0.4 Erickson, d., hensley, p., & Kinsey, g. (april 2010). lessons  (Page 6/7)

Identity . Some participants found that in the transition to the professoriate, they had lost their sense of identity, which had previously been very strong. “How do I work with professionals who often have more experience than [I]?” “I had been highly regarded in my ‘former life.’ I had to learn a whole new system of politics as a junior professor.” “My own insecurities [were a barrier]!! Identity/role ambiguity. We all have a need to be competent, capable, connected, and contributing and we were in our former practitioner jobs…who was I now?”

Also found was the need know how to ask questions but not offer opinion. “Stay quiet, listen, and learn…speak only when you have something significant to contribute.” “Listen, learn, and try new ‘things’ and enjoy!”

Scholarship demands . Surprising to many participants in the survey were scholarship requirements for promotion and tenure. Many came to higher education with little or no scholarship agenda, and it was a cause of anxiety and tension as well as being seen as a barrier to a successful transition. “Prepared in teaching, confident in service, anxiety in scholarship, and little support in writing.” “Well-prepared except in the area of scholarship.” ‘[A challenge to the transition was] 1) primarily conducting formal research, and 2) participating in scholarly writing.” “My own doctoral study was focused on the practice of leadership, not the scholarship of leadership. Then I spent fifteen years in K-12 administration. I simply did not know how to become a scholar who followed an agenda, though I knew quite a bit about research.” “I had interests but needed to learn what a scholarship agenda was.” “No, no research agenda! I really haven’t begun one yet, and it’s been three years plus.”

Summary and recommendations

Within the next decade, a record number of adjunct and full-time professors will be needed to replace retiring faculty. Consequently, universities will be faced with the challenge of recruiting and more importantly, retaining highly qualified professors. Entry into the professoriate can be daunting for those individuals coming for the K-12 environment and a culture that is vastly different from that of higher education. Assimilation and success in this new setting should be a priority for universities.

At this particular point in history, it is imperative that universities support and retain new faculty through mentorship, networking, and publishing opportunities. Faced with severe budget cuts and the political maelstrom on many campuses, it is financially prudent and morally imperative to provide an environment in which new professors an can thrive not just survive. Neophyte professors can assimilate into the university setting and can build positive relationships to ensure success in their new careers. This can be accomplished with the guidance and assistance of deans, department chairs, and fellow colleagues and through various programs targeted toward new faculty.

Certainly, there are many barriers and obstacles most new professors of educational leadership face in their transition to a university setting. Mentorship which focuses on all three facets of performance, teaching, service and scholarship is critical. While many respondents reported having a mentor, the mentoring itself varied widely in quantity and quality. A university seeking to increase its faculty retention rate would be wise to implement a quality mentoring program that includes collaboration on scholarship as well as an in-depth orientation to the university’s culture and expectations. Finding a mentor who can guide and support new faculty through the maze of teaching and scholarship appears to be an essential component of a successful transition. Many of those surveyed indicated that they sought out colleagues and found support in networking through state and national organizations.