Should we ask for the title of this board to be changed?

[FloozingThePlot]

Perhaps to University academic's common room?
So many off topic threads lately...

Might help. The off topic threads are mainly bad for the OP who doesn't get useful answers.

Or it shows up readers' comprehension skills, which might be why they need advice in the first place. But I'm in grumpy tutor mode today ...

But seriously ...

I remember when this board was first set up as a break away from the HE board. There was a bit of chatter about "elitism" then - imagine what it'd be now.

I don't understand how so many posters end up here, wanting advice on nursery and primary schools, given that this board is in the Work section, not the Education one.

I used to be more puzzled by the weird, off-topic posts before realising the (to me) strange way in which the word ‘academics’ is used on Mn, to mean ‘school subjects’ or ‘studies’ eg ‘He loves sport, not so great at the academics’.

Didn't realise it was an HE breakaway! Thought it was a carry-on from a long-standing academics chat in Chat...

I'm amazed this board exists really. Academia is really a bit niche, do HR professionals have their own board, I'd assume not.

BTW we can report threads ourselves, I always do if I spot them but have been away for a while. The Mumsnet moderators are very understanding and you're not going to get them or yourselves in trouble when you explain the poster needs to be moved to a more appropriate board when she can get advice and support.

It's partly the proliferation of terms like 'dark academia' that make it seem to potentially cover anything education related.

'University staff common room'? That ought to be clearer.

OK, University staff common room it is - I will ask.

@BusyGreenFinch I've reported five+ off topic threads this week. It's probably because I am nearly-Easter-grumpy but it's tedious and I get ratty that people can't seem to read the board description.

Curious - what is 'dark academia'?

Is it like the criminological 'dark figure' or completely different?

[roll on Easter]

Academics', not Academic's.

Dark academia is a fashion style of dressing like an old fashioned prof. Not quite goth, lots of tweed.

That is probably a rubbish description but there is a long thread in Style and Beauty with links and opinions.

Sticking my nose in here as an ex academic to say that most people don't scroll through and see if a topic is in 'work' or 'education' or wherever. They just see 'academic' and think 'education', hence the range of posts that come onto the board.

Maybe just get over yourselves and only respond to the relevant posts where you have a comment to make, which is what happens on every other board?

It's not a case of "getting over ourselves". The posters starting threads on here in error aren't getting any responses to their threads, so need better signposting. And the volume of new threads that aren't about HE (combined with the MN advertising / promotional threads) really clutters up the board and means that one needs to dig around to find the threads that are actually about working in HE.

Channelling Donna Tartt's characters in The Secret History.

And I am really sick, sick, sick of people telling academics to get over ourselves. We do that every day with our students and the contemplation of government mismanagement of a once world class education system (which, guess what, we all helped to make).

But @GCAcademic is kinder than me - yes, we are concerned that people's posts get lost and they don't get the help & advice they need. I guess the pedagogical instinct is strong in many of us!

Yes. Believe me, I couldn’t be more over myself.

Parietal - thanks - will go and have a look at what all the best dressed academics should be wearing... 🧛‍♀️

@AFairDistance - yes, I think I got over myself an awfully long time ago… Although I do have some colleagues who could definitely still benefit from getting over themselves...

Title = Lecturer's Common Room

Although in practice the move seems to be towards using "professor" at more levels, lecturer still sums up what we do and the difference from other boards.

Anything with Academic in the title will attract a much wider range of posters / questions than just those relating to people who actually work in academia imo.

And agree, that is a shame, because we often don't have the answers to those kind of more broad academic questions which would get better and more frequent answers when posted on a different board.

There are some PS staff who post on here, so I would be more in favour of the broader "University Staff Common Room" title.

yup it’s interesting and useful to have the mix of PS colleagues and academics on here.

Ahhh - good point, yes, and both very valuable inputs.

I am pleased to report that I am very over myself.

I have asked for the name of the board to be changed to University Staff Common Room. I'll report back when I get a response.

Have a good weekend everyone. Try to step away from the laptop and enjoy the sun.

Why not copy the ravelry board 'Ivory tower'?

@nythbran2 - probably works if you work at Oxbridge or Durham, but my place is most definitely not an ivory tower!