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Kathleen Fu for The Chronicle

How Higher Education Works

News, opinion, and advice on working — and succeeding — in higher ed.

The Latest

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At UC Berkeley, the Faculty Asks Itself, Do Our Critics Have a Point?

Lori Erica Varlotta, a professor of higher-education leadership and former president of California Lutheran University, has been named president of Antioch University, in Ohio.

Transitions: The U. of California System Names Next President; U. of Delaware President to Step Down

Illustration showing two professors outside a university building sunk down in a large canyon, looking up at an unreachable outside world above them.

Professors Say They Need a Raise. They Probably Won’t Get One.

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Faculty Hiring Is Under Federal Scrutiny at Harvard

The Work Issue

How We Reported These Stories: Our survey team fielded a 25-question online survey between October 24 and November 18, 2024, asking about the experiences of employees at higher-education institutions in the United States. The team collected 4,107 responses – from 1,402 administrators, 1,443 faculty members, and 1,262 staff – and for answers to four open-ended questions used AI to rank the frequency of themes that emerged. Reporters then used answers to the entire survey to inform their interviews with dozens of respondents and other higher-ed employees.

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Advice: Working Better

Feeling Unappreciated? You’re Not Alone.

By Kevin R. McClure February 10, 2025

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Shifting Sands

Higher-Ed Employees Think Their Workplaces Are Respectful — but Toxic

By Megan Zahneis February 10, 2025

Data

What It’s Like to Work in Higher Ed

By Brian O’Leary February 10, 2025

McMurtrieWorkforce-0116 V2 Daniel Garcia FINAL Web.jpg

A Sense of Purpose

What Keeps Stressed-Out Faculty Members Going? Their Students.

By Beth McMurtrie February 10, 2025

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The Review | Forum

16 Bold Ideas to Make Higher Ed a Better Place to Work

February 10, 2025

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A Constant Scramble

Higher Education Is Exhausted

By Adrienne Lu February 10, 2025

What Professors Actually Earn

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Can Professors Afford the American Dream?

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How Professors Make Ends Meet

How Far Does Your Pay Go?

Working Better

In this new series, Kevin R. McClure explores higher education as a workplace — what it does well, what it does poorly, and what it can do to improve the professional lives of faculty and staff members.

October 23, 2024

Latest Columns

Work Smarter

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How to Run a Good Meeting

How to Make Your Teaching More Engaging

How to Create a Syllabus

Trending News

Faculty and Staff Are Feeling Anxious, Depressed, and Burnt Out, Study Says

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Student-Loan Debt Is Weighing Down Higher Ed’s Own Workers

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In Higher Ed, Interim Appointments Are Everywhere. The Costs Are Real.

After Learning Her TA Would Be Paid More Than She Was, This Lecturer Quit

Meet Our Workplace Reporters

Megan Zahneis and Adrienne Lu are senior reporters who cover faculty, staff, and the academic workplace for The Chronicle. They’re curious about what it’s like to work in higher ed today. Write them at megan.zahneis@chronicle.com and adrienne.lu@chronicle.com.