Enterprise AI Analysis
Effects of Neoliberalism on Computing Education Research and Practice
Author: ANANTH JILLEPALLI, School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Washington State University
Abstract: I explore Neoliberalism and its effects on Computing Education and Research. I begin the exploration by analyzing the impact of declining state funding for higher education. I discuss the following mechanisms used by higher-ed institutions to cope with declines in state support: managerial culture, increase students' fees, privatization of research, adjunctification of teaching professors, audit culture, and Artificial Intelligence agents as teachers. I then explore the commodified state of education and research resulting in a sovereign student, debasement of academic standards, and a perversion of academic subjectivity. I discuss how the commodification results in a dehumanization of faculty & students producing a compliance culture, loss of professional and pedagogical identities, loss of autonomy and public trust, and marginalization of equity, civic engagement, and critical inquiry. I analyze the reasons underlying a successful permeation of Neoliberalism in academia including portraying Neoliberalism as a class war, categorization STEM fields as luxury commodities, exploring exploitation of foreign workers, and commenting about the academic Stockholm syndrome. I discuss about a super-cycle of suffering-exploitation caused by Neoliberal pressures. I conclude the discussion with some strategies that can be used by computing researchers and practitioners to salvage the Neoliberal situation.
Executive Impact Summary
Neoliberal policies have profoundly reshaped higher education, leading to significant financial, structural, and human resource impacts across institutions, particularly in computing education.
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Avg. Tuition Increase (1990-2023) [60]
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Student-Faculty Ratio (some CS Depts) [103]
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Avg. Foreign-born Professors (22-57%) [103, 117]
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State Funding Decline Initiated [96]
Deep Analysis & Enterprise Applications
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Neoliberal Mechanisms
Commodification & Dehumanization
Propagation & Super-cycle
Solutions & Resistance
Declining State Funding & Coping Mechanisms
Higher education institutions in the US have faced stagnant or decreasing state funding since the 1970s. This pressure has led to the adoption of several neoliberal coping mechanisms, fundamentally altering their operational and academic structures.
Bloated Administration
Excess salaries for administrators at the expense of researchers, teachers, and support staff [15].
The Rise of Managerial Culture & Adjunctification
Institutions adopted corporate, top-down hierarchies with bloated administrative positions, often at the expense of teaching and research staff [48, 15]. To justify their existence, administrators created systems hyper-focused on superficial, quantifiable metrics [71]. This also led to increased reliance on adjunct faculty for teaching and contract researchers for research, who typically face lower pay, no tenure, and minimal benefits, often treated as disposable assets [89, 56, 104]. This results in inconsistent teaching quality and high attrition rates [98].
| Traditional Academic Focus | Neoliberal Audit Culture Metrics |
|---|---|
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Commodification & Dehumanization
The adoption of a commodified, corporate mindset views education and research as market goods, impacting students and faculty profoundly by redefining their roles and values within the academic ecosystem.
128:1
High Student-Faculty Ratio in Some Computing Departments [103]
The 'Sovereign Student' and Academic Erosion
A high-cost educational environment fosters an internalized entitled perception among students, who expect 'sovereign treatment' regardless of effort, demanding entertaining teaching, high grades, and loose deadlines [39, 38, 14]. This pressure leads to a subconscious debasement of academic rigor, increased acceptance of academic dishonesty, grade inflation, and pedagogical practices prioritizing satisfaction over educational depth [38]. Faculty and administrators face immense pressure to satisfy these demands, leading to lowered morale and increased emotional stress [24].
| Traditional Faculty Role | Neoliberal Faculty Role |
|---|---|
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Underlying Reasons & Perpetuation
Neoliberalism's success in permeating higher education is driven by several factors, including its portrayal as a class war, the strategic positioning of STEM fields, and the exploitation of global talent, ultimately creating a self-fueling cycle of suffering.
22% - 57%
Range of Foreign-born Professors in US STEM Departments [103, 117]
STEM as a Luxury Commodity & Global Exploitation
STEM fields have enjoyed a privileged status, viewed as 'luxury commodities' due to higher profit rates and employment prospects, inadvertently fueling neoliberalism [81, 27, 26, 80]. This status provides benefits like higher salaries [25, 103] and protections from adjunctification. Meanwhile, global exploitation leads to foreign workers accepting substandard wages and benefits, further undermining labor laws [28, 34]. This creates an Academic Stockholm Syndrome where workers internalize neoliberal values [41].
Enterprise Process Flow: Super-cycle of Suffering-Exploitation
Managerial Pressure & Suffering [64]
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Faculty Suffering & Exploitation [22, 105]
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Student Suffering & Sovereignty [74]
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Lower Public Trust [17]
→
Increased Managerial Pressure
Salvaging the Neoliberal Situation
Addressing the hegemony of Neoliberalism requires active resistance and strategic re-orientation of computing education research and practice, focusing on reclaiming academic integrity and fostering collective action.
Rebuilding with Civic Engagement & Ethical Practice
Rebuild course projects to serve public interest problems, incorporating discussions on how computing mediates neoliberal power. Refocus on critical thinking over algorithmic thinking to counter dehumanization [Section 5]. Practice epistemic humility by acknowledging limits, biases, and failures in research [7.1].
| Individual/Local Action | Collective Action |
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Calculate Your Potential Impact
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Estimated Annual Savings
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Reclaimed Productive Hours
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Strategic Roadmap to Mitigate Neoliberal Effects
A phased approach to address the systemic challenges and reclaim academic and professional integrity in computing education.
Phase 1: Awareness & Advocacy (Initial 3-6 Months)
Initiate dialogues on Neoliberal impacts within departments and institutions. Foster civic engagement in course projects. Begin advocating for policy changes that prioritize academic values over purely economic metrics. Build local solidarity networks among faculty and students.
Phase 2: Curriculum & Structural Reform (6-18 Months)
Integrate critical inquiry and ethical practice into computing curricula. Develop and pilot alternative assessment models to move beyond superficial metrics. Strengthen faculty governance structures and explore unionization where feasible. Challenge administrative bloat and push for transparency in resource allocation.
Phase 3: Reclaiming Autonomy & Public Trust (18-36 Months)
Implement portfolio-based and project-based learning to reduce credential inflation. Reassert faculty independence in teaching and research. Expand post-graduation mentoring programs. Engage in broader public outreach to rebuild trust in higher education, highlighting its societal contributions beyond economic returns.
Phase 4: Sustained Resistance & Transformation (Ongoing)
Continuously monitor and resist neoliberal pressures. Foster inter-institutional and global solidarity coalitions. Advocate for increased state funding for higher education. Promote research and practice that directly addresses social inequalities and epistemic oppression, ensuring a human-centric approach to computing education.
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