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<\/a><\/p>\nDuring my tenure, I\u2019ve witnessed massive transformations in Higher Education, including changes to funding, increased student numbers, governance, increased corporatisation and commercialisation and the adoption of managerial models which has affected staff at all layers.<\/p>\n
If you look at the workforce that I\u2019m talking about, you will not fail to notice that we are a predominately feminised workforce and this can partly go some way in explaining our lack of visibility and some of the problems encountered along the way by us (e.g. a belief that we are not interested in academic endeavours or systems.\u00a0 Unfortunately, some outdated stereotypes also exist (see my blog ‘Just an administrator<\/a>‘) \u00a0but at least in the 21st<\/sup> century, we are able to challenge some of the long-held masculine views\/behaviours on the definitions of female administration roles (i.e. being administrative and being female \u2013 i.e. not male and not academic!)<\/p>\n Many universities in the UK were established in the 1960\u2019s and along with them, the roles of the university secretary and clerical\/administrative worker were borne. \u00a0Such roles were referred to as \u201cnon-academic\u201d, yet the mere use of the word \u201cnon\u201d conjures up negative associations and leads to the labelling and definition of a whole section of the work force in describing what we \u201care not\u201d, rather than what \u201cwe are\u201d.\u00a0 \u00a0Back then, the university secretary\/clerical worker was very much expected to operate in a subservient, supportive role to the academic community. \u00a0Role holders were expected to be seen and not heard, much like the women and children from the Victorian era.\u00a0 Essentially their role was to look after the academic, type correspondence and make the tea.\u00a0 Secretarial\/clerical staff performed tasks such as typing, often supporting just one academic.\u00a0 There were no student recruitment, marketing or international offices.\u00a0 Finance and personnel departments were very small and invisible to the academic community.<\/p>\n Indeed, the role of the secretary\/administrative assistant has enjoyed something of a renaissance lately in popular culture \u2013 take for example the characters of Joan Holloway and Peggy Olsen, the competent secretaries at the fictional advertising agency in Mad Men<\/em> set in the 1960\u2019s in the States.\u00a0 Both rise up through the ranks to become meaningful employees \u2013 one to become a partner in the agency, one to become an advertising professional (on a perceived equal footing with the male characters). \u00a0Likewise, think of the term \u201cSecretary of State\u201d\u00a0where the word secretary defines a senior official of the federal government of the USA!<\/p>\n Interestingly enough, the word secretary is a unisex word and isn’t defined by gender, although it is stereotyped to be female by association. \u00a0\u00a0The title of secretary was originally used by military leaders, heads of state, and even popes to refer to their most trusted confidants – to the ones they could trust and rely on without reservation. \u00a0Secretaries were set apart from others and known to be favoured by their respective leaders. Later, secretaries were used in the same sense by professional and business leaders.<\/p>\n If we look at the history and significance of the word “secretary”, it can be traced to being used in Middle English as early as the sixth century and comes from the ancient Latin word\u00a0secretumi,\u00a0<\/em> meaning keeper of secrets!<\/p>\n Next month, part 2 of this blog will examine the evolving professional role of secretaries \u00a0in the 1930’s, 50’s, 80’s and 90’s through to the digital age.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" My university is celebrating 50 years in the business (1965 \u2013 2015) and as such, I thought it would be a timely opportunity to showcase just how much the secretarial\/clerical and administrative function has changed in the last 5 decades.\u00a0 During that time, I\u2019ve not only studied here, but through both varied, temporary and permanent … Continue reading The Times They Are A-Changin’ – Part 1<\/span>