Transition into the Professoriate: Finding Balance between Challenge and Success

• In Event: Roundtable Session 38
  In Roundtable Session: Institutional Analysis of Academic Life

Abstract

Committing to a tenure-track role by a newly hired university faculty has been described as a “marriage in hell” (Vanderlaan, 2010) pointing to the need for research on the experience from the perspective of faculty themselves. This exploratory qualitative study focused on the perspectives of eight first year faculty representing a range of disciplines in a public research university, in addition to the author. Faculty identified areas of challenge and success to achieve a desired balance. Critical areas for universities to offer support included: 1) more clearly identified and focused responsibilities; 2) affirming their successes with opportunities for further growth; and 3) extending supports, including opportunities for collaboration within the network of new faculty at local, state, and national levels.

Authors

• Penny Tenuto, University of Idaho

• Mary E. Gardiner, University of Idaho