The engagement by Christian students with the recent industrial action by the staff of the University of Sydney has been quite underwhelming. Most of the students I have spoken with (or have seen conversing about the strikes on social media) have responded in one of three ways:
- “Oh yay, a day off!”
- “This is so unfair! I’ve paid for these classes!”
- “I wish the staff cared more about my learning than about money, but clearly they don’t.”
This is a depressingly poor level of engagement with the issues raised by the University’s teaching staff.
Full disclosure: I work on Sydney Uni’s main campus ministering alongside Christian students. I’m not a student or an employee of the University of Sydney. If I were, I’d be joining in the protest. But the reasoning behind that isn’t the point of this post.
The point of this post is that none of the responses above are good enough from a thinking Christian university student (or, for that matter, from any university student). These responses lack any engagement at all on the issues the staff have raised. Instead, the first two represent an uncritical “Me! Me! Me!” attitude. The strikes are wrong because they are an inconvenience.
But, especially for Christians, there are things that are more important than personal inconvenience. You’ve missed a few classes, sure, but maybe there’s something more than that going on. Jesus’ command to love our neighbour demands that we engage those who are angry and alarmed enough to strike in love. We have no right to dismiss their concerns on the basis that it’s inconvenient for us.
The third of the above responses reflects an uncritical, ignorant and unloving assumption. How do you know this is all about money? Have you heard a lecturer say that? Furthermore, is that even a logical connection to make? Only one of the concerns raised by the staff relates to salary. Most students don’t seem to have any idea what the other concerns are. In fact, academics are arguing that the agreement the University is pursuing would decrease the quality of your learning. Maybe they care more than you think. Maybe they think missing a few classes is worth it to try to secure your education in the long term. They might be right; they might not. But to assume they don’t care about your education is ignorant and unkind.
I would encourage any Christian students at Sydney University to put their intellect to use in a Christian fashion and really think about what this industrial action means. A good place to start would be this open letter by a senior academic to the Vice Chancellor.
You may decide the strike is inappropriate, you may decide you agree with the staff who have taken this action. Whichever way you come down on the issue, make sure you’ve engaged with it, instead of making an uncritical and unloving judgement.
UPDATE: I’ve realised it is worth clarifying that I do think some of those on strike have behaved appallingly. Whether or not the industrial action itself or the form it has taken is justified (questions which were not the purview of this post), physically and verbally agressive behaviour towards those trying to get on campus isn’t appropriate.
I woke up this morning with a frappachino in my hand... 
Hi Richard,
I completely agree, many students Christian and otherwise haven’t invested time into working out what the strike is about leading to the uninformed and selfish remarks to you speak of.
The first time round I was completely as you described, uninformed and only concerned about the impact on me (a 4 week research intensive being postponed meaning a 70% project would be due in a week i already had 70% of assessments due in). (Also, the impact on EUers and it’s activities after being verbally assaulted entering campus wearing my EU shirt).
Last week my lecturer on social inequality spent 15 minutes explaining why she was striking. Not just taking her word for it, I did do my research. I did read Raewyn’s letter, NTEU info and the university info. While I see both sides and appreciate that many of the requests of NTEU are legitimate demands, and agree the university public relations crew have done a fair bit of spinning in their communication, I don’t agree the strike/industrial action is the right way to go about the resolving these issues.
On the most part I detest EAG’s involvement, considering it has been their interactions i have and my friends classes have been affected from. The media coverage surrounding yesterdays activities has been completely damaging on the reputation of USYD’s students. Historically, Sydney University has demonstrated it is the leading institution to which the majority of our state and national leaders arise from, is this industrial activity sending the right message to Sydney/Australia: Sydney University is full of radical leftists who thrive on the opportunity to protest (anything).
Anyway – a worthwhile blogpost, thanks.
Thanks Mel. I probably should have made it clear in the original post that I wasn’t trying to have a conversation about whether or not striking was the right move, but rather to talk about engaging with the issues the industrial action has raised. And you’re quite right: some of the behaviour of some strikers has been appalling.
Well said Richard, though this has been a hard one to engage with, possibly because both sides have immediate access to students. We’re getting emails back and forth from both unions/staff and the university management describing the ways in which the other is lying. It’s possible to honestly try to engage, but to come away with the impression that one is being used by both sides as a scapegoat. I support the staff and particularly the academics, but I have a bad taste in my mouth from (some of) the rhetoric and from (some of) the approaches taken by (some of) the protesters. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the responses you’ve seen are from students who have tried to engage and given up – perhaps still not good enough, but perhaps understandable when they feel caught in the crossfire.
Thanks Iain! You’re clearly more pastorally minded than I; some people certainly are feeling ‘caught in the crossfire’ and I probably need to be careful to remember that. There has been some unhelpful rhetoric and tone on both sides, which does make it hard to engage well.
I wouldn’t say that, just feeling caught in the crossfire myself, particularly as both student and casual staff! Such messy times. Everyone safe and well? (re: abovementioned abuse of EUers)
All safe and well, just frazzled I think!