Mental Health
This companion page is one of many included in the See My Academic FACE survey findings - officially released November 24.
Featured first are Black and racially minoritised participant answers. Scroll down to see non minoritised or white participant answers to the same question.
The qualitative question below elicited answers answers across several themes.
The fifth theme is Mental Health.
Please add any further insight into your lived experience as an academic/technician/
member of support staff in relation to ‘Race’. How, for example has ‘Race impacted your sense of feeling supported and valued as an educator?
Theme 5 is Mental Health
Black and racially minoritised participant answers
11. I experienced unfair and unethical treatment in my first academic role and in other preceding rolls.
28. The environment I work in is isolating, and often hostile. My treatment has been often demeaning, my contributions minimised and my initiatives claimed as their own. In my institutions Black excellence is seen, rarely acknowledged and feared. I feel saddened, demoralised and exhausted.
“I feel saddened, demoralised and exhausted.”
29. I and 2 other Black colleagues from the same university department /school have been simultaneously dissmissed. Without due process no wonder the head refuses to attend FACE meetings having previously had complaints against them . We only found out because we asked for our contract renewals. We have all worked for 4 years plus at this university, written new degree courses which received commendations, and inaugurated new and successful degree courses which have in a short time received national and international recognition. No support for PhD, even though we were entitled, no conference attendance support, pppr working conditions ,equipment, constant pressure to resolve the problems of others staff, discrimination, racial and disability. Our department had the worst POC student attainment in the university, and even then they avoided the university’s own initiatives to correct this.
Our error was to excell, with our students and request support for them - even to the extent of paying for their materials this is what is like to be Black in HE when you highlight the problems.
“Our error was to excell, with our students and request support for them ... even to the extent of paying for their materials this is what is like to be Black in HE when you highlight the problems.”
31. Like my own Black and Brown students, I have under-reported racial incidents because of personal concerns about negative potential consequences, and had my concerns dismissed as making a fuss when I have brought up incidents. At times this has left me doubting my interpretation of the demeaning racialised experiences, which has contributed to my sense of isolation, anxiety and stress and robbed me of opportunities to progress professionally - all consequently affecting my mental health. Navigating this impossible terrain is exhausting, a position that I have often discussed with Black colleagues, many of whom are experiencing the same thing. To my shame at times the hyper-surveillance and small micro-aggressions were played down by myself, because the racist incidences could not be 'clearly evidenced'. Was this race led, or was it personal? Miscommunication? Was it me?
“At times this has left me doubting my interpretation of the demeaning racialised experiences, which has contributed to my sense of isolation, anxiety and stress and robbed me of opportunities to progress professionally.”
32. Satisfaction in performing the job role, so often taken for granted by white colleagues, was negatively impacted by my now growing lack in confidence in combination with limited coping mechanisms and has led to frustration in being additionally required to contribute towards race led educational strategies and decolonisation tactics, dressed up as suggestions for career support.
44. There is a sense of if you speak up about something it will affect career progression
47. I have frequently experienced being managed out of my job - i.e. isolation, being underutilised for my experience, stereotyping into pastoral and EDI role, assumptions, underutilisation, and dismissal of my experience, non-action on issues raised in my appraisals,
48. I believe I have experienced possible retaliation discrimination, discrimination in application process, unfair/differential/preferential treatment, lack of support from management and gaslighting, unfair/differential treatment and micro-aggressive behaviour. The impact of this in regards to my physical and emotional wellbeing gave me no choice but to resign.
“The impact of this in regards to my physical and emotional wellbeing gave me no choice but to resign.”
58. The institution I work at has been averse to conversations about race at any level (of the organisation, and any level of complexity). The teaching it, ways of engaging with staff and students is colourblind, and it is exploitative. That exploitation lands heavily on minoritised staff.
59. I feel alone and sometimes like the token Brown lady. People are constantly taking taking taking. I never get any credit for any great idea or get to implement said ideas. But others get all the accolades and advancement . I am treated as if I am invincible. Like I can deal with any ailment or stress. I have been called aggressive or been warned of not being too ‘me.’
“I am treated as if I am invincible. Like I can deal with any ailment or stress. I have been called aggressive or been warned of not being too ‘me’ ”
65. in 7 years asked to host my first dept wide lecture as part of a lecture series (streamed also) by the Dept. head (about my own practice, something I had never been asked to speak on in the entirety of my time there). I was never asked to deliver a lecture on my practice to the course I taught on or had my work featured in any lectures. At the same time I was delivering lectures outside of the course widely, curating and doing other work in the sector even speaking at Design Week in Thailand funded by the British Council. A fractional post appeared and it was broached to me less than a year later in Spring 2021 which would encapsulate my existing role but they wanted me to split the role with wider EDI work for the whole dept. (work I was undertaking in my own sector outside of the institution because I had had little support or traction of any initiatives work I tried to support within the institution). I declined the role for a number of reasons but mostly because my work there was impacting me (stress, anxiety) and I inwardly dreaded interactions in person and in correspondence with my immediate boss, the director of the course I was an AL on. I had had very little support in trying to rectify my challenges despite having to engage the head of the dept.
Basically being told that they know he is difficult but not wanting or seemingly able to do anything about it. I was encouraged to modify how I interacted with them and to try to effect the changes myself within the course team, as one of the academic team with the least agency of the group. I know the new fraction role was forced upon my boss, as from the way he notified me about it, it was very clear he was doing it under duress. So despite it being an opportunity hard won, it was not worth my peace to take it on. I declined applying for the role and said I would still be available for hourly paid support and immediately was called in less for the rest of the term and subsequently after the end of that academic year received no hours from the course I was working on at all and none going forward and only 8 hours in the following academic year from another course in the dept that was run by a colleague. Eventually I timed out as an AL from the institution and received a P60 notifying me of the end of the engagement in Dec 2023. I had some communication with the Dept head at times but no firm commitment to engage me in any work despite implying an interest in that.
It was a very sad and upsetting time for me and I have actively been trying to move on. The same institution that I had this experience with has me listed as notable alumni on their website. As I mentioned earlier most of this survey is in regards to my longest academic engagement and not to other shorter term project based engagement. Also as mentioned I have recently started as a visiting tutor with a new institution. I have had a more positive experience so far. One observation to note in this new institution (and I also enquired about this from a staff member that has been there longer) - the only other people of Black decent on staff are part of janitorial team.
“My level of intellect has been questioned in relation to my race and ethnicity. This was after questioning psychological impact of delivering slavery related content in a program delivered in areas with predominant minority communities.”
76. My level of intellect has been questioned in relation to my race and ethnicity. This was after questioning psychological impact of delivering slavery related content in a program delivered in areas with predominant minority communities. The lack of diversity and representation when creating this programme did not reflected on the triggering content.
83. I feel depressed and isolated. Promotion or value is not driven or based on merit but who is part of the white boys club. What is worse is that we have white boys preaching about inclusion and the hypocrisy I have encountered is gut wrenching.
89. I have witnessed someone else on the receiving end of microaggressions, but they have found it difficult to prove to HR and it has been swept under the carpet. This has left this member of staff who is Black British, upset and disempowered. This incident and others like it make me think that the 'soundbites' of equality in my institution are just camouflage i.e. surface platitudes that tick a box.
Non minoritised or white participant answers did not discuss mental health in relation to the question How, for example has ‘Race impacted your sense of feeling supported and valued as an educator?