Preparing to be a Faculty Preparing to be a Faculty Member:Member:

What Do I Need to Know What Do I Need to Know about Faculty Work?about Faculty Work?

CIRTL CastCIRTL Cast

Ann E. AustinAnn E. AustinProfessor, Higher, Adult, and Lifelong EducationProfessor, Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education

Director, Global Institute for Higher EducationDirector, Global Institute for Higher EducationMichigan State UniversityMichigan State University

April 7, 2010April 7, 2010

AgendaAgenda

What is faculty work like—especially for What is faculty work like—especially for early career faculty?early career faculty?

How is faculty work changing? What do How is faculty work changing? What do today’s faculty need to be able to do?today’s faculty need to be able to do?

What competencies should graduate What competencies should graduate students and post-docs develop if they are students and post-docs develop if they are planning on faculty careers?planning on faculty careers?

Key Issues for New FacultyKey Issues for New FacultyLearning about a new institutional cultureLearning about a new institutional culture

Finding institutional resourcesFinding institutional resources

Establishing a workable/realistic schedule and managing timeEstablishing a workable/realistic schedule and managing time

Learning about expectations and seeking feedbackLearning about expectations and seeking feedback

Establishing collegial relationshipsEstablishing collegial relationships

Being an effective teacherBeing an effective teacher

Establishing a research agenda and trajectoryEstablishing a research agenda and trajectory

Assuming roles as an institutional citizenAssuming roles as an institutional citizen

Connecting with professional colleagues and associationsConnecting with professional colleagues and associations

Developing a sense of scholarly identityDeveloping a sense of scholarly identity

QuestionQuestion: : As you think of these aspects of being a new As you think of these aspects of being a new faculty member…faculty member…for which responsibility do you feel most for which responsibility do you feel most prepared?prepared?

A) Learning about a new institutional cultureA) Learning about a new institutional culture

B) Finding institutional resources to support your workB) Finding institutional resources to support your work

C) Establishing a workable/realistic schedule and managing timeC) Establishing a workable/realistic schedule and managing time

D) Learning about expectations and seeking feedbackD) Learning about expectations and seeking feedback

E) Establishing collegial relationshipsE) Establishing collegial relationships

QuestionQuestion: : As you think of these aspects of being a new As you think of these aspects of being a new faculty member…faculty member…for which responsibility do you feel for which responsibility do you feel mostmost prepared?prepared?

A) Being an effective teacherA) Being an effective teacher

B) Establishing a research agenda and trajectoryB) Establishing a research agenda and trajectory

C) Assuming roles as an institutional citizenC) Assuming roles as an institutional citizen

D) Connecting with professional colleagues and associationsD) Connecting with professional colleagues and associations

E) Developing a sense of scholarly identityE) Developing a sense of scholarly identity

Forces affecting Faculty WorkForces affecting Faculty Work

Fiscal pressures Fiscal pressures

Societal expectations for accountability and Societal expectations for accountability and emphasis on learning outcomesemphasis on learning outcomes

More diverse student bodiesMore diverse student bodies

New technologies and expansion of knowledgeNew technologies and expansion of knowledge

Shifts in faculty appointment patternsShifts in faculty appointment patterns

Fiscal PressuresFiscal Pressures

Rising costsRising costs

Budget reductionsBudget reductions

ImplicationsImplications– Faculty must be Faculty must be

FlexibleFlexible

Open to changeOpen to change

EntrepreneurialEntrepreneurial

Societal Expectations for AccountabilitySocietal Expectations for Accountability

Demands from the public for greater access, Demands from the public for greater access, excellent research, contributions to economic excellent research, contributions to economic developmentdevelopment

Criticisms from the public and legislative Criticisms from the public and legislative attentionattention

ImplicationsImplications – Faculty must Faculty must

Know how to engage with the publicKnow how to engage with the public

Be committed to fulfilling institutional missions, including Be committed to fulfilling institutional missions, including external expectationsexternal expectations

The Changing Student BodyThe Changing Student Body

Demand is expected to continue to growDemand is expected to continue to grow

Increasing diversity in student body--age, race and Increasing diversity in student body--age, race and ethnicityethnicity

Expectations for relevance, convenience, economyExpectations for relevance, convenience, economy

ImplicationsImplications– Faculty must be skillful inFaculty must be skillful in

Teaching for student-centered learningTeaching for student-centered learningBuilding on the diversity within their classes Building on the diversity within their classes Providing support for all students, including under-prepared Providing support for all students, including under-prepared studentsstudentsAssessing student learning outcomesAssessing student learning outcomes

New Technologies and New FieldsNew Technologies and New Fields

Many new technologies—new research Many new technologies—new research processes, new processes for teaching and processes, new processes for teaching and learninglearning

ExExpansion of knowledge—new areas and pansion of knowledge—new areas and increasing inter-disciplinarityincreasing inter-disciplinarity

ImplicationsImplications– Faculty must Faculty must

Learn new technologiesLearn new technologiesKnow how to collaborate with those in other fieldsKnow how to collaborate with those in other fieldsDeal with changing workloadsDeal with changing workloadsHandle unbundling of responsibilitiesHandle unbundling of responsibilities

Changes in the Pattern of Academic Changes in the Pattern of Academic AppointmentsAppointments

Shift from a tenure system to alternative Shift from a tenure system to alternative appointment typesappointment types

56% of new full-time hires not in tenure-track56% of new full-time hires not in tenure-trackContract-renewable and fixed-term appointments Contract-renewable and fixed-term appointments increasingincreasing

Increasing number of part-time facultyIncreasing number of part-time faculty2004: 44% of all faculty members are part-time2004: 44% of all faculty members are part-timeOnly 54% of new faculty appointed full-timeOnly 54% of new faculty appointed full-time

Short Discussion QuestionShort Discussion Question

Do you have any observations about Do you have any observations about these changes and how they are these changes and how they are impacting faculty work?impacting faculty work?

