CHAPTER
The Role of Faculty
Higher education is facing an acute shortage of nursing faculty, which will
teaching will consider becoming full-time faculty in academia.This chapter will
career in higher education. The faculty role is a rich and rewarding one.
THE RIGHT EDUCATIONAL SETTING
The initial decision that you face is whether to seek a position in a community college or a
four-year college or university. Faculty roles in each setting differ considerably.Com-munity
colleges are primarily teaching institutions. Their mission is usually to provide broad access
to residents of the community and to provide skilled workers for the local
workforce.Teaching loads may be heavier in a community college because faculty have two
parts to their role rather than the three parts expected in a four-year institution.The two
parts are teaching and service, while the three parts of four-year college faculty roles are
teaching,scholarship,and service.
Teaching is basically the same, regardless of the setting in which you teach. In nurs-ing,
the main difference in the teaching role is that four-year college nursing programs usually
expect faculty to incorporate research into their classes (Zambroski & Freeman,2004).
Community colleges do not expect their faculty to be involved in scholarship,especiallyin
the form of research and publication, although some faculty are involved in scholarship. In
most four-year institutions, however, this expectation looms large.
Faculty generally will not be granted tenure in a four-year college or university if they
have not published or produced alternative forms of scholarship that are accept-able to the
institution. Research-intensive universities may also expect al1 faculty to win grant funds to
support their research programs. The service aspect of the faculty role differs from one
institution to another. In many community colleges, emphasis is placed on service to the
local external community, whereas in many four-year institu-tions,the recipients of faculty
service are the college or university itself and the nursing profession. While service to the
community may be valued, it is usually not expected (Zambroski & Freeman,2004).
THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS
Higher Education, professional nursing journals, trade magazies,or local
newspapers.September.When you respond to an advertisement,you should send a cover
letter that expanded resume with all information pertaining to preparation for and
experience in
PART III The Professional Teacher
Name ofinstitution, major field
Educational preparation
of degree
of study,dates attended, and
mane
Name of institution, dates, title
Academic experience
All other clinical or nursing-related experience
Professional experience
All nursing, health, or academic organization memberships
Professional
Academic honors or clinical awards
memberships
Any educational grants or research grants
Honors and awards
Grants Any nursing associatin offices held,name of organization, dates
title
Professional offices
Institutional service Include major committees at your past places of employment
Publications Indicate if they are in refereed or nonrefereed journals
Presentations All professional presentations, including those to
community groups
Civic activities Community service that you provide, either health-related or not
Please note that all activities in each category should be listed with the most recent activity at the top of the list
The heading should include your name, address, e-mail, and phone numbers.
an academic role); and a statement about your philosophy of teaching (sometimes
required). Table 15-1 shows categories or headings that can be used in formatinga
CV.A philosophy of teaching is usually a one- or a two-page statement that expresses
your views on learning, teaching, and relating to students. If you have teaching experi
-ence, include an analysis of your strengths as an educator as well as any interesting
or unique teaching experiences you have had.Personalize your philosophy as much as
pos-sible rather than using abstract statements, and discuss the teaching of nursing
specif-cally,rather than education in general. Web sites such as
http://www.crlt.umich.edu tstrategies/tstpts.html may be of help to you when you
write your philosophy.
It is also acceptable to send an unsolicited letter of interest to the dean of the
college programs in community colleges or small baccalaureate institutions are
usually housed professions administered by a dean. Nursing programs in larger
comprehensive univer or school is a more autonomous academic unit than a
department. You should alwas and use that name rather than write "to whom it may
concern." If you send an ums ing faculty shorages,unsolicited applicants are
welcomed by academic administralos and selecting candidates for interview, If you
are selected r ee c an expect to rectit
CHAPTER 15 The Role of Faculty
1. Is this a tenure-track position?
2. How many credits do faculty teach per year? What courses might I be teaching?
3. Is there a faculty union? Which union?
4. If I teach clinical courses,what agencies would I be using?
5. Who initiates contracts with clinical agencies?
6. What is the avcrage class size? Clinical group size?
7. Would I serve as an academic advisor?
8. What are the requirements for reappointment?
9. How long is the probationary period for tenure?
10. What percentage of nursing faculty are presently enured?
11.Are there institutional caps on the percentage of faculty who may be tenured?
12. Is there an orientation for new faculty?
13. What opportunities are there for faculty development?
14.What are the health benefits? Pension benefts?
