Social Work Faculty Development: An Exploratory Study of Non-Tenure-Track Women Faculty

Abstract

Administrators of schools of social work are paying more attention to the changing roles and types of faculty in their institutions, particularly given the surge of non-tenure-track faculty in academia. This topic is timely as social work grapples with the divergent roles, structure, and demographic characteristics of non-tenure-track faculty compared to their tenured or tenure-track counterparts. This exploratory study presents data from non-tenure-track women faculty (N = 10) on how they experience professional development. In-depth, qualitative data was collected to answer the research question, What do faculty identify as the barriers, supports, and opportunities for professional development and job satisfaction? Results indicate that organizational climate and mentoring are barriers and facilitators of faculty development, and the subjective definition of faculty development varies.

Notes

¹ Clinical faculty is another name for NTTF at this institution. It does not mean these faculty only teach clinical courses related to direct practice. The school is actively working to stop using this confusing term and instead use fixed-term or NTTF to distinguish this kind of faculty from tenure-track faculty.

² At the time of publication of this issue, this article was submitted and accepted for a discussion group at CSWE’s Annual Program Meeting, October 15–18, 2015, in Denver, CO, with the explicit purpose of broadening the conversation regarding NTTF among schools of social work. Participants were scheduled to discuss the benefits and challenges associated with NTTF status, and facilitators were to describe the ways social work programs support and hinder the professional growth and meaningful contributions of NTTF. The content will be transcribed, edited, and shared with CSWE and social work program administrators.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lisa de Saxe Zerden

Lisa de Saxe Zerden is associate dean, Rachel Carlston is a recent MSW graduate, Danielle Knutson is a MSW student, Betsy Bledsoe is associate professor, and Matthew O. Howard is the Frank A. Daniels Distinguished Professor for Human Services Policy Information at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Teresa L. Ilinitch

Lisa de Saxe Zerden is associate dean, Rachel Carlston is a recent MSW graduate, Danielle Knutson is a MSW student, Betsy Bledsoe is associate professor, and Matthew O. Howard is the Frank A. Daniels Distinguished Professor for Human Services Policy Information at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Rachel Carlston

Lisa de Saxe Zerden is associate dean, Rachel Carlston is a recent MSW graduate, Danielle Knutson is a MSW student, Betsy Bledsoe is associate professor, and Matthew O. Howard is the Frank A. Daniels Distinguished Professor for Human Services Policy Information at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Danielle Knutson

Lisa de Saxe Zerden is associate dean, Rachel Carlston is a recent MSW graduate, Danielle Knutson is a MSW student, Betsy Bledsoe is associate professor, and Matthew O. Howard is the Frank A. Daniels Distinguished Professor for Human Services Policy Information at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Betsy E. Blesdoe

Lisa de Saxe Zerden is associate dean, Rachel Carlston is a recent MSW graduate, Danielle Knutson is a MSW student, Betsy Bledsoe is associate professor, and Matthew O. Howard is the Frank A. Daniels Distinguished Professor for Human Services Policy Information at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Matthew O. Howard

Lisa de Saxe Zerden is associate dean, Rachel Carlston is a recent MSW graduate, Danielle Knutson is a MSW student, Betsy Bledsoe is associate professor, and Matthew O. Howard is the Frank A. Daniels Distinguished Professor for Human Services Policy Information at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.