Authors: Tatiana Leroy, Jessica C Hill
Mentors: Jessica C. Hill
Insitution: Utah Valley University
The tenure process in higher education is complex and multifaceted. While offering job security, prestige, and academic freedom in research and teaching (Batterbury, 2008), it can also be a source of stress and anxiety due to its competitive nature and demanding evaluation process (Jacobs & Winslow, 2004). Competition can be intense due to a high number of qualified candidates for a limited number of tenure-track positions. Once such a position is secured, tenure-track candidates experience sustained scrutiny of their performance during their probationary period. This stress can impact work-life balance and overall job satisfaction (Hellsten et al., 2011), potentially leading to the loss of high-quality faculty. Our proposed longitudinal study aims to address this issue by identifying factors that increase anxiety and stress during the probationary period of tenure-track faculty. We aim to provide a comprehensive analysis of these trends, with a particular emphasis on gender-based differences. By understanding and addressing the sources of stress during the tenure process, we hope to offer solutions for fostering supportive environments that encourage the retention of a diverse body of high-quality faculty through the award of tenure. This study, as the first of its kind, endeavors to bridge a significant gap in existing research by focusing on the identifying challenges faculty face on their journey toward tenure and generating effective solutions to help retain them.
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