15. What is the salary range?
16.What rank would I be eligible for?
17.Are start-up costs for research available?
18.Are student research assistants available?
19. Where would my office be? Is a computer supplied?
20.How available is money for conference travel?
21.Is there reimbursement for moving expenses?
information about the interview schedule as well as some printed information about
the institution. If you must travel to a different part of the country, the institution will
often help to arrange your travel and will usually pay for part or all of it.
An interview schedule usually consists of a session with the search
committee,another with the department chairperson, and a third with the dean. While
the search committee will probably ask the most questions, the meetings with the
administrators will consist of not just questions for you but also information about
teaching schedules,expectations of faculty, office space, rank, salary, and benefits.
Most of the time, you have to contact the human resources office or benefits office to
get detailed informa-tion about potential benefits. Do not be afraid to negotiate for a
higher salary than that initially offered. Most deans expect to do some negotiating with
applicants.
You should go into the interviews with a list of your own questions. If they are not
answered in the course of the day, you will have your list to remind you that you need
more information.A sample list of questions is given in Table 15-2.
In many colleges, faculty candidates are expected to teach a class or give a research
presentation following the formal interviews. Both students and faculty are invited to
these sessions.When choosing a topic to teach or present, you should, obviously,select
something at which you are expert so that you will have maximum confidence and cred-
ibility in front of the audience.
REAPPOINTMENT, TENURE, AND PROMOTION
The processes that are followed for reappointment are basically the same in each type
of
PART III The Professional Teacher
ing on institutional policy. Most colleges also use studentevaluationsofteaching to
determine faculty effectiveness. Institutions vary,however,,in howmuchemphasis is
e e t and evaluation have differing viewpoints on the Mekies, & Tesar, 2001). Institutions
that either do not usethemforreappointment purposes or put little value on them believe that
there are manyvariablesinfluencing Some faculty say that student evaluations are merely a
"happiness index" at the end of a able weight on student evaluations of teaching believe that
what students have to say,as heavily in the reappointment process, it can be a nerve-racking
experience.One faculty member wrote:
A month or so after each semester ends, a sealed brown envelope stamped
“Confidential” in bright red ink arrives in my school mail slot. I am embar-rassed to admit
that at the sight of it, my heart pounds. Oh no, I think, student evaluations are here.
Those moments before I can return to my office, firmly shut the door, rip open the
envelope and quickly scan the results feel like what I imagine a severe panic attack must
feel like. What did my students say about me? (Baldwin,2004,p.26).
Of course, not everyone has a severe reaction like this faculty member. If you are
confident in your teaching abilities and have positive relationships with students, their
feedback can be very positive and rewarding. Keep in mind that even if most of the stu-
dents give you a very good evaluation, but one or a few do not, human nature seems to
lead us to dwell on the negative evaluations and almost forget about the good ones Over
time, faculty are usually able to keep a balanced view of evaluations and to bene-fit from
them (Moore & Kuol, 2005).
Tenure is the culmination of a four-, five- or six-year probationary period during
which time new faculty members prove themselves to the institution.The probationary
period is a time of teaching improvement; building a research program with resulting
also a time to demonstrate the ability to get along with colleagues. Each institution has
publications or other forms of scholarship expected are rigidly specified;in others in a
department and if that percentage has been reached,no new faculty will be tenured
tenure process so that there will be no surprises along the way. Once a faculty member e
e e ment is eliminated or downsized or there are grounds for dismissal such
CHAPTER 15 The Role of Faculty 289
Once tenure is achieved, many institutions have a system of post-tenure review
in folios for tenure, promotion, or post-tenure review are often made up of the
following types of documents:
·Summary statement about teaching strengths, goals, and growth over time
· Student evaluations
·Peer evaluations
·Samples or explanations of curriculum work
· Samples of teaching materials developed
·Samples of student work with feedback written on it
·List and samples of publications or other scholarship
· Explanation of service activities with supporting documentation
·An updated CV
The portfolio should provide an overall picture of the educator, emphasizing strengths
and the faculty member's worthiness of retention or promotion.
Promotion is the process by which faculty members move up the academic
ranks,from Instructor to Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. Many
fac-ulty are hired at the Assistant Professor level,especially if they have completed
their doctoral degree. Promotion to Associate Professor occurs simultaneously with
the con-ferring of tenure in many institutions. Every academic institution publishes
guidelines on what achievements are necessary in order to earn a promotion in rank.
