The purpose of this case study is to explore how tenured women with children describe their experiences; to discuss what institutional structures and policies they identify as influencing their advancement; and to see what they identify as the benefits, rewards, challenges, and/or sacrifices related to having tenure. Ultimately, a collection of sensitizing themes and descriptions emerged. The intent was to better describe the specific experiences of women using an adult education theory that has a core emphasis on personal wellbeing and theoretical parameters for successful work-life negotiations. The journey for mothers who seek tenure is an arduous one. The benefits, rewards, challenges and sacrifices are multidimensional and have complex implications for the lived experiences described it his study. The word balance may not accurately describe the association between the roles a mother-scholar plays. The mothers in this study described negotiation between responsibilities and deadlines and the integration of work at home as well as the integration of home at work in such a way that the two sides were inseparable. Acclimating to the fact that the role of mother and scholar are inseparable suggests theoretical movement toward a position that values the merit of the transformational learning that occurs as a result of motherhood as a positive occurrence. / Dept. of Educational Studies

This study explored attitudes of occupational therapy faculty toward tenure and selected alternatives to tenure. A survey method was employed, and the Tenure Attitude Survey Instrument, (TASI), was created for use in the study. Additionally, a questionnaire sought information regarding respondents' rank, tenure and administrative status, institutional type, and years in academia. Participants were accredited occupational therapy professional program faculty who identified their primary work setting as "Academic" on the 2000-2001 American Occupational Therapy Association membership survey. Factor analysis of 577 surveys examined the structure of scores on the TASI, and the instrument consisted of 4 scales, and 18 items, as follows: Scale One: Attitude toward academic freedom and job security protection, 7 items; Scale Two: Attitude toward tenure in general, 6 items; Scale Three: Attitude toward stop-the-tenure clock provisions, 2 items; and Scale Four: Attitude toward post-tenure review, 3 items. Cronbach's alpha was conducted, as follows: TASI overall alpha = .7915; Scale 1 alpha = .7884; Scale 2 alpha = .8420; Scale 3 alpha = .7020; Scale 4 alpha = .4229. Proportional analysis showed that most respondents were full time faculty (88.1%); taught full time at public institutions (52.8%); were tenured or tenure-track (55.5%); had no administrative duties (70.5%); with a rank of instructor or lecturer (17.5%), or assistant professor (45.7%). Time in academia ranged from 1-40 years, with a mean of 11.27 years, median of 9.25 years, and mode of 4 years. Attitudes toward, and support for, the continuation of tenure and for selected proposed alternatives to tenure were analyzed according to the following: faculty rank, administrative status, and tenure status. Respondents held generally favorable attitudes toward tenure as measured by Scales 1 and 2 of the TASI, and the best predictors of faculty attitude toward tenure were tenure status and rank. Due to low reliability scores on Scales 3 and 4, no conclusions can be drawn regarding respondents' attitudes toward alternatives to tenure.

The purpose of this project was to examine the perceptions of junior faculty members as they relate to roles and expectations related to the tenure process. The study utilized a mixed methods approach to gain a multifaceted perspective of this complex process. I employed a quantitative and qualitative survey to explore junior faculty perceptions regarding roles related to promotion and tenure policies. In addition, I conducted fantasy theme analysis (FTA) to explore the organizational rhetoric related to these policies. Findings from the study illustrate the continued presence of the "publish or perish" paradigm, as well as issues related to role conflict within the context of organizational rhetoric.

