Christine M. Cress

Community Service in Higher Education: A Look at the Nation's Faculty

Motivated by increasing attention to citizenship development in American higher education, this exploratory study examines the level of involvement in and commitment to community service among higher education faculty. Although most report performing some form of community or volunteer service, women, non-White, and lower-ranking faculty tend to be the most involved. The personal values of altruism, service, and community orientation appear to be the primary determinants of commitment to this type of activity.

Distress under Duress: The Relationship between Campus Climate and Depression in Asian American College Students.

Student perceptions of negative campus climate were predictive of Asian American students’ depression levels in spite of students’ entering proclivities toward depression and in spite of varying institutional types. In addition, these findings were consistent whether individual Asian American perceptions of campus climate were entered into the equation or whether institutional levels of campus perceptions (which included all racial and ethnic groups) were entered into the equation. Therefore, higher education institutions that are perceived by students to discriminate against individuals based on race or ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or disability may put their Asian American students at risk for severe psychological consequences. Implications for mental health services are discussed.

Playing Soccer on the Football Field: The Persistence of Gender Inequities for Women Faculty

Sports metaphor is employed as an epistemic tool for describing psychological, sociocultural, and organizational factors that contribute to enduring gender bias, inequalities, and discrimination faced by women faculty at colleges and universities. Quantitative and qualitative data from two comprehensive institutional campus climate studies show that women and men faculty experience their work lives differently. Based upon our analyses, we argue for restructuring the embedded normative values and processes that inform the academic playbook.

Are Women Faculty Just “Worrywarts?” Accounting for Gender Differences in Self-Reported Stress

SUMMARY Contrary to notions that faculty women are overly sensitive and over-dramatize their work-life challenges, quantitative and qualitative data from a large public research university provide contrasting work-life experiences for female and male faculty. Significant gender differences, emphasized by rich description from faculty, are reported in teaching, service, and research responsibilities that contribute to increased levels of stress for women. Specific strategies for creating more equitable and less stressful work environments are highlighted.

A National Profile of Academic Women in Research Universities

During the last three decades, the pool of female Ph.D. recipients potentially available for academic appointments has increased dramatically. In 1977, women earned 25 percent of awarded doctoral degrees. A decade later (1987), this percentage had risen to 35 percent. By 1996, women constituted 40 percent of the total number of doctorates and 47 percent of the pool of U.S. doctoral recipients (National Research Council 1996). The representation of women faculty within American higher education institutions, however, has not increased at the same rate. For example, in 1972–73 women represented 22 percent of all faculty across academic ranks. By 1982, they occupied 27 percent of faculty positions, and by 1995–96 women accounted for 35 percent of all faculty (Vetter and Babco 1986; Sax, Astin, Arredondo, and Korn 1996). In other words, there has been a relatively slow rate of gender integration in the academy (West 1995).

Faculty perspectives on programme curricular assessment: individual and institutional characteristics that influence participation engagement

Driven by issues of accountability, the assessment movement in higher education has gained significant momentum in recent years. However, successful implementation of assessment processes varies radically across institutions. A key issue is faculty engagement. This qualitative inquiry explored factors that impact faculty participation in a professional school assessment initiative in North America. Findings indicate that faculty knowledge, beliefs and attitudes toward assessment, and their perception of leadership, resources and work environment, interact with their decision to engage. Moreover, goal congruence between faculty and educational organisation affects behaviour regarding degree of engagement in programme and curricular assessment. Recommendations for creating a culture of assessment are highlighted.

Jumping the Gun

Some targeted learning on how experience clouds our perceptions.