers at UNSW. I have no doubt he would be acting in the best interests of the staff and students as a whole. Those of you who haven’t got your results yet… don’t stress. They will come. Try to support a lecturer that cares more about your education than your marks. ”
In a world of seeming selfishness, of individualistic pursuits- it is rare and utterly inspiring to see someone stand up for what they believe in. To put an idea , not money, first. And it is the measure of a man (or a woman) the actions which display their true convictions. Not just what they say, but what they do.
I hope that all his students stick by him… I hope the UNSW listens and negotiates fairly with their staff… I hope that John knows just how much he is appreciated, how his actions speak loudly to us and inspire us to stand up for what we believe in… and John- don’t go hungry: drop me a line and I’ll buy you a sandwich and a glass of wine.
I am a BA (theatre) graduate from UNSW. I had the privilege of studying under John McCallum. And I simply cannot believe the farcical stance that the University is taking, by standing down such an eminent lecturer and educator, for fighting for what he believes in. For shame. The board needs to take a good, long, hard look at itself and decide what is most important.
When an academic, as widely respected as John, becomes collateral damage, what hope is there for the future of theatre studies and practice within the university?
I am so incensed at this ridiculous injustice, that I feel compelled to return my BA to the university forthwith. They should be ashamed of themselves.
My first ever foray into really understanding Australian Theatre was while studying for my MA in theatre (UNSW) and in John McCallum’s ‘Australian Plays’ class. His influence and wisdom, not to mention his academic credentials and commitment to Australian theatre cannot be praised highly enough. He is a man of integrity, extraordinary intelligence and consideration. I admire his courage and commitment for taking this stand. I feel ashamed of a university where I have both studied and lectured, this treatment of an esteemed academic is without doubt unjust and reeks of strategic management rather than intellectual rigour and brave leadership. When a university acts as thus, something sacred is lost.
Suzie Miller, Australian Playwright.
I am beyond shocked – John is a superbly decent guy and a ‘leader in his craft’ as a critic. Like others I implicitly trust his call on any decision that needed to be made – re wotever is going on at UNSW.
Shame on UNSW. Yet another indication of academia and the joyous reason for tertiary education getting shafted by bean counters and economic rationalists. Johm McCallum made my MA years count for so much, and since has generously given of his time and knowledge when asked. Hopefully the powers that be will come to their senses.
Alice Livingstone, Producer, Focus Theatre
Being the “keeper of the notes” I wish to add to the voices of support for John McCallum.
Being offered the opportunity to take a “precocious” 12 year old down to the UNSW I was rather nervous at what may be on offer.
Meeting with and talking with John gave this mother of a newly ‘diagnosed’ ‘gifted and talented’ daughter the reassurances and support so sorely missing in the country areas at the time.
I hope that this blog and the awareness it brings will help the UNSW realise that John is indeed known and respected, not just in Sydney, not just in academia, not just in the theatre practicioners spheres, but also in small country towns wherever he touched and supported the lives of students lucky enough to meet, work and learn with him.
I never studied under John as a student, but his honesty, integrity and support for the Australian industry as well as his students is an education in itself. UNSW should be utterly ashamed of the treatment of their educators and the censorship of their voices.