Creating a Viable Academic Future While Navigating Changing Roles and Expectations

1. Creating a Viable Academic Future While Navigating Changing Roles and Expectations University of New Hampshire Academic Leadership Retreat, August 23, 2011 Dr. Cathy A. Trower

5. Additional Issues • Weakening state support • Varying interpretations of the land-grant mission • Privatization of higher education • Globalization • Erosion of public commitment to land-grant mission • 21st century students’ complex needs • Demographics and learning needs of students requiring different pedagogy and delivery methods • Quality of student learning in context of today’s faculty reward system

6. The New World for Teacher-Scholars • Knowledge production and dissemination • Digital scholarship • Electronic journals v. books • More publications required • Longer lead times for publication • Decline of the university press • Increase in publishing costs • Rise of interdisciplinary research

7. New World for Teacher-Scholars • Funding pressures; budget cuts • Increased competition for grants and different funding sources • Increased pressure for transparency and accountability • Ratcheting up expectations for all faculty including teaching, research, service, and outreach

8. New World for Teacher-Scholars • 24/7 expectations for faculty work and accessibility to students • Dual careers

9. The faculty at work

10. Why Thinking Generationally Matters • For the first time in history, four generations are working side by side. Different values, experiences, styles, and activities sometimes create misunderstandings and frustrations. • By the year 2014, 70 million Baby Boomers (including many faculty members and administrators) will retire. Generation X, a generation with different values and priorities than Boomers and Traditionalists, will assume leadership positions. • The old models of who works and what they work for are steadily changing.

11. How and where did Kennedy die?

12. The Generations Tolerant “EAY; LTAM” Skeptical “Work to live, not live to work.” Optimistic Loyal “Keepers of the grail” “Thank God, it’s Monday!”

13. Traditionalists (1922-1945; 66+)44 million

14. Baby Boomers (1946-1964; 47 to 65)80 million

15. Generation X (1965-1980; 31-46)46 million

16. Millennials (1981-2000; up to age 30)92 million

17. The Generations at Work

18. The Generations at Work

19. The Generations at Work

20. What always mattered still matters, but times have changed. Trower, C. (Summer 2010). A new generation of faculty: Similar core values in a different world. Peer Review, Washington, DC: AAC&U. For many, though not all, tenure is still an attractive goal. Standards for excellence are higher and make ‘balance’ elusive in the early years. Support for professional development throughout an academic career is desired. Mentoring matters, maybe more than ever. Work-life balance still matters, but is ever more elusive. A sense of collegiality and community still matter, but networks are broader.

21. Leaks in the Academic Pipeline for Women* Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) Associate Professor (Tenured) Full Professor (Tenured) Graduate School Entry PhD Receipt Women PhDs Water Level Women PhDs Water Level Women PhDs Water Level Leak!! Leak!! Leak!! Leak!! Women, Married (21% less likely than single women to enter a tenure-track position) Women (27% less likely than men to become an Associate Professor) Women (20% less likely than men to become a Full Professor within a maximum of 16 years) Women with Babies (28% less likely than women without babies to enter a tenure-track position) *Preliminary results based on Survival Analysis of the Survey of Doctorate Recipients (a national biennial longitudinal data set funded by the National Science Foundation and others, 1979 to 1995). Percentages take into account disciplinary, age, ethnicity, PhD calendar year, time-to-PhD degree, and National Research Council academic reputation rankings of PhD program effects. For each event (PhD to TT job procurement, or Associate to Full Professor), data is limited to a maximum of 16 years. The waterline is an artistic rendering of the statistical effects of family and gender.

22. Family Status of Tenured Faculty, All Fields* Women Men N=10,652 N=32,234 *PhDs from 1978-1984 Who Are Tenured 12 Years out from PhD. **Had a child in the household at any point post PhD to 12 years out. Source: Survey of Doctorate Recipients. Sciences, 1979-1999, Humanities, 1979-1995

24. What Can Be Done? • There is no magic bullet that will eliminate the ‘ideal worker’ (Drago) norm and the expectations of family built around that norm. • Changes in policy are needed…BUT… • Changes in culture, climate, and day-to-day practices and expectations across all levels of the academy are required for long-term improvement. • Absent those changes, even the most progressive work/family policies will likely be ignored by faculty.

