This paper discusses survey results from 68 assistant professors concerning the following areas: (1) their experiences with the promotion process; (2) the state of the respondents' publication writing skills; (3) their publication records; and (4) the nature of institutional support. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents did not consider the professional publication process a deterrent to pursuing promotion. On a Likert scale from 1, meaning not at all prepared, to 5 for very well prepared, approximately 40 percent rated their present preparation at 4 or above; 60 percent rated it a 3 or below. Forty of the 68 assistant professors reported their terminal degree program provided no training specifically designed to develop publication skills. Regardless of their perceived writing skills, 58 percent of those surveyed are engaged in some form of research that they anticipate will lead to publication. Results from this survey suggest that graduate programs contain little, if any, formal provision for publication writing by students. The paper suggests that it is important for administrators to determine if such programs adequately prepare graduates for their professional future. (GLR)