Exploring and testing the predictors of new faculty success: a mixed methods study.

COLLEGE teachers; BEGINNING teachers; JOB satisfaction of college teachers; COLLEGE teacher attitudes; WORK-life balance; TEACHER expectations; SUCCESS; HIGHER education

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate and test the factors contributing to new faculty members' success. In the first phase, qualitative analysis of focus groups revealed four prominent themes affecting new faculty members: expectations, collegiality, balance, and location. In the second phase, new faculty members completed an online survey using scales developed from the qualitative themes. Factor analysis revealed five distinct factors (qualitative theme ‘balance’ split into professional and personal), each demonstrating construct validity, reliability, and significant intercorrelations. Female faculty reported less personal balance, self-reported health, and general life satisfaction. Also, faculty with more years of service had lower job satisfaction and perceived departmental support. Finally, multiple regressions revealed professional balance had the greatest predictive effect on faculty members' self-perception of success at work; alternatively, expectations, collegiality, and location had greater effects on indirect success indicators such as job satisfaction, general life satisfaction, health, and stress. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

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