Characterizing full-time, non-tenure-track teaching faculty in biology
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Full-time, non-tenure-track (NTT) biology faculty experience less diversity and mixed institutional support, despite teaching autonomy. Recommendations aim to improve their sense of belonging and value within STEM higher education.
Area Of Science
- Biology Education
- Higher Education Faculty Studies
- STEM Workforce Diversity
Background
- Higher education increasingly relies on full-time, non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty for teaching.
- Existing research on contingent faculty often overlooks full-time NTT teaching staff in STEM.
- Disciplinary differences in NTT faculty experiences across STEM fields remain understudied.
Purpose Of The Study
- To investigate the experiences of full-time NTT teaching faculty in biology.
- To identify challenges and opportunities for supporting this growing faculty group.
- To explore potential disciplinary variations in NTT faculty roles and perceptions.
Main Methods
- Surveyed full-time NTT biology faculty at a stratified random sample of US institutions.
- Utilized Carnegie classifications for institutional sampling.
- Analyzed survey data for themes related to diversity, support, belonging, and teaching autonomy.
Main Results
- NTT biology faculty are less diverse than the broader STEM professoriate.
- Faculty reported mixed institutional support and desire for improved resources.
- Limited participation in departmental decisions led to mixed feelings of belonging and value.
- High teaching autonomy was noted, but challenges persist in key areas.
Conclusions
- Full-time NTT biology faculty face unique challenges regarding diversity, support, and inclusion.
- Institutions should implement targeted strategies to better support NTT teaching faculty.
- Addressing these issues is crucial for the equity and effectiveness of STEM higher education.
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