0.4 Erickson, d., hensley, p., & Kinsey, g. (april 2010). lessons  (Page 2/7)

In K-12 students and teachers are also segregated and isolated; however, in higher education individuals are segregated and isolated by program, department, and particular college. Hensley (2000) compared schools of today to big boxes with many boxes inside. The structure in higher education is remarkably the same. Professors go into their offices for four or five office hours per week. They teach three or four classes per week, oftentimes in other buildings. They go to another room or building for a department meeting, a program meeting and/or college meeting once a month. All other time is spent behind closed doors in the office or away from campus. Isolation and personal survival tend to permeate the organizational culture of universities.

Furthermore, Johnsrud and Heck (1998) reported that (a) faculty lack of confidence in administration, (b) the strength, or the lack thereof; of the department chair and(c) departmental relations have great influence on the retention of faculty. Erickson and Rodriguez (1999) described a number of specific ways in which department chairs could support new faculty. They recommended that chairs support new faculty by facilitating attendance at workshops and conferences as well as introducing them to others who may be helpful to their research. Another factor cited in the decision to stay or leave a university was that of professional development (Rosser, 2004; Rice&Austin, 1988). In addition, new faculty members face an obstacle course of expectations for their performance, and often these expectations are not clearly articulated by the department, program or university. In order to be retained, promoted and tenured, faculty are expected to have exemplary teaching evaluations, publish peer-reviewed research that contributes to the field, and provide service to the university as well as the greater community (Aguirre, 2000; Van Patten, 1995; Olmstead, 1993). Fairweather (2002) argued that untenured faculty members are least likely to attain high levels of productivity in all of these expected areas. Certainly, new faculty members need support in managing the academic environment as they strive for retention, promotion and tenure (Coleman, Christie, Culver, Erickson, Hunt, Williams, Kinsey, Smith,&Tarielo, 2007).

Methodology

The results of this study are from a pilot survey conducted at the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration Annual Conference in August of 2009. Attendees were asked to fill out a short survey regarding their personal experiences in transitioning to higher education. Surveys were given to all of those attendees who participated in the opening general sessions on the first two days of the conference. Completed surveys were collected directly following the sessions. Copies of the survey were also available at the registration desk; participants were able to submit their completed survey at that time, also. Two hundred surveys were distributed during the general sessions; a total of 38 completed surveys were returned for a 19% rate of return.