Preparing Future Faculty Members for Careers at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions

A Council on Undergraduate Research White Paper 
April 7, 2003

 
Introduction
 
The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) meeting in January 2003 featured a discussion session focused on a set of "Guidelines for a More Responsive Ph.D." This session was a product of a Woodrow Wilson Foundation initiative. The discussion leaders requested public statements from the academy and other interested groups on what should be included in graduate education to support the future employment of graduate students in institutions of higher education. This document, prepared in response to this request, describes the recommendations of the Council on Undergraduate Research. CUR is a national organization of both individual and institutional members, most of which are primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs). The Council and its affiliated colleges, universities and individuals share a focus on undergraduate education and a belief that undergraduate education is best served by a faculty-student collaborative research experience combined with investigative teaching strategies.
 
The Council on Undergraduate Research has frequently offered sessions at its national meetings targeted towards graduate students seeking tenure-track positions at PUIs. The advice presented in these sessions, together with articles published in the Council's Quarterly, were combined into the booklet: "How to Get a Tenure-Track Position at a Predominantly Undergraduate Institution" by M. M. Bushey, D. E. Lycan and P. E. Videtich. Order information is available at www.cur.org. The suggestions contained in the "How to" booklet form the basis for the Council's recommendations.
 
 
An Inclusive Research Experience
 
To be successful at a PUI, a graduate student needs a solid, productive research experience that results in at least one, preferably more than one, publication in a peer-reviewed journal. This experience is not, however, sufficient. Faculty at PUIs are expected to conduct their own research, supervise students including undergraduates and the occasional graduate student and/or postdoctoral fellow, support their research and their students with external funding, and publish their research. Future faculty must be adaptive: for example, large pieces of equipment or instrumentation that are expensive or require full-time technical support are unlikely at a PUI. Thus it becomes necessary to consider research projects that can be conducted with limited access to instrumentation and that can be conducted with the skills that undergraduates can master. Extensive funds to support start-up costs for research in the sciences are also unlikely. 
 
 
Recommendation for an Inclusive Research Experience
 
An inclusive research experience for a graduate student would include:

• Experience in research leading to publication(s)
• Experience in writing and revising publications for refereed journals
• Experience in presenting research in a variety of formats such as posters and oral presentations
• Experience in writing and revising grant proposals
• Experience in laboratory management
• Experience in developing research protocols that can be done with inexpensive materials and equipment or instrumentation
• Experience in developing alternative research directions, and
• Experience in supervising independent scholarship of (primarily) undergraduates.

 
An Inclusive Teaching Experience
 
A passion for teaching is a "must", as is significant effectiveness in a variety of pedagogical settings. Faculty at PUIs have a significant teaching load that ranges from 8 to 12 or more contact hours per week. The range of courses and the teaching load at PUIs are generally greater than are found at research universities. Future faculty can expect to teach an upper-level course in their area of expertise together with introductory courses in the field. They may also be expected to contribute to the design and teaching of interdisciplinary courses, first-year seminars or courses for non-majors. At some PUIs, faculty are expected to team-teach, particularly in interdisciplinary courses. Faculty are required to develop a syllabus, prepare and deliver lectures, design demonstrations, develop new laboratory experiences, lead discussions, write exams, and teach in areas outside of their thesis topic, to list only a few expectations related to effective teaching. Use of innovative pedagogy that supports student learning, such as collaborative group work or inquiry learning, may also be expected. 
 
 
Recommendation for an Inclusive Teaching Experience

An inclusive teaching experience would include:

• Experience in teaching an entire course in the major
• Experience in exploring and implementing resource materials related to student learning
• Experience with methods of assessing student learning
• Experience in oral presentations for novice and expert learners
• Experience in teaching the non-major
• Experience with pedagogies alternative to lecture-only formats, and
• Experience in articulating a philosophy of teaching.

 
Opportunities to Develop an Ideal Skill Set
 
Faculty at PUIs face challenges not typical at research universities. PUI faculty members may be expected to collaborate with other faculty in conducting research. They may also be expected to participate in curricular revision for an entire program. Most PUIs attempt to limit the service expectations for junior faculty to permit development of research and teaching portfolios needed for promotion and tenure, but an ability to work in a collegial relationship with other faculty members on institution-wide committees is expected. Many PUIs expect junior faculty to advise students about curricular matters. In short, faculty search committees at PUIs look for candidates who will become valued and valuable colleagues. 
 
 
Recommendation: Experiences to Optimize Collegial Skills
 
Graduate students who have an opportunity to gain the following experiences will be ideal candidates:

• Experience in developing collaborative research projects with faculty in other disciplines
• Experience in working collaboratively with other faculty on non-research related tasks, and
• Experience with governance (faculty or student)

 
This White Paper was drafted by Charlotte Otto, Associate Provost, University of Michigan - Dearborn and Neal Abraham, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Depauw University on behalf of the Council on Undergraduate Research. It was approved as a CUR White Paper on April 7, 2003, by the CUR Board of Directors.
 

 
Council on Undergraduate Research
734 15th St NW Suite 550
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 783-4810
www.cur.org