Research on the development of K-12 teachers’ beliefs about and approaches to teaching and learning suggests that exposure to professional development programs can lead to the use of conceptual change strategies that engage students as active participants in the learning process rather than on teacher-centered strategies focused on information transfer. However, within the existing literature on the development of teacher beliefs and approaches to teaching and learning there exists a void of information pertaining to the development of community college instructors’ beliefs and approaches. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between pre-tenure community college instructors’ beliefs about teaching and learning, their approaches to the learning process, and the training they receive via a professional development program specifically established to provide training in teaching methods, pedagogy, curriculum, and/ or instruction. Forty community college instructors going through an established three-year tenure process completed a revised version of the Approaches to Teaching Inventory (ATI-R) created by Trigwell and Prosser (1998). Data analysis revealed that there was no difference in the scores of instructors who had participated in the professional development program on teaching and learning and those instructors who had no exposure to courses that focused on teaching and learning. Further, findings suggest that instructors’ participation in the courses is not related to their beliefs or teaching approaches. iii The findings of this study warrant a closer examination of programs designed to provide higher education instructors with training in pedagogy and instruction. Additionally, the findings present an opportunity for professional development programs to improve current practice.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how pre-tenure female faculty members perceived their socialization experiences into the culture of higher education. This study viewed higher education as a distinct culture where members underwent socialization processes such as enculturation and acculturation throughout the pre-tenure years. Participants were eight pre-tenure female faculty members from Midwestern land grant institutions. Women were interviewed for 90-120 minutes on one occasion. Data was analyzed using the Constant Comparative Method (CCM).The women's perceptions resulted in four emergent themes: Balance, Place, Support, and Trust. Balance contained the themes of Workload, including promotion and tenure and time, and Roles, including sub-themes of personal and professional roles. Place described women's feelings of fit regarding age, sex, their student response and their personal response to their culture. Support highlighted people, groups and mentoring perceived as influential in their socialization. Lastly, the theme of Trust emerged as a key element of their cultural understanding regarding higher education. These pre-tenure female faculty members perceived socialization as filled with incongruency, uncertainty and rejection, and political astuteness. The women felt incongruence in terms of their personal values and those values rewarded professionally. The women's socialization was shaped by uncertainty in the promotion and tenure process and in where to put their time and energy. In addition, the women described the need for political astuteness in their professional communications and actions during their pre-tenure years. These perceptions werefurther examined through post-colonial feminist theory. The emphasis post-colonial feminist theory places on power and voice in the historically male-dominated system of higher education informed the analysis. This led to the argument for Boyer's (1990) reconstruction of scholarship as an opportunity for women to become co-creators of an environment which better promotes congruency between their personal values with elements evaluated for professional success.Embracing Boyer's (1990) concepts for re-conceptualizing scholarship may offer a potential solution which would allow the women to experience more integrated lives instead of disparate circles of personal and professional activity. Integrated lives would ease their adjustment in these pivotal pre-tenure years. / Department of Educational Studies

The purpose of this study was to analyze the differences in the criteria utilized and the criteria desired by various types of institutions for granting appointment, reappointment, merit salary increases, promotion in rank, and tenure, and to propose criteria based upon this analysis. This study reveals that institutions differ according to the criteria which they utilize and desire for appointment, reappointment, merit salary increases, promotion in rank, and tenure. For example, two-year and four-year private colleges and universities consider age, health, personal appearance, and religious activities while two-year and four-year public colleges and universities disregard religious activities and place little emphasis on age, health, and personal appearance. In addition, four-year public and private institutions stress more than two-year public and private colleges degrees from prestigious universities, research, publications, and the Ph.D. in English. Furthermore, four-year private schools give more attention than four-year public institutions to student evaluations, classroom visitations, curriculum development, academic advisement, and supervision of student activities The study also reveals that as four-year public institutions increase in size, their interest in research and publications increases proportionally.

This study identified tenure policies and practices among Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) member schools. A survey of CCCU member schools was conducted; 65 usable questionnaires were received. A response rate of 69% was achieved. Schools also provided portions of their faculty handbooks addressing tenure. The purpose of the study was to determine (a) what CCCU schools grant tenure, (b) why they grant tenure, (c) specific tenure policies and practices, (d) what CCCU schools do not grant tenure, (e) why they do not grant tenure, (f) retention policies used in place of tenure, and (g) how CCCU schools' tenure policies compare with the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) guidelines. The data suggests that (a) the majority of CCCU schools (68%) grant tenure, (b) these schools represent nearly all religious affiliations within the CCCU, and (c) they are large in relation to CCCU schools that do not grant tenure. The predominant reasons given for granting tenure are protection of academic freedom, mutual commitment by institution and faculty, and recruiting / retaining quality faculty. The schools grant tenure based on teaching, scholarship, service, and the integration of faith and learning. Tenure success rates seem high. Thirty-two percent of the CCCU colleges and universities do not grant tenure. These schools are small in relation to CCCU schools that grant tenure. They represent nearly all religious affiliations within the CCCU. The predominant reason given for not granting tenure is tradition / institutional values. The majority of these schools use a gradated contract system while some use an eventual continuous contract system. The CCCU member schools' tenure policies are largely consistent with AAUP guidelines.