ABSTRACT
There are a number of factors that make the accountability movement so evident to staff at present, in particular the numerous inquiries both at State and Federal level involving higher education. There is no doubt that accountability is, and should be, a proper concern of educationists. However, the underlying context of the accountability era is important to recognize. Staff has felt the effect of the accountability movement encroach upon them in many different ways and with many changes to their academic life-style. These changes include, among other things, increased contact hours and increased responsibilities, both academic and administrative. The public does not appear to be regarding higher education as making any valuable contribution to society, with the consequence that government is unwilling to provide the resources that the academic community feels are necessary for their continued existence. Tenure within tertiary institutions is fundamental to the preservation of academic freedom.