Some colleges and universities have developed clinical faculty lines as well as
tenure-track lines. Clinical faculty positions are helpful both to the faculty member
and to the university, because they enable the institution to hire expert clinicians who
will teach clinical courses but who either do not have a doctoral degree or have no
interest in maintaining a research and publication program. Clinical faculty are usually
offered multiyear contracts but not tenure.
Another variation on clinical positions is joint appointments. These appointments
usually consist of a part-time teaching assignment and a part-time clinical practice
assignment within one full-time position. For instance, a nurse educator with a joint
appointment may teach two classroom courses and may spend the rest of his or her
time in some form of clinical practice. That practice may or may not involve the teach-
ing of students in the ciinical agency. In many cases, the clinical institution reimburses
the college for the educator's clinical work.
TEACHING ASSIGNMENTS AND ACADEMIC FREEDOM
The teaching load is heavier in a college or university that is primarily a teaching insti-
tution than in research-intensive universities. The teaching load may also vary depend
-ing on whether you teach undergraduate or graduate courses. In some places,
nursing faculty are hired for either the undergraduate faculty or the graduate faculty.
In others,faculty teach both undergraduate and graduate courses. Graduate faculty
may have a lighter teaching load because the research expectations are higher or
because graduate
PART III The Professional Teacher
and conditions of employment. If you work in a unionized setting, you should find
out belong to the union or not,you are bound by the outcome of their negotiations
with the institutional administration.
The material that is taught in nursing courses is usually controlled by having
course usually have considerable freedom in exactly how the course is taught, as
long as the talk about their academic freedom. Academic freedom is "the freedom of
faculty mem-unpopularity of their ideas" (Fossey & Wood,2004,p.51).Academic
freedom is not,as outline, nor is it the riht to ignore college or university policies. As
Manning-Walsh and faculty must first be ethical and disciplined in their faculty role.
DEVELOPING A CURRICULUM
Every full-time faculty member is partly responsible for maintaining an up-to-date
and effective curriculum or program of study for the students. This may be a difficult
task for new faculty members unless they have taken courses or read extensively i
the area of curriculum development. Because nursing content evolves rapidly in our
society,nurse educators frequently review the existing curriculum to ensure that it
includes the necessary information and skills for current nursing practice. The
tendency of faculty is to periodically add content that is considered essential; rarely
is content removed from courses to make room for new information (Hodges,
Keeley, & Grier, 2005). At some point,however, nursing faculty may feel the need to
do a complete curriculum revision to accommodate desired changes. At that point,
after considering curriculum theory and design, essentials of nursing education and
practice, societal needs, and accredita-tion standards, faculty may agree to remove
or de-emphasize certain material or courses to accommodate new information or
skills. They may also decide to change the way content is taught. Because of changes
in nursing education and practice, there is also a movement toward rethinking the
way clinical education is structured. Further information about curriculum
development can be found in textbooks on this topic.
ADVISING STUDENTS
In many higher education institutions, faculty serve as academic-advisors to
students the course selection process, monitor their academicprogress,give them
career advice very rewarding one,especially if you work with the students over their
entire undergrad-over the years were also my advisees.These were students that I
came to know quite well
rect information and advice.You must be very conversant with the overall
curriculum
CHAPTER 15 The Role of Faculty
of academic policies and campus referral sources for times when students need more see student
maturing and becoming independent learners and practitioners.
PROGRAM ASSESSMENT
For the past 20-25 years, assessment of program outcomes has been an expectation of faculty. Before tha
time, course outcomes assessment (evaluating learning that takes place in particular courses) wa
commonplace, and methods of assessing those out-comes are explained in Chapters 13 and 14.
Program outcomes, however, are at a higher curricular level. In this case, faculty must measur
learning outcomes at the time of graduation or beyond (Connolly &DeYoung, 2004). Courses in
science, general education, and nursing all contribute to program outcomes.There are man
assessment methods available to the faculty such as the following:
· Graduating student surveys
· Alumni surveys
· Employer surveys
·Capstone course projects
· NCLEX or certification exam results.
There are also other creative means that faculty can devise to enhance their
assessment program.Familiarity with assessing student learning outcomes can be
achieved through attending education courses, professional assessment
conferences, and workshops, or through journal reading.
COMMITTEE WORK
When you begin a job in academia and see that your teaching schedule includes 12 to
15 hours of class time per week, you may wonder if this is going to be a full-time
job.You soon realize that you spend many hours outside of class time preparing for
those classes, plus you spend time developing examinations, grading papers, and
advising stu-dents. If your position requires research and publication, you will
probably find that it will absorb most of your “free time.” Your final reality orientation
comes when you realize the amount of time that you are going to have to spend on
committee work.
