In many STEM-related fields, graduating doctoral students are often expected to assume a postdoctoral position as a prerequisite to a faculty position, yet there is no such expectation in mathematics education. This phenomenon is likely due in large part to an abundance of faculty positions; however, it may also result from the field's…

This article describes the feelings of faculty members required to annually design an assessment project for each semester and report to the director of assessment the objectives and results of that project on a standardized form. What is misunderstood is that true assessment is part of the very "fiber of being" for many faculty members.…

This essay argues in favor of college instructors, especially in introductory classes, giving students the freedom to use Wikipedia entries in their research projects. It explores the pedagogy created by rigid prohibitions of potential sources, and argues that at stake are two chief dichotomies: one, students learning by engaging in a process vs.…

Many minority scholars have sought answers and skills that directly translate into meaningful resolution to the social injustice and inequality facing their communities. Yet it is these research areas that help keep them in the role of second-class academic citizens. (MLW)

Ethical issues in the professional life of faculty are discussed briefly: conduct of research, intellectual property rights, bias in instruction, student-teacher relationships, student assessment, responsibility to the institution and to colleagues, and responsibility to the community outside the institution. (MSE)

As time spent in academic research becomes more controversial, it is proposed that a quantitative measure of research productivity be applied to faculty efforts. The formula takes into account single- and multiple-author publication rates and appropriate types of publication. The validity of a publication rate index is discussed. (MSE)

Barriers to achieving true scholarship in the school of pharmacy include the sacrifices necessary to accomplish scholarly activity, the trend toward specialization that makes traditional, broad-based scholarship difficult, the absence of theory in pharmaceutical practice, and the necessity of obtaining research funding. (MSE)

The need for change in the role of the graduate-level teacher is examined, focusing on three areas: the need to replace the notion of teaching with that of pedagogy, the shifting concept of disciplines in the postmodern university, and the work of graduate student supervision. (MSE)

The quality of supervision received by postgraduate students has been seen as a considerable problem. It is proposed that the concept of classification and framing used by Bernstein can be adapted to the matching process needed between supervisor and student. (Author/MLW)

For short- and long-term individual and institutional survival, the university and its research administrators must preserve and enhance the institution's climate for the pursuit of faculty scholarship, and faculties must keep research productivity and scholarly activity high.(MSE)

A panel discusses the importance of mission-oriented research in a university relative to that of curiosity-based research. Discussants include Wes Cragg, John Leyerle, Gordon Slemon, David Olson, Jack Stevenson, and Bob Czerny. (CJB)

The attitudes of biologists in Australian universities towards teaching and research are compared with those of their British counterparts. Both prefer research to teaching, and four major problems in undergraduate education are analyzed in these terms. (MSE)

National research policies are today driven by the concept of the "knowledge society", in which development is deemed to follow the application of new ideas. Australia, like other countries, has encouraged partnerships between the universities and industry. This essay examines how Australian scholars in the humanities have responded to…

Measurement of faculty research performance is multidimensional, and no single type of measure can assess the full range of professional role performance. A variety of subjective and quantitative measures and weighting systems should be used together to minimize bias. (MSE)

Interviews with faculty on decisions to submit proposals for external funding suggest that activity at the current institution is related to previous experience, and more experience in graduate school may have a strong, positive effect on later activity. (Author/MSE)