Collaborative on Academic Careers in Education (COACHE)
Faculty are the central pillar of academic institutions, shaping their quality, serving as the repository of their history and culture, and driving their future. Through their scholarship, research, teaching and mentoring, they are at the heart of higher education.
The Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education surveys faculty members at different colleges and universities across the country to explore issues that contribute to faculty satisfaction. Stony Brook University administered COACHE in spring 2017 and again in spring 2022. Following both administrations, a team of faculty reviewed the results.
| COACHE 2017 | COACHE 2022 |
|---|---|
| Team | Team |
| Recommendations | Recommendations |
Responses by Area
Responses are tabulated separately for non-medical faculty and medical faculty. In
2022, a third (33 percent) of SBU’s non-medical, full-time, tenured, tenure-track
and non-tenure-track faculty members completed the survey, which was administered
online. The SBU response rate was slightly below compared to that of peer institutions
(42 percent) and below the 46 percent response rate from the 2017 survey.
Of non-medical faculty respondents:
- 207 were tenured (33% response rate)
- 46 were tenure-track (39% response rate)
- 96 were non-tenure-track (31% response rate)
Thirty-three percent of SBU’s tenured faculty and 39 percent of tenure-track faculty responded; 54 percent of respondents were from the College of Arts and Sciences and 15 percent from the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Of School of Medicine respondents:
- 43 were tenured (26% response rate)
- 14 were tenure-track (22% response rate)
- 91 were non-tenure-track (11% response rate)
In addition to providing data on SBU, the COACHE survey compared the University’s results with those from peer institutions. Five public AAU institutions were chosen for comparison, and COACHE provided separate analyses that compared SBU with its peers and to all institutions that participated in the study in the past academic year. Peer institutions are listed in the detailed presentation of results.
Overall Results
Nearly three-fifths — 58 percent — of SBU faculty somewhat or strongly agreed that they “would again choose this institution,” citing that some of the best aspects of working at the University were the quality and support of their colleagues and high caliber of the graduate students.
Results from the 2022 administration of COACHE showed the same basic pattern observed in the 2017 administration. Higher levels of satisfaction were observed with benefits, department-related areas, and the nature of work. Lower satisfaction was observed with governance, senior and divisional leadership, family and personal policies and facilities.
Higher levels of satisfaction overall were observed among non-tenure track faculty
and women; lower levels of satisfaction were observed among men and tenured/tenure-track
faculty, especially among those at the rank of associate professor.
Differences by Demographic Groups
Differences by gender indicated women were more satisfied than men with divisional leadership, senior leadership, and faculty leadership. Women were less satisfied than men with promotion to full professor, tenure expectations, department leadership, and personal and family policies.
Differences by race/ethnicity indicated that faculty who identified as underrepresented minorities (URM – defined by COACHE as respondents who indicated a race/ethnicity other than white or Asian) were more positive than White and Asian faculty on promotion to full professor and divisional leadership. Both of these items also improved from 2017. Faculty who identified as URM indicated lower satisfaction than white and Asian faculty in areas of the nature of work: research, collaboration, clarity of tenure expectations, faculty leadership, and governance adaptability.
Moving Forward
The survey’s findings represent a starting point and road map for improvements at all levels. They mark an occasion for evaluation, deliberation, and planning.
The 2022 COACHE team was identified in spring 2023 and began meeting in fall 2023.
The COACHE team has subcommittees for the following areas:
- Research Opportunities and Support
- Facilities and Infrastructure
- Work-Life Balance, Accommodations, Benefits, and Resources
- Governance, Leadership & Communication
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
- Mentoring, Recognition & Promotion
Recommendations from the COACHE Team will be forthcoming in spring 2024.