25. Implications for Academic Leaders • Careful scrutiny of… • Current policies and practices • Academic culture • Consider revision of policies & practices • Mentoring • Clarity and transparency of tenure & promotion • Performance evaluation • Culture and collaboration • Support for research • Support for teaching • Flexibility and “life-friendliness”

26. Implications for Academic Leaders • Consider the reward structure for… • Interdisciplinarity • Collaboration • Innovation • Service on campus and in the community • Teaching • Applied research • Outreach • Advising • Editorial work

27. Institutional Support • Monitor equity of… • Work load • Travel support • Start-up packages • Space/lab/office space • Resources • Salary • RA support

28. A) Mentoring • Ensure “instrumental” mentoring • Critiques of scholarly work • Nominate for career-enhancing rewards • Include in valuable networks • Collaborate on research and teaching • Be Co-PI • Arrange for them to chair conference or submit their name Moody, J. (2004) Academe, “Supporting Women and Minority Faculty,” 90 (1).

29. Components of effective mentoring programs • Visible, overt, regular communication from leadership that good mentoring is a department priority • Formal program management • Thoughtful mentor matching at hire, and prior to arrival on campus • Multiple mentors, one outside department, until T&P decision • Provision for training of mentors • Provision for training of junior faculty (mentees) • Opportunities for junior faculty to network/meet as a group • Opportunities to check on success of mentoring relationships for every junior faculty, and re-assign/augment, etc., as needed • Evaluation of program as a whole on a regular basis • Provision of formal recognition, acknowledgment, awards, etc., for mentoring

30. B) Tenure and promotion • Provide clarity and fairness in tenure • Clear and written criteria • Clear body of evidence • Hold demystifying workshops on tenure and promotion • Be realistic about what pre-tenure faculty can reasonably do • In evaluating ‘national’ reputation, realize that not everyone can travel • Credit for outside of class work: independent studies and dissertations

31. Clear Transparent Fair* Frequent Consistent Helpful Written Focused * Systematically assess bias in evaluation and letters Conducted by: Senior colleagues who understand the complexities and environment facing the junior faculty member Chairs who are trained Based on: Reasonable requirements C) Performance evaluations Faculty Reviews Should Be… https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/

32. D) Culture and collaborations • Focus on Culture and Fit • Discuss department culture/numbers/success rates prior to hire (but not the same as being there) • Orientation to university, school, and department • Connections/networks/mentors (create pull) • Ensure collaborations with senior faculty • Chair education around establishing inclusive culture • Engage senior faculty • Help ensure consistent messages (in writing)

33. E) Support for research • Making time for research (success strategies) • Set realistic research expectations • Forms of support for research • Professional pre- and post-award support • TAs/RAs • Travel funds • Leave time • Allow saying “no” to extra service • Tell them the ‘ropes’ • Workshops on running a lab, supervision

34. F) Support for teaching • Teach junior faculty how to document teaching • Minimize the number of new course preps in the early years • Hold demystifying workshops on tenure • No one sees first year student evaluations but the new faculty member • Have a Teaching & Learning center where new faculty can hone their skills and seek advice • Master teachers

35. Transitional support programs Stop-the-clock automatic Part-time tenure Modified duties Flexible appointments Job sharing Research leave Structure and policy for dual career partners Onsite childcare Onsite lactation rooms Eldercare G) Flexibility and family-friendliness

36. Roundtable Discussion: Strategies for Creating a Viable Academic Future at UNH • What are the key considerations or issues that stand out for you based on what you’ve heard this morning? • In your role (as a department chair, coordinator, associate dean, dean, etc.), how are you (or how might you) address these shifting/emerging values around faculty work in your department/college/unit? • What do you need from other academic administrators (e.g., the Dean, Provost) and senior faculty to help anticipate/shape the future faculty workplace?