While interdisciplinarity has been promoted in universities for decades, research suggests that untenured faculty struggle to receive recognition for their interdisciplinary research. Informed by the microfoundations of institutional theory and discursive legitimation, we examine how members of academic departments participate in the legitimation…

The present research considers the possibility that guidelines emphasizing academic freedom and faculty self-governance (i.e., those articulated by AAUP and UNESCO) might compete against national norms in shaping faculty fairness perceptions of institutional policies. We investigate the extent to which expectations of academic freedom and faculty…

This study draws upon motivation theories and identifies the motivations of Chinese scholars with regard to publishing articles in international journals and how their motivations influence the research output of Chinese universities. Drawing on 25 in-depth interviews with academics currently working in two Chinese universities, the findings,…

This article examines current and previous practitioner experiences of faculty in Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration accredited programs. Using original survey data, this study demonstrates that a majority of Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration program faculty members have prior or current…

This study investigated the status of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), the amount and types of pedagogical scholarship, and the merit accorded SoTL within academic units for purposes of faculty assessment (i.e. hiring, promotion, and tenure decisions) at a research/doctoral granting institution. Responding to an electronic survey…

Tenure clock extension policies are increasingly available for faculty who need extra time granted on their "clock" due to special circumstances, such as family responsibilities or health issues. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the formal policy has been available to faculty for over 10 years and is the focus of study by…

This study adopted Jarzabkowski's (2005) qualitative, activity-based strategy as practice method to investigate leadership and management of interdisciplinary work. Interviews were conducted with 10 academics in Australia and the United Kingdom. Challenges raised by leaders of academic work can be grouped at various levels according to which…

Systematic post-tenure evaluation, uniformly and universally applied, preserves the strengths of tenure while allaying public suspicions about tenure and concerns about faculty vigor and accountability. Failure to address increasing public concerns will otherwise increase the likelihood of external regulation. (MSE)

Increasingly, colleges and universities are instituting periodic evaluations of tenured faculty with the objective of encouraging faculty development. Some faculty question the need for posttenure review. Supporters feel the trend may strengthen tenure by providing evidence in its defense. (MSE)

This article draws upon the literature on academic culture and the academic profession to provide a context for beliefs about post-tenure review. Schein's (1992) theory of organizational culture and Kuh & Whitt's (1988) application of cultural theory to higher education settings divides culture into a conceptual hierarchy comprised of three…

A survey of selected institutions concerning the use of performance evaluation for tenured and nontenured faculty suggests much confusion and opinion about the issue, but more receptivity than has been presumed, warranting further experimentation. (MSE)

Periodic tenured faculty evaluation can be an opportunity for professional and personal redirection, revitalization, and renewal. The institution profits as much as the individual through better academic planning, teaching, and research. (MSE)

A project to develop criteria for evaluating the quality of faculty outreach activities in continuing education and public service is described. The project, which was conducted at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, was also designed to achieve the utilization of these criteria by faculty members engaged in outreach and by staff who…

The report of a study of 18 junior faculty in varying stages of tenure eligibility at a research university presents the experiences of two, a man and a woman, felt to be representative of faculty experiences and perceptions. Issues addressed include peer relationships, competition, publishing, performance feedback, social expectations, personal…

This study examined how the awarding of tenure affects senior professors' interests in teaching and research and whether effects are uniformly negative, positive or different depending on the task. A conceptual model was used that involved intrinsic interest and extrinsic rewards, work context, and individual background variables. Data were taken…