Henry Luce Foundation Grant - Mid-Career Faculty Study

Henry Luce Foundation Grant - Mid-Career Faculty Study

Funder: Henry Luce Foundation

Award Amount: $50,000

Duration: September 2016 - June 2017

Geographic Scope: 13 institutions in the Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA)

Project Title: Faculty Development at Liberal Arts Colleges - Mid-Career Faculty Focus

Principal Investigators:

Vicki Baker - Associate Professor of Economics and Management, Albion College (lead)

Laura Lunsford - Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Arizona

Meghan Pifer - Assistant Professor of Higher Education, Widener University, Pennsylvania

Research Focus:

Needs and concerns of mid-career educators at liberal arts colleges

Address the gap that mid-career professors "don't get a lot of attention"

Study challenges and needed supports across career stages in the professoriate

Focus on faculty who are 8-10 years into their careers

Key Findings from Prior Research:

Mid-career professors falling through the cracks

Faculty unprepared for changes in technology, demands, and skepticism about liberal arts education

Faculty at liberal arts colleges wear many hats: teacher, advisor, recruiter, mentor—roles not covered in graduate training

Program Components:
1. Leadership Development Institute: Yearlong experience for 20 mid-career faculty members in Ann Arbor
2. Mentoring Support: Personalized guidance and support
3. Book/Publication: "Developing Faculty in Liberal Arts Colleges: Aligning Individual Needs and Organizational Goals"
- Publisher: Rutgers University Press
- Draft deadline: Fall 2016
- Publication date: 2017

Partner Institutions: 13 GLCA member schools providing administrative backing

Prior Funding: Hewlett-Mellon Fund for faculty development (before Luce grant)

Goals:

Assess where mid-career faculty are in their careers

Determine support needed for more complete job performance

Identify next steps and opportunities for career progression

Provide recommendations for liberal arts college faculty development

Background: Researchers working on topic for nearly three years before grant award