
If you need career advice, hand-holding, a faculty job, or a kick in the pants to get that writing project finished, there’s probably a consultant out there who can help. Our special Academic Workplace issue reports on the cottage industry of experts offering support at every career stage. You’ll also find coverage of a program that aimed to document faculty productivity but ended up alienating professors. Plus, we report on academics who are the lone members of their field on campus, and we offer advice from others on how to handle a layoff, retirement, and caretaker responsibilities.
This issue also lists 84 colleges recognized for strong workplace practices in The Chronicle’s 2018 Great Colleges to Work For survey, based on responses from more than 53,000 people at 253 institutions. Some hallmarks of colleges whose employees gave them high marks: Their leaders communicate well with employees and give them the freedom to do their jobs.
Copies of the full report are available for purchase here.
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News
Want to Better Engage Your Employees? Explain the Business Side
Colleges across the country are increasingly trying to help faculty and staff members understand their institution’s business operations. -
News
Academe Is a New Green Pasture for Consultants
Faced with a tight job market and growing demands on their time, more academics are turning to outsiders for career advice and support. -
From the Archives
Can Faculty Workload Be Captured in a Database?
Wisconsin’s latest attempt to quantify faculty productivity leaves academics feeling more misunderstood than ever. -
News
At Small Colleges, Smaller Departments
Faculty members at tiny institutions might appear to be lonely, but they collaborate across disciplines and geographic expanses to avoid being isolated. -
Advice
How to Be a Caregiver While Caring for Your Own Career
It’s not uncommon for early-career academics to lose professional ground because of family obligations. -
Advice
A Professor’s Last Crucial Decision: When to Retire
Here’s what institutions should be doing to make the transition to emeritus life easier. -
Advice
What I Learned From Being Laid Off
Do I sign the severance agreement? Do I negotiate? Hire a lawyer to send a threatening letter?