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Supporting non-tenure-track faculty in a physical therapy program: a case study

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Supporting non-tenure-track faculty in a physical therapy program: a case study

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Content Running head: SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 1

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY IN A PHYSICAL THERAPY
PROGRAM: A CASE STUDY

by

Yun Kim

________________________________________________________________________

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

August 2014

Copyright 2014 Yun Kim
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 2

DEDICATION

For my mother and father
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 3

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The journey is the reward, as the saying goes, and I would like to thank all those who
helped me in my doctoral journey. First, I would like to express my gratitude to my dissertation
chair, Dr. Adrianna Kezar, for expertly guiding me through the process and for serving as an
excellent example of a socially-engaged scholar. I would also like to thank the members of my
committee, Drs. Ginger Clark, Sonja Daniels, and Georgia Lorenz for contributing their
knowledge and expertise to improve my study. I could not have asked for a more supportive and
encouraging committee. For their camaraderie, I would like to thank all the members of my
thematic group, Abi, Diane, Gene, Jeremy, Lilly, Robert, Veri, and Veronica without whom this
would have been a much more arduous process. On the home front, I would like to express my
thanks to my sister Karolyn and my brother-in-law George for their cheerleading and formatting
help. Many bows to Alice, Maggi, and Shelley for their guidance and friendship during this
journey. Additionally, I would like to thank my wonderful work family at Emperor's College for
all the support—and to acknowledge the late Dr. David Migocki who would have been
especially proud of this milestone. Finally, this study would not have been possible without the
participation of the faculty at "Southwest University," whose dedication to student success is an
inspiration to us all.

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 4

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEDICATION 2

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 3

LIST OF TABLES 6

ABSTRACT 7

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 8
Background 8
Statement of the Problem 14
Research Question 16
Significance of the Study 16

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 18
Introduction 18
Five Essential Elements of Faculty Work 18
Policy Recommendations for Non-Tenure-Track Faculty 27
Needs of Non-Tenure-Track Faculty in Allied Health 34
Conclusion 37

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 39
Methodology 39
Site Selection 40
Data Collection 43
Data Analysis 49
Trustworthiness 50
Ethical Considerations 50

CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS 52
Introduction 52
Chapter Overview 52
Southwest University's Doctor of Physical Therapy Program 53
Work Environment for NTTF at SU 55
Effective Leadership of the Chair 57
Effective Communication 67
Dedication to Continuous Improvement 76
Commitment to Serving as Mentors 77
Sense of Pride and High Level of Satisfaction 78
Employment Equity 83
Academic Freedom 88
Professional Growth 91
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 5

Collegiality 99
Flexibility 101
Respect 104
Areas for Improvement 105
Chapter Summary 109

CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS 112
Introduction 112
Research Findings and Discussion 113
Contribution to Literature 118
Implications for Practice 120
Future Research 124
Conclusion 127

REFERENCES 129

APPENDICES
Appendix A: Classroom Observation Protocol 132
Appendix B: Faculty Retreat Observation Protocol 133
Appendix C: Program Chair Interview Protocol 134
Appendix D: Tenure-Track-Faculty Interview Protocol 136
Appendix E: Non-Tenure-Track Faculty Interview Protocol 138

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 6

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Kezar's (2012) Adaptation of the Framework of Gappa, Austin, 28
and Trice (2007)
Table 2 : Connection Between Features and Support for NTTF 56

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 7

ABSTRACT
There has been a dramatic rise of non-tenure-track faculty (NTTF) in higher education in
the last several decades. NTTF now represent the majority of the professoriate and educate the
majority of students in higher education. Despite this change in the academy, most institutions
have been slow to implement policies and practices that support NTTF who are confronted with
unique barriers to performing their work effectively. Most NTTF work under inferior working
conditions compared to their tenure-track peers and do not have the support needed to succeed as
faculty. There are institutions that have begun to address the needs of the NTTF and to create
positive working conditions to support them. This case study presents the experiences of part-
time NTTF in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program who work in a supportive environment
with positive policies and practices for NTTF.
This study affirmed the importance of the program chair in reinforcing positive practices
for NTTF and fostering an environment of support and respect for NTTF. In order to ensure that
having a supportive work environment for NTTF is not person dependent, a recommendation is
to establish some structural features, such as having a program chair handbook outlining the
chair's responsibilities regarding NTTF. Second, NTTF in health professions programs are
clinicians who need to be socialized into the academic community as educators. Therefore,
facilitating mentoring relationships among faculty through positive practices such as team
teaching is critical. Finally, having a culture of respect for NTTF is an essential requirement for
creating an effective faculty workplace. Achieving these key elements will help institutions
enhance NTTF's satisfaction, performance, and success, enabling them to provide the best
learning environment possible for their students.
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 8

