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In the KnowThe Nation's Faculty: A ProfileTwo-thirds of the professoriate find the task of staying up to date with information technology a source of stress. But 75 percent say they're satisfied with their jobs anyway. Faculty feel more pressure from time constraints and institutional red tape than they do from technology. But technology worries surpass traditional concerns about research and publishing, teaching loads, and promotion. Older faculty report much higher levels of stress related to technology than their younger colleagues. But, despite their concerns, an overwhelming proportion of faculty agrees that "student use of computers enhances learning." These are some of the findings from The American College Teacher, a new report from the Higher Education Research Institute of the University of California at Los Angeles, based on a triannual study of the nation's faculty. This year, researchers received responses from 33,785 faculty members at 378 two and four-year colleges and universities. This year's 75 percent job satisfaction rating is up from 69 percent in 1989. Other findings: Faculties on the nation's campuses are strongly committed to the welfare of their institutions (85 percent) and interested in the academic success of their students (82 percent). But troubling inequities in the academy continue. The latest survey shows little change in the racial and ethnic makeup of the professoriate. Fully 91.7 percent of today's faculty is white, compared to 90.4 percent in 1989. Trends in recent hires continue to reflect low minority representation. Women account for 36 percent of the faculty, compared to 29 percent 10 years ago. But men continue to be twice as likely to be full professors (41 to 20 percent) and tenured (63 to 43 percent). In addition, women are more likely to find the review and promotion process stressful and to consider leaving the profession. Women face significant demands on their personal time, the report notes, and are more likely than men to feel pressure from child care and household responsibilities. In another area, an increasing proportion of faculty are in favor of tenure. Asked if tenure is outmoded, 67 percent disagree, either strongly or somewhat. This compares to 62 percent in 1995. Copies of The American College Teacher are available for $25, plus shipping, from the UCLA Higher Education Research Institute (310-825-1925). You can view a summary of the report on the Institute's Web site: www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/heri.html. |
