Faculty Agency in Applying for Promotion to Professor

Abstract

Aim/Purpose: In the United States, faculty who wish to pursue promotion to the rank of professor do so without clear guidance or structure. Even the timing of such a process is nebulous. As such, an individual engages in agentic action to pursue the rank. Background: This study examined the experiences of faculty members who chose to pursue the application process to be promoted to professor but were rejected or dissuaded. Methodology: Utilizing a case study of one institutional setting, we conducted 10 in-depth qualitative interviews. Contribution: Very little is known about the process of promotion to full professor in the U.S. and even less empirical research exists. This study advances knowledge of the process and the experiences of those undertaking it. Findings: We learned that cues from the social context greatly influenced these faculty members’ sense of agency.

Charting your path to endowed or distinguished: A guide for mid‐career faculty members

“…Given the constrained resources in higher education, this can provide faculty with additional motivation to enhance their work while receiving the status and resources accrued by earning such professional distinctions. It is critical to professional advancement of mid‐career faculty, including that of endowed chair or distinguished professorships, requires self‐agency (Gardner & Blackstone, 2017). This is particularly true regarding women and faculty of color, who are often not part of networks that share opportunities to advance within the academy (Freeman & Diramio, 2016; Freeman & Forthun, 2019; Hartlep, 2016).…”

The rationalized myth of faculty mentoring: A critical examination of faculty experiences and institutional change

“…Yet, faculty mentoring remains too often realized in varied, haphazard ways and with little understanding of its associated activities or quality (Yun et al., 2016). Further, despite a desire for mentoring at mid‐career (Trowers, 2011), it garners less emphasis at institutions of higher education than early career mentoring (Baker et al., 2017; Gardner & Blackstone, 2017).…”

Toward best practices for promotion to full professor guidelines at research universities

“…Although there continues to be a dearth of scholarship on the topic of advancement to full professor positions (Finnegan, & Hyle, 2009;Geisler, Kaminski, & Berkley, 2007;Olsen, Kyvik, & Hovdhaugen, 2005), recently there has been a burgeoning literature base that addresses this issue (Buch, Huet, Rorrer, & Roberson, 2011;Chambers & Freeman, 2020;Crawford, Burns, & McNamara, 2012;Freeman & Chambers, In-Press;Gardner & Blackstone, 2013;Gardner & Blackstone, 2017;Misra, Lundquist, Holmes, & Agiomavritis, 2011). However, the authors of this manuscript were unable to find literature directly addressing policies that impact the advancement to the rank of full professor.…”