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background
Faculty members and faculty work are the heart and thus the health of every college and
university. Concern for the well-being and productivity of the faculty is a permanent and
central issue for higher education institutions striving to meet societal needs and
mandates, even as they are confronted with the same rapid changes and shifting
expectations that confront other American institutions.
(Gappa, Austin, & Trice, 2007, p. 49)
Faculty are the intellectual capital of an educational institution, and they play an essential
role in advancing the institution's educational mission (Gappa et al., 2007). Gappa, Austin, and
Trice (2007) state that faculty are valuable institutional assets that appreciate, while other assets
such as facility, equipment, and technology depreciate the minute they are acquired (Gappa et al.,
2007). It is important to support and invest in faculty, as the health and success of an institution
depend on the faculty's ability to perform their responsibilities well. Gappa and colleagues
(2007) write that "attention to the well-being of the faculty and to the quality of the academic
work place strengthens the institution's capacity to achieve its mission and maintain its
excellence, effectiveness, and health" (Gappa et al., 2007, p. 6).
In the last twenty years, the nature of faculty appointments has changed dramatically,
and therefore it is important for colleges and universities to examine their policies and practices
to determine how faculty may be best supported so that they can be effective. In the early 20th
century, the tenured faculty position was the ideal, predominant model. Starting in the late
1980s, however, non-tenure-track faculty (NTTF) appointments began to proliferate. According
to the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), while full-time tenured faculty
comprised 29% of all institutions in 1975, the percentage decreased to 16.8% in 2009. During
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 9

the same time frame, full-time tenure-track faculty decreased from 16.1% to 7.6%. On the other
hand, full-time non-tenure-track faculty (NTTF) increased from 10.3% to 15%, and part-time
faculty increased from 24% to 41%. According to a report on the state of higher education
workforce by the American Federation of Teachers:
Full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty, once the core of our colleges and universities
are becoming smaller and smaller minority of the instructional workforce. The trend is
system wide rather than isolated to one type of institution and given the current state of
the US economy, we can assume that without intervention, this trend will continue rather
than abate. (American Federation of Teachers, 2007, p. 26)
There are several reasons for the rise in NTTF in higher education. In the late 1980s,
policy makers began criticizing higher education for neglecting undergraduate education and
relegating it to graduate teaching assistants (Kezar & Sam, 2010a). Therefore, institutions began
expanding their NTTF to fill the need for undergraduate instruction. Furthermore, economic
reasons have played a large part in the rise of NTTF. The demand for higher education began to
increase starting in the 1980s at the same time that federal and state funding for colleges and
universities began to decrease because of the recession (Gappa et al., 2007). Also, public
opinion on higher education began to change, as it was increasingly being seen as a private good
for individuals, rather than a public good for all, and as a result, colleges and universities were
faced with diminishing support and resources (Gappa et al., 2007). In an environment of
economic pressures and budgetary constraints, higher education began relying on NTTF as a
cost-saving measure.
1

1
Kezar (2012) cites Curtis (2005) who found that full-time NTTF are paid 26% less than tenured faculty. Part-time
NTTF are paid 60% less than comparable tenured faculty, calculated based on an hourly rate. In addition, NTTF, in
general, are not eligible for benefits.
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 10

Some scholars view the rise of the NTTF as a threat to the traditional tenure system and
the academic environment. Therefore, they have suggested that the solution is to return to an
increase in tenure-track positions (Kezar & Sam, 2010b). However, this is unrealistic for the
following reasons. Institutions began hiring NTTF because of fiscal constraints, and it is
unlikely that the financial picture in higher education will improve significantly in the near future
so as to open up more tenure-track positions. Second, even if institutional finances were to
improve and colleges and universities were able to shift to more tenure-track appointments, there
are still NTTF working under inequitable conditions which must be addressed (Gappa et al.,
2007). Third, many NTTF in professional fields, such as in health, education, and business,
already have full-time employment outside of the academy and are not interested in having a
tenure-track position (Gappa & Leslie, 1993). However, they bring valuable expertise and "real
life" experience that enrich the learning environment for students, and institutions must support
their needs.
Although faculty appointment patterns have shifted from tenure-line to non-tenure track
and NTTF now represent the majority of faculty in higher education, most institutions have not
adequately addressed the issue of how best to support NTTF (Kezar & Sam, 2010b). Many
institutions have not been intentional in their planning process for appointing NTTF, though they
have been growing in numbers (Kezar & Sam, 2010b). Studies have shown that many
institutions do not have policies and practices that take into account the unique needs of the
NTTF, therefore many NTTF work under inadequate working conditions that prevent them from
performing effectively (Gappa et al., 2007). A review of literature suggests that there is a lack of
policy and procedures for NTTF and that they are not supported as well as their tenure-track
peers (Baldwin & Chronister, 2001; Gappa et al., 2007; Gappa & Leslie, 1993). In some
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 11

