In From the Margins: The Essential Role of Faculty in Transforming a Professional Studies Unit Into an Academic Department

Abstract

The article addresses the effective use of full-time and part-time faculty in transforming an institutionalized marginalized professional studies unit into an academic unit with greater academic credibility, as perceived by traditional colleagues and accreditors. Recommendations are supported by a case study narrative from the experiences of the author's own institution, an early adopter of nontraditional academic programs that has made a challenging but largely successful transition from an administration-driven, academically-suspect environment to one in which full-time faculty and part-time practitioners collaborate together to provide a high quality, relevant, and credible learning experience for working adults.