Globalization, democratization and knowledge production

6.3.2 New academics and research

The majority of long-time staff at Fort Hare, except for a few like Fox and Dirk, has concentrated predominantly on teaching (I: Henry; Nyazi; Thandi; Thembi). A newer academic, whose work inspires hope for the future of the institution was Fatuh, a Nigerian expatriate, who explains that when he arrived at Fort Hare in 1997, he avoided the often-inescapable local politics of an HBU that was just emerging from troubled times. Instead, he committed himself to “developing a research culture” in his department. Although it has been an arduous road, he managed within the short space of two to three years to establish a vibrant research culture in his department, which in 2003 boasted not only honours and masters students but also three doctoral candidates and two post doctoral fellows. During 2003, he and his postgraduate students published a total of 10 articles. To build research capacity, Fatuh encourages and coaches his students to publish as widely as possible. His PhD students who are graduating this year have published five articles (I: Fatuh). In 2002, Fatuh’s students won a prestigious award for the presentation of their research at an international conference held in South Africa (I: Fatuh).

Academic Gumbi related a similar experience. She too arrived at the university in 1997 to find that no research was being conducted in her Department of Biochemistry, nor was there any equipment or chemicals in the laboratories (I: Gumbi). She spent three years “raising the level” of the department with funds received from the Water Research Commission and SANPAD (I: Gumbi).³⁸ She proudly related that two of her honours students were admitted to medical school and she currently supervises five master’s and two PhD students. Gumbi explained that the department has its own website which has been instrumental in helping them to attract international students from the African continent. The new Vice Chancellor, she claimed has been very supportive of research and approved funding for a molecular diagnostic laboratory, the first in the Eastern Cape. She has been building capacity within her department: for example, a former hhonours student is now employed as a laboratory assistant and is studying towards a master’s degree.

Staff as martyrs

The most striking feature about several participants at this university was their zealous dedication to the institution (I: Bertrand; Fatuh; Gumbi; Henry; Otto; Thandi; Walter). At least five staff members spoke about the institution and their work with great fervour and glistening eyes (I: Bertrand; Fatuh; Henry; Thandi; Walter). Henry, for example, was prepared to be called out to the institution at any hour, weekends included, without expressing the slightest consternation. Gumbi pointed out that her department was short staffed with only three staff members. As a result, she had a heavy teaching load and had to work until 9 or 10 p.m. during the weekdays and only found time over the weekend to write articles for publication. Yet, she had turned down a job offer from one of the top four universities in South Africa that offered highly competitive salaries because she found working closely with communities, an opportunity afforded by Fort Hare, more gratifying.

One of the consequences of the limited funds was not only the inability of the university to recruit larger numbers of staff or pay competitive salaries, but to honour the annual salary increments of existing staff (I: Henry; Miso; Thandi). Hence, most staff members, including the Vice Chancellor, were on lower salary scales compared to their counterparts at other universities (I: Henry; Otto). Thandi’s devotion to the institution was evident. She accepted that the university could not honour these payments, nor afford to appoint her to the permanent position in which she was currently acting (I: Thandi). However, as committed and devoted as she was, the prolonged acting position has affected her morale and dented her self-esteem:

In as much as I do understand, you know, from the university’s perspective, but as an individual I think it dented my… compromised me in a way… As far as other professional bodies are concerned because… people act for three or six months at other institutions. “Are you still acting?” [they ask], its like … you’re not good enough in as much as I understand but I cannot convince everybody that is the case. You see my dilemma?
This acting position was especially embarrassing when she encountered colleagues from other institutions who enquired about her position and status. Despite the reputation he had built, Fatuh, like Gumbi, was not attracted by higher salaries elsewhere because of the satisfaction he had derived from the success attained amidst the challenges at Fort Hare. When asked why researchers of his caliber have remained at Fort Hare despite the low salaries, Fatuh responded:

Some of us believe in challenges. Some of us believe that salary is not everything. For example on two occasions I (was offered) employment elsewhere and then the university says, “No, you are one of the people who has (done well) – we don’t mind giving you more money, you are promoted,” then I stayed. I was offered… more in another place where I was going… The question is still why… Personally, I have my family. My children are at university or school age. Moving from here to a new environment, it would take me another few years to set myself up and then my children, they have to orientate… .As a professor, I am known from Fort Hare… It takes a long time to establish and then to remove your self one-day is not really easy. So I told myself, no let me wait a bit and allow my students to become committed. Salary is not a reason for me to move.

Given the effort to get to where he was at Fort Hare, Fatuh was not prepared to begin again at another institution. There were personal family reasons for his decision as well, as can be gleaned from the quote above. Part of his struggle to establish himself was linked to his identity as a foreign black academic in South Africa:

So I am known now… most of the meetings I go to they respect me now. … Like the research advisory committee, the National Botanical Institute, I am the only black person there. When I get there I will not only be representing myself, I will be representing the black race and Nigeria. It is exciting and it’s interesting. The comments I hear from some of them now, I am very happy that they have finally accepted me… One of the top researchers in (my field)… I met him when we went to a conference in Mauritius two or three weeks ago… he had heard everything that is happening in this department… He said, ‘We know what you are doing; we are very proud and happy.’ (I: Fatuh)

It seems that Fatuh has had to put in triple effort as a black Nigerian academic working in South Africa.