Women Faculty in Family and Consumer Sciences: Influences on Job Satisfaction

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors associated with the global job satisfaction (GJS) of women faculty members working in family and consumer sciences programs at landgrant institutions. The study was based on datafrom 138 respondents, of whom 75.4% reported being satisfied or very satisfied with their jobs. Factoranalysis was used toform six independent variables: climate, socialization, autonomy, working conditions, financial rewards, and teach‐ing. Multiple regression analysis indicated thatfour of the six independent variables had significant influences on GJS at p < .01: socialization, climate, autonomy, andfinancial rewards. These variables accountedfor 43.0% of the variance in GjS. For the women in this study, the social and administrative climate ofthe school had the greatest effects on job satisfaction. Thesefindings are consistent with previous studies offaculty in predominately female disciplines.

Female Counselor Educators: Encouraging and Discouraging Factors in Academia

“…The highlights of work for these women were in their supportive relationships with learners, whereas the factors that most lowered their satisfaction were related to problems with other faculty. Taken together, these match previous findings that social climate and interactions are keys to satisfaction for female faculty (Robertson & Bean, 1998).…”

“…It was clearly those factors (8 out of 10) that centered on providing supportive, growth-producing interactions with students and other professionals that these women cherished most. This finding is further supported by previous research in which the job satisfaction of female faculty is strongly connected to interactions (Robertson & Bean, 1998) and the quality of their relationships (Josephs et al, 1992).…”

“…Women tend to base their selfesteem and well-being on the quality of their relationships (Josephs, Markus, & Tafarodi, 1992). Job satisfaction of female faculty is strongly connected to social climate and interactions (Robertson & Bean, 1998). The lack of collegial relations experienced by pretenured faculty may be especially relevant for female counselor educators (Boice, 1992;Sorcinelli, 1992, Female Counselor Educators 1994.…”

Motivations for service-learning among family and consumer sciences college faculty: influence of teaching perceptions, efficacy, and practice

“…Consistent with earlier findings (Bean & Robertson, 1997;Sullivan & Redick, 1991), 40% of the respondents in the total sample as well as the two groups belonged to the age group of 51-60 years. Another 40% belonged to the combined age group of 31-50 years.…”

The Collective Good: Unionization, Perceived Control, and Overall Job Satisfaction Among Community College Faculty

“…While a Carnegie Foundation survey (1985) of 5,000 faculty nationwide characterized the American professoriate as ''deeply troubled'' (p. 31), much of the literature on faculty satisfaction points to a relatively satisfied professoriate in both two-and four-year institutions (Pearson & Seiler, 1983Antony & Valadez, 1998Deiner, 1985;Nussel, Wiersma, & Rusche, 1988;Finkelstein, 1984;Rosser, 2004;Rosser & Townsend, 2006;Ambrose et al, 2005;Flowers, 2005). However, individual facets of job satisfaction point to different experiences for different types of faculty (Diener, 1985;Olsen, Maple, & Stage, 1995;Olsen, 1993;Antony & Valadez, 1998;Hagedorn, 1994Hagedorn, , 1996Hagedorn, , 1998Hagedorn & Sax, 1999;Rosser, 2004;Rosser & Townsend, 2006); faculty working in different institutions (Antony & Valadez, 1998;Pearson & Seiler, 1983;Murray, 2005); and faculty teaching in different types of disciplines (Robertson & Bean, 1998;Robertson, 1995;Rockman, 1986;Nussel et al, 1988). The simple message seems to be that satisfaction is a complex, multideminsional construct that is, and will continue to be, difficult to measure.…”