institutions, there is not a formal process to recruit and hire NTTF as there is with tenure-track
faculty, so NTTF can be hired at the last minute. Therefore, they often do not have adequate
time to prepare for classes (Kezar & Sam, 2010a). Formal orientation for NTTF is often lacking,
so they may have difficulty understanding the purpose and goals of the program, which has an
effect on their teaching (Peters & Boylston, 2006). There is a lack of handbook specifically for
NTTF, so there are obstacles to understanding the policies and procedures of the department and
the institution, as well as the institution's expectations of them as faculty (Peters & Boylston,
2006). There is often no office space for NTTF, which affects their ability to meet with students
and offer advisement (Thompson, 2003). There is less administrative support for copying and
clerical needs for NTTF than there is for their tenure-track colleagues (Kezar & Sam, 2010a).
They generally do not have access to professional development and mentoring, so they do not
have the opportunity to advance their skills and knowledge as instructors (Gappa, et al., 2007).
They often do not participate in curriculum development, so they may not understand how their
courses are aligned with the department’s goals and purpose (Gappa et al., 2007). This adds to
the isolation of NTTF, as they do not have the opportunity to collaborate with their colleagues,
develop supportive relationships, and work toward the broader goals of the department (Gappa et
al., 2007). While institutions provide various support and services for their tenured and tenure-
track faculty, most exclude NTTF from receiving the benefits of these services that would help
them to perform at an optimal level (Gappa et al., 2007). Unfortunately, there is a bifurcated
system where NTTF are considered second class citizens, and they are not respected for the
value that they add to the institution (Gappa et al., 2007).
The AAUP has long been critical of the rise of NTTF and recommends that part-time
appointments should not exceed 15% of all faculty at an institution and 25% of faculty in a
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 12

department. The AAUP states that a widespread reliance on NTTF has created problems that
affect educational quality. The AAUP points out that NTTF do not have the same access to the
resources provided to the tenure-track faculty, therefore they cannot provide adequate services to
their students. NTTF do not have long-term job security as those who have tenure, so they may
be curtailed in exercising their academic freedom in voicing dissenting opinions. This creates a
climate where NTTF feel marginalized and disrespected. This leads to a fragmented institution
with conflict and low morale, rather than a collegial environment needed for institutions to
deliver a quality education to their students (Gappa & Leslie, 1993).
Given the fact that the working conditions of NTTF are inadequate compared to those of
tenure-track faculty, it is unfair to expect that NTTF would be able to provide the same level of
instruction as tenure-track faculty (Gappa & Leslie, 1993). Indeed, a review of literature
suggests that the expansion of NTTF has had an adverse effect on student learning. However,
assigning blame to the NTTF is unreasonable, as their poor working conditions--low wages, lack
of professional development, and marginalized status--detract from their ability to provide high
quality education to their students (Umbach, 2007).
Rather than blaming the NTTF for the decline in the quality of education, institutions
need to examine their policies and practices for NTTF and find better ways to support them, as
not investing in NTTF is damaging to the institutions (Gappa et al., 2007). A review of literature
suggests that there is a host of problems with regard to the over-reliance on NTTF, particularly
part-time, and its connection to negative student learning outcomes. A rise in both full-time and
part-time NTTF is linked with lower graduation rates at 4-year institutions (Ehrenberg & Zhang,
2005). Exposure to part-time NTTF in community colleges lowers transfer rates to 4-year
universities (Jaeger & Egan, 2011). Exposure to part-time NTTF is linked to lower GPAs and
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 13

fewer credits attempted in the subsequent semester (Delphi Project on the Changing Faculty and
Student Success, 2012). The inaccessibility of part-time NTTF also affects student learning
outcomes, as they have less interaction with students than their tenure-track peers (Umbach,
2007). Although Umbach (2007) reported that the effects were "somewhat small," he also found
that full-time NTTF had less interaction with students outside of the classroom and required less
effort from their students compared to their tenure-track peers, although they spent more time
preparing for classes than part-time and tenure-track faculty. NTTF have limited access to
resources such as professional development, and do not participate in curriculum design (Delphi
Project on the Changing Faculty and Student Success, 2012). Part-time faculty use interactive
techniques less often (Jaeger & Egan, 2011; Umbach, 2007), spend less time in class preparation,
and have lower academic standards than their tenured and tenure-track peers (Umbach, 2007).
Grade inflation is also a concern, as NTTF depend on positive student evaluations to secure
employment for the next term, as they do not have the same job security that the tenure-track
faculty enjoy (Ehrenberg & Zhang, 2005; Kezar & Sam, 2010b).
As the