Sacrifices in greedy universities: are they gendered?

In 1995-97, a research team interviewed a cross-section of staff in two Aus tralian public universities about the sacrifices they had to make to pursue their careers. This article discusses the responses of the staff who parti cipated in this study. It uses Coser's concept of the 'greedy institution' to describe the hold which universities have over their staff and details t he range of personal and professional sacrifices which staff made in order to be part of their university culture. Comparisons are drawn between male and female staff, academic and general staff, and the two universities whic h participated in this study. It is concluded that the overall impact of cu rrent economistic and neoliberal discourses are such as to minimise differe nces on each of these scores and produce a certain uniformity of response a cross site, gender and occupational status. The article suggests that this apparent uniformity is the product of a peak masculinist discourse used mai nly by those in the more powerful positions in these institutions, which ac ts to disenfranchise all those who do not operate within its restricted and restrictive boundaries.