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Faculty members seek employment in an environment that offers good fit and work satisfaction. As in other countries, higher education institutions in the USA vary by size, disciplinary focus, and emphasis on research. This study examined faculty satisfaction by institution type (baccalaureate, master's, doctoral, and research) for recent full-time faculty members in 100 US 4-year institutions. Findings showed that, overall, satisfaction was highest for respondents in baccalaureate colleges. Subsequent analyses to examine strength of difference across institutional type confirmed initial differences for some facets of satisfaction, but not for others. Although differences that contributed to satisfaction by type were limited, results showed that faculty perceptions of the institutional environment firmly contribute to their satisfaction. Additional findings as well as policy and program implications are discussed. (HRK / Abstract übernommen).

With enrollments rising in recent years, more than half of all graduate level students in US institutions take on educational loans. Using data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), this study examined educational debt for graduate and professional students in 2000 and 2016 and explored whether significant predictors of debt changed over time. Results show that those with undergraduate debt were more likely to take on loans for graduate school and that Black/African American students borrowed significantly more than graduate students in other racial/ethnic groups. Findings also showed that institutional reliance on tuition and being Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino were more significantly associated with borrowing in 2016 than in 2000. Consistent with notions of human capital, graduate level education may offer higher long-term salaries and higher quality of life. However, increasing graduate level debt may curtail other life choices, may discourage students from enrolling and persisting, or may motivate degree earners to pursue different program or career options due to accumulated loans.

Guided by Hagedorn's (2000) theory of faculty job satisfaction, mindful of social and organizational structures of higher education, and acknowledging recent changes in the academic labor market, this study examines satisfaction for approximately 30,000 tenured and tenure-track faculty members in 100 US colleges and universities. Findings revealed similarity between female and male faculty members in some aspects of work satisfaction, but difference in other areas in which women reported lower satisfaction. Findings also revealed that perceptions of department fit, recognition, work role balance, and mentoring are more important to women faculty's satisfaction than male peers. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

The number of postdoctoral researchers has increased dramatically in the past decade. Because of the limited number of academic staff openings and the general levels of salary, the role and value of the postdoctoral appointment are changing. Using a sample of respondents with continuous data in the 1999 through 2008 Survey of Doctoral Recipients, this study examined whether taking a postdoctoral position contributed to one's faculty career and salary 10 years after doctorate completion. Results show that completing a postdoctoral position positively contributed to working in educational institutions and securing a tenure-track appointment. Taking one, but not two or more, postdoctoral positions increased one's written scholarly productivity. However, the postdoctoral experience had no statistically significant impact on one's salary a decade after degree completion. Implications are discussed for institutional and higher education policy. (HRK / Abstract übernommen).

Over a decade ago, Barr and Tagg (Change Mag 27(6): 12-25, 1995) declared that a shift had occurred in higher education from an instruction paradigm to a learning paradigm. A central element in this new paradigm is learner-centered assessment. While a growing body of literature suggests that this approach to assessment is a best practice in higher education pedagogy, it is still unclear whether faculty members have embraced it fully. Using data from the National Study of Postsecondary Faculty, this study examines the extent to which faculty members employed learner-centered assessments in postsecondary classrooms at two points in time, 1993 and 2004. Findings show similar to higher rates of use for some assessment techniques in 2004 compared to reports from 1993, as well as differences by faculty gender, age, discipline, and institution type. Implications for faculty members, student learning, and institutional policy are discussed.

Similar to trends in postsecondary education across the world, today's US universities are an increasing mix of native and foreign-born scholars. US institutions are experiencing a growing number of international faculty members, but there is limited literature examining foreign-born faculty who work in US institutions and how outputs from foreign-born faculty compare to US-born natives. Using data from the 2004 National Survey of Postsecondary Faculty (NSOPF:04), this study examines difference in faculty members' research productivity at doctoral-granting institutions by foreign/US-born status controlling for select individual and institutional characteristics. Findings show that foreign-born faculty members spend more time on research and less time on undergraduate instruction than US-born peers, and this may contribute to their higher levels of production. Implications are discussed that consider how to ensure diverse faculty communities that lead to strong research and knowledge production. (HRK / Abstract übernommen).

Theories of involvement and quality of effort posit that student engagement in academic activities is critical to success. College officials invest substantial resources in activities and facilities to encourage student involvement, yet some reports find that many students study few hours per week and commit little time to academic activities. A critical question we must ask is: Does involvement lead to authentic gains in student success? Results from the 2008 National Survey of Student Engagement at one research university found that higher levels of engagement in a variety of curricular and cocurricular activities significantly contribute to cumulative GPA and students’ perception of the overall academic experience. Females and full-time students who spent more time preparing for class or otherwise engaging in academic tasks earned a higher GPA and reported higher satisfaction with their overall academic experience. Implications for program planning and resource allocation are discussed.

Faculty development programs help facilitate faculty member satisfaction. This study sought to better understand work satisfaction through individual semi-structured interviews with 42 full-time faculty members at six four-year institutions in the U.S. While there were some commonalities across institution type, findings showed differences in faculty perceptions of their work, their institution's culture and interpersonal relationships by type (baccalaureate, master's, doctoral, and research). Notable differences included perceptions on mentoring, work-life balance, and institutional politics. With some similarities in perceived work satisfaction noted, overall findings revealed differences by culture that are likely related to institution type. Implications for faculty development policy and practice are discussed.

With a focus on possible gender differences, this study used 2003-2013 data from the Survey of Doctorate Recipients to examine individual, institutional, and early employment factors that contribute to career paths of recent doctorates who enter postsecondary academic appointments. Findings showed some noteworthy differences by gender including lower salary and longer time to degree for women, but overall results indicated no strong, comprehensive evidence of a gendered path to tenure during the first decade after degree completion. Scholarly publications and activities such as research and a postdoctoral appointment in early years following degree completion were the most important contributors for both men and women. Implications for policy and planning are discussed.

Despite a recent increase in women and racial/ethnic minorities in U.S. post-secondary education, doctoral recipients from these groups report lower salaries than male and majority peers. With a longitudinal sample of approximately 10,000 respondents from the Survey of Doctorate Recipients, this study adds to the limited literature examining the effects of discipline, sector of employment, personal traits (e.g., marital status and number of children), and the interaction of gender and race on annual salary over the decade after degree completion, 1999–2008. Multilevel growth models reveal greater gaps in salary for women compared to men across all race/ethnic groups. The greatest rate of return was found for Asian respondents regardless of gender, and minority males had better returns than White male peers conditional on marriage. Implications for career choice, career paths, and the need for policies that address gender and race equity are discussed.