Job satisfaction among faculty in a changing employment structure: A comparative study of non-tenure, tenure-track, and tenured faculty
Abstract
Studying job satisfaction in the academy is important due to changes that are occurring in higher education. There has been a significant increase of non-tenure positions over the past three decades. On the academic hierarchy, non-tenure faculty are at the bottom. There is concern that this lower status, where non-tenure faculty experience less job security, receive lower wages than tenure-track and tenured faculty, and lack of political governance that may cause non-tenure faculty to be less satisfied with their jobs, which in turn could lead to lower teaching quality. In 2006, Riverside University conducted a "Quality of Life in the Workplace" online survey of tenure-track and tenured faculty to assess job satisfaction. In 2009, the "Continuing Lecturer Job Satisfaction" survey, partially replicated from the 2006 survey, was sent via email to continuing lecturers, one classification of non-tenure instructors. Additionally, 17 interviews were conducted with continuing lecturers within one school of the university in 2010. It was expected that continuing lecturers would report less job satisfaction. This study found that overall continuing lecturers were satisfied. Benefits and the job itself influenced job satisfaction positively while salary and lack of recognition contributed to dissatisfaction. In addition, continuing lecturers reported work family issues as stressful, but we posit that job flexibility contributes positively to job satisfaction alleviated work/family stress.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Miller, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Higher Education Administration|Higher education
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