It is not unusual for faculty members to serve on three or more committees.They
may be departmental or university-wide committees.You may volunteer to serve on
some committees or may be appointed or elected to others. Some committees meet
infrequently and do not require any work outside of actual committee
meetings.Others meet on a regular basis and require “homework” that you must do
before the next group meeting. If you have a faculty mentor who is assigned to help
you through the probationary period, he or she can be invaluable in helping you to
choose or accept make an effective contribution. It is a good idea, during the
probationary period,to join may help you to meet faculty and administrators outside
of your academic department.
PART III
The Professional Teacher
Although committee work counts as service to the institution, spending all of your time in
service will not lead to tenure.
time as a faculty member is to find outwhat is required and rewarded by the college or
tenure,you will know how to spend the majority of your time. If your employer wants
fac.between the parts.Although members of the publi,who see that faculty members teach
the work is done at home.The hours are long, but they have flexibility that is attractive to
many faculty members.
ACHIEVING ACCREDITATION
Some of the committee work that faculty members get involved in is related to prepa-
ration for accreditation. Universities seek regional accreditation such as the Middle States
Association of College and Schools for colleges in northeastern states.The accreditation
process involves a self-study report written by the University every 10years, followed by a
site visit, and an interim 5-year written report. In addition, nursing programs seek
accreditation from either the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Edu-cation or the National
League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.On-going accredi-tation from these
organizations is generally for a period of 10 or 8 years, respectively,with interim reports
due between accreditation cycles.
Nursing faculty may be involved in helping to write sections of the self-study report for
both forms of accreditation or in helping to plan for site visits. Self-study reports focus on
such topics as mission and vision of the organization, admission standards,enrollment
profiles, student retention, curriculum, pedagogy, faculty preparation and competence,
administrative support, strategic planning processes, finances, truth in advertising, and
assessment of all institutional functions. Although working on an accreditation committee
involves a lot of work, it is an excellent way to learn about the institution.One further
review that is required in some states is one that is conducted by the state Board of
Nursing. The state board may require periodic (often five-year) self-study reports and site
visits in order to maintain state approval of the nursing program.
FACULTY DEVELOPMENT
Colleges and universities are concerned not just about teaching students but also about
array of seminars,conferences, brown-bag lunches, and workshops offered to
faculty.professional disciplines. Many campuses have a Center for Teaching that focuses
on methods, or use of technology. Workshops or seminars on such topics are available to
of faculty from several disciplines and talk about improving or enriching your teaching
CHAPTER 15
The Role of Faculty
many conferences and workshops available at other colleges or through
professional external conferences. Finding time to fit some faculty
development into yourbusy but also an opportunity to enjoy being a student
once again.
certification for academic nurse educators.The National League for Nursing recognizes a
mark of excellence in that role
(http://www.nln.org/FacultyCertification/index.htm).Nurse educators who have not
already taken the required courses in nursing education may enroll in post-master's
certificate courses in nursing education or complete at least nine credits of graduate-level
education courses. Please see the following Web site for eligibility
criteria:http://www.nln.org/FacultyCertification/information/eligibility.htm.
LEGAL ASPECTS OF TEACHING
As in all professions, teaching carries with it the necessity of being aware of laws and legal
issues pertaining to working with students. One piece of legislation that every fac-ulty
member should be aware of is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of
1974, also known as the Buckley Amendment (O'Connor, 2001).This law mandates privacy
of students' records, including grades, attendance, academic standing,and health records.
A student's grades*may not be shared with other students or with parents except when
the student has given written permission for another person to see his or her grades. In
some institutions, parents who submit a federal income tax form showing that they
support the student may have access to their student's grades. Since faculty usually do
not know what the family circumstances are, parents or guardians.who wish to see or talk
about a student's academic standing should usually be referred to the Registrar or other
appropriate official on campus.
FERPA regulations also prohibit the posting of student's grades by name, social
security number, or any identifiable number, and they prohibit asking a student to deliver
a graded paper or exam to another student. This concern for students' privacy should also
carry over into conferences with the student about his or her performance.Such
conversations should be held in a private space where no one can overhear.Another
aspect of FERPA regulations is that students must have access to their own records with
advance notice (ED.gov, n.d.).
