Getting off to a Great Start Getting off to a Great Start in a Faculty Careerin a Faculty Career

Pamela L. EddyPamela L. Eddy

Arizona State University—West CampusArizona State University—West Campus

November 16, 2006November 16, 2006

Changing Faculty RolesChanging Faculty Roles

What does it mean to be a faculty member?What does it mean to be a faculty member?

What is the role of teaching, research, service?What is the role of teaching, research, service?

What challenges await new faculty?What challenges await new faculty?

How can graduate programs help prepare new How can graduate programs help prepare new faculty?faculty?

Faculty DataFaculty Data

More Women (41% of new hires)More Women (41% of new hires) Increasing minorities (17 % of new hires)Increasing minorities (17 % of new hires) Longer to get first position (within 6 years of Longer to get first position (within 6 years of

degree versus 2-3 for senior colleagues)degree versus 2-3 for senior colleagues) More in nontenure-eligible positions (33%)More in nontenure-eligible positions (33%)

(Finkelstein, Seal, & Schuster, 1998)(Finkelstein, Seal, & Schuster, 1998)

Not EqualNot Equal

Women overrepresented in full-time, non Women overrepresented in full-time, non tenure tracktenure track

More women clustered in lowest faculty ranksMore women clustered in lowest faculty ranks ““Feminized” disciplinesFeminized” disciplines Women heavier teaching loads/more serviceWomen heavier teaching loads/more service Difficulty in the sciencesDifficulty in the sciences

Point of ReflectionPoint of Reflection

Describe what you think faculty work is about.Describe what you think faculty work is about. What examples have you seen?What examples have you seen? Have you witnessed a disconnect between what Have you witnessed a disconnect between what

you think about faculty work and reality?you think about faculty work and reality?

How have you begun to prepare for faculty How have you begun to prepare for faculty life?life?

Faculty ChallengesFaculty Challenges

Expectation to “hit the ground running”Expectation to “hit the ground running”

Unclear expectationsUnclear expectations

Lack of time Lack of time

Lack of collegialityLack of collegiality

Difficulty in work/life balanceDifficulty in work/life balance

Addressing the ChallengesAddressing the Challenges

Graduate school preparationGraduate school preparation

Mentors—department chair, senior colleaguesMentors—department chair, senior colleagues

Dedicated days for research/teachingDedicated days for research/teaching

Creating community; Doing what mattersCreating community; Doing what matters

Research TipsResearch Tips

Development of research agendaDevelopment of research agenda

Writing GroupsWriting Groups

Tara Gray’s Tara Gray’s 15 minute rule15 minute rule

Conference proposal presentation Conference proposal presentation manuscriptmanuscript

Teaching TipsTeaching Tips

Work in progress philosophyWork in progress philosophy

Collaborative/Active learningCollaborative/Active learning

Critical reflection on teachingCritical reflection on teaching

Understanding teaching perspective/student Understanding teaching perspective/student learning styleslearning styles

Service TipsService Tips

Know when to say “NO”Know when to say “NO”

Strategic service—university reputationStrategic service—university reputation

National involvementNational involvement

Joys of serviceJoys of service

Institutional FitInstitutional Fit

Not every place is the sameNot every place is the same HinterlandsHinterlands Research focusResearch focus Teaching focusTeaching focus

Increased expectationsIncreased expectations

Generational differencesGenerational differences

What now?What now?

Career StageCareer Stage

Identify largest challengesIdentify largest challenges

Mapping out plansMapping out plans

Creating a faculty identity Creating a faculty identity

Questions?Questions?