What competencies should What competencies should graduate students and post-docs graduate students and post-docs

develop as they prepare for develop as they prepare for faculty careers?faculty careers?

Competencies for Faculty WorkCompetencies for Faculty Work

Conceptual UnderstandingsConceptual Understandings

Knowledge and SkillsKnowledge and Skills

Interpersonal SkillsInterpersonal Skills

Professional Attitudes and HabitsProfessional Attitudes and Habits

Conceptual UnderstandingsConceptual UnderstandingsDisciplinary knowledgeDisciplinary knowledge

– Norms and values, cutting-edge questions, debates, methods, criteria of Norms and values, cutting-edge questions, debates, methods, criteria of excellence, patterns of workexcellence, patterns of work

History of higher educationHistory of higher education

– Traditions and challenges over time, relationship of higher education to Traditions and challenges over time, relationship of higher education to societysociety

Institutional typesInstitutional types

– Different missions and culturesDifferent missions and cultures

Professional identityProfessional identity

– Professional responsibilities, different forms of faculty work, being a Professional responsibilities, different forms of faculty work, being a member of a scholarly community, member of a scholarly community,

Knowledge and SkillsKnowledge and SkillsTeaching and learningTeaching and learning

– How learning occurs; how to respond to student differences; variety of How learning occurs; how to respond to student differences; variety of teaching strategies; pedagogical content knowledge; curriculum design; teaching strategies; pedagogical content knowledge; curriculum design; assessing student learning; teaching-as-researchassessing student learning; teaching-as-research

ResearchResearch

– Framing appropriate questions; designing and implementing scholarly Framing appropriate questions; designing and implementing scholarly projects; collecting and analyzing data; presenting results; giving and projects; collecting and analyzing data; presenting results; giving and receiving feedbackreceiving feedback

Engagement and ServiceEngagement and Service

– How to collaborate with different groups; how to communicate with How to collaborate with different groups; how to communicate with diverse audiencesdiverse audiences

Institutional CitizenshipInstitutional Citizenship

– Kinds of governance structures, faculty responsibility in governance; Kinds of governance structures, faculty responsibility in governance; how to work effectively with institutional leadershow to work effectively with institutional leaders

Interpersonal SkillsInterpersonal Skills

Communication skillsCommunication skills

– Communicating verbally and in writing to different Communicating verbally and in writing to different audiences; engaging in respectful dialogueaudiences; engaging in respectful dialogue

Teamwork and collaborationTeamwork and collaboration

– Ability to work in diverse groups; conflict managementAbility to work in diverse groups; conflict management

Appreciation of diversityAppreciation of diversity

– Ability to work effectively with diverse others—Ability to work effectively with diverse others—including colleagues from other disciplines and those including colleagues from other disciplines and those with other kinds of appointmentswith other kinds of appointments

Professional Attitudes and HabitsProfessional Attitudes and Habits

Ethics and integrityEthics and integrity

– Understanding conflicts of interest; intellectual ownership; research Understanding conflicts of interest; intellectual ownership; research standards; bias; confidentiality; role of peer reviewer; ethical standards; bias; confidentiality; role of peer reviewer; ethical relationships with studentsrelationships with students

Motivation for lifelong learningMotivation for lifelong learning

– Commitment to engage in ongoing learning; knowledge of strategies to Commitment to engage in ongoing learning; knowledge of strategies to promote learningpromote learning

Professional networksProfessional networks

– How to build networksHow to build networks

Passion and balancePassion and balance

– Knowledge of different models for building productive and satisfying Knowledge of different models for building productive and satisfying academic livesacademic lives

Discussion Discussion

Do these competencies seem Do these competencies seem appropriate and important to you as appropriate and important to you as you think about a career as a faculty you think about a career as a faculty member?member?

Are there other competencies you Are there other competencies you would add to the list?would add to the list?

DiscussionDiscussion

What strategies might you use to What strategies might you use to further prepare yourself for a faculty further prepare yourself for a faculty career?career?

Further ReadingFurther Reading

Austin, A. E., & McDaniels, M. (2006), Austin, A. E., & McDaniels, M. (2006), Preparing the professoriate of the future: Preparing the professoriate of the future: Graduate student socialization for faculty Graduate student socialization for faculty roles. In J.C. Smart (ed.), roles. In J.C. Smart (ed.), Higher Higher education: Handbook of theory and education: Handbook of theory and research, Vol. XXI, pgs. 397-456research, Vol. XXI, pgs. 397-456. . Netherlands: Springer. Netherlands: Springer.

Ann’s Contact InformationAnn’s Contact Information

Ann E. AustinAnn E. Austin

Professor, Higher, Adult, and Lifelong EducationProfessor, Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education

Director, Global Institute for Higher EducationDirector, Global Institute for Higher Education

419A Erickson Hall419A Erickson Hall

Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University

East Lansing, MI 48824East Lansing, MI 48824

Tel: 517-355-6757Tel: 517-355-6757

E-Mail: E-Mail: aaustin@msu.eduaaustin@msu.edu

http://gihe.msu.edu/aaustin/http://gihe.msu.edu/aaustin/