In addition to privacy, faculty should be aware of the need to provide students with
due process (Halstead, 1998). Due process becomes an issue most often when a student
earns a poor or a failing grade or is charged with academic dishonesty. However, the need
to provide due process begins much earlier.As students progress through a theory or a
clinical course, they should be kept apprised of their progress or lack of it. In a the-timely
manner throughout the course so that students know what their standing is in the course.
In a clinical course, students should be given written feedback at the course written as
well as verbal feedback should be given frequently. Frequen feedback is part
PART III
The Professional Teacher
the syllabus at the beginning of the course so that they know exactly what will
be part of due process because the student cannot say at the end that he or she
was not access to an appeal process.The institution should have a formal grade
appeal policy as
Academic dishonesty is an increasing problem in educational settings.Stevens and
concluded that cheating, plagiarism,and lying has increased significantly among
under.dishonesty and the types of violations (Aluede, Omoregie, & Osa-
Edoh,2006).Several instructor vigilance,interest in the students,and clarity of
disciplinary ramifications plined for cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of dishonesty,
they must also be given due process, including the right to appeal any penalty.
Dismissal from a higher education institution because of academic failure or
dishon-ulty and higher education in their right to fail students for poor performance or
academic were violations of due process (Stevens & Cassidy,1999).Therefore,it
behooves faculty to be aware of due process issues and to follow college or university
policies to the letter.
WHY DO PEOPLE BECOME FACULTY MEMBERS?
If you are seriously thinking about seeking a position in the academy, you might want
to compare your reasons for doing so with those of many others who have gone
before you.The academic lifestyle is attractive to many people. It is a position of some
prestige,and it enables a person to live a “life of the mind.” According to a study by
Lindholm (2004),educated people who have a need for autonomy, independence, and
flexible scheduling may be drawn to higher education teaching.As one professor
stated:
I love the discretionary time that's built into the academic profession.I've got tons
of work to do, but my work day is shaped by my own predilections of when I will do
what to an extraordinary degree. And that's what I love about [this type of work]
in addition to just liking the subject matter (Lindholm,2004,p.611).
As we would hope, in addition to enjoying the conditions of employment, faculty
about some faculty inher study who say that teaching and research give them such
pleasure and joy that work is more like play.
days that they are drawn to a career where they can continue in the academic environ
-ment. One professor stated:
Ideveloped [the]ambition [to be professor]very early, partly as a by-product
CHAPTER 15 The Role of Faculty 295
very stimulating...challenging...exciting...and I formed,at that point,
edge for its own sake was of great value.The possibility of teaching and dealing
giality (Lindholm,2004,p.613).
of research. I liked the idea of having freedom. And I liked the idea of colle-
I can certainly echo the ideas presented by these professors. Teaching is a noble calling, and
research and writing are a challenge that many find addictive. Even com-mittee work, or service in
general, is appealing to some people who feel that they can have a part in shaping a college or
university for the betterment of others.I hope that,having read this book and this chapter, you will
seek a career in higher education,or,if you are already in an academic position, you will find as
much fulfillment in your work as have generations of professors before you. I have a plaque
hanging on my office wall that expresses my view of being a part of this higher education
enterprise, It says,“To teach is to touch a life forever.” What a privilegewe have of doing work we
love and being of benefit to coming generations as well.
Case Study
You are teaching an undergraduate course
and suspect a student of cheating on an 2.What should you do immediately?
examination. At this point, the only indica- Later, the student admits that she was
tion you have is that she failed the first two cheating on the quiz but denies any previ-ous
quizzes but achieved a grade of 90 on the cheating.
first examination.
3.Who should you consult about this issue?
1.Can you act on this suspicion?
4. You wonder if the student has ever been
Two weeks later, the student is taking a quiz caught cheating in other university classes.Is
and you see her frequently looking down in there any way to find out?
her lap. You walk around the room and see 5. If university policy allows the instructor to
that she has some information written on the set the penalty for cheating, what penalty
palm of her hand. would you impose?
1. Debate the value of student evaluations of 3.A faculty member claims that his/her
teaching.What variables may influence the right of academic freedom permits
results other than the quality of teaching? him/her to refuse to use a textbook
2. You take a position as Assistant Professor in a mandated by a committee for an
comprehensive university. During your third undergraduate course. Is choice of
year, you decide that you really do not like the textbook a matter of academic
pressure of doing research and pub- freedom?Why or why not?
lishing.What are your options?
