This phenomenological study examined the lived experience of five (5) tenured university faculty members over a ten-year span of their professional lives. The purpose of this study was to better understand the lived experience of tenured university faculty, particularly how they negotiated experiences related to the combined influences of technology, tenure, and teaching. While some have suggested that university faculty do not have the necessary skills to transition to this emerging technological era (McKee & Tew, 2013), this study did not attempt to make judgments about whether or not college faculty were prepared to shift their approach to teaching, nor whether such a shift was even necessary. Instead, the study was guided by the following questions: How did a group of tenured faculty negotiate which technologies entered their work and home life?; and How did factors inside and outside of the university shape this experience? Results suggested that technology changed only minor aspects of what it meant to be tenured faculty in higher education; however, the changes and the extent of the changes varied from person to person. This study suggested that factors such as gender, university administration, tenure and the tenure process, and home life played a larger role in the lifeworlds of these faculty. This study adds to the literature on how technology influences university faculty, but it also provides insight to those in higher education charged with supporting faculty use of technology (i.e., instructional designers, technology support staff).

One area of identity that challenges dominant ideals of professional, neat, or appropriate appearance is Black hair. Although Black hair expression is frequent in media, politics, and pop culture, there still remains a perceived stigma surrounding its presence in positions and environments (e.g. tenure positions or predominantly White institutions) that ironically promote a mission of diversity and inclusion. Black women, no matter their rate of graduation, level of intellect, status or achievement are not exempt from the challenges of bias, perception, stigma, stereotype or marginalization within majority White hierarchal spaces such as the academy. This includes Black female faculty who hold positions of high status, such as tenure. The presence of Black hair expression in these positions challenges others, as well as Black women, to accept images of Black beauty and Black identity. This study aims to explore how tenured Black female faculty navigate professional challenges with hair expression surrounding identity (i.e. sexism and racism) and the value of the Black visage in the academy. In addition, this study investigates and brings attention to current thoughts on Black hair perception, microaggressions, stigma, stereotype, and assimilation issues that Black female faculty experience with their hair as they navigate the academy.

The purpose of this study is to explore job satisfaction among pre-tenured faculty. More specifically I was interested in examining demographic and personal fit factors, fit with the norms and values of the institution among pre-tenured faculty in different institutional types. The sample for the study included all pre-tenured faculty members who completed the COACHE 2009- 2010 job satisfaction survey. The COACHE survey was administered to pre-tenured faculty at 149 four-year colleges and universities in 2009-2010. The conceptual framework for this study is grounded in a modified version of the structural model of job satisfaction by Olsen et al., (1995). The application of exploratory factor analysis followed by stepwise multiple-regression was used to construct and discover dimensions or factors that predict global job satisfaction affecting pre-tenured faculty members. The results of the stepwise multiple-regression revealed that the three constructs of variables differ by institution type. A combination of five variables: effectiveness of work-life balance policies, satisfaction with time available for faculty work, satisfaction with tenured collegiality, satisfaction with autonomy of faculty work, satisfaction with compensation, and satisfaction with support services were the most significant predictors of job satisfaction for pre-tenured faculty members. Institutional fit variables were stronger significant predictors of fit and job satisfaction compared to demographic and personal fit variables. The findings of this study underscore the importance of university administrators to pay particular attention to extrinsic dimension of the faculty work to job satisfaction to fulfill institutional mission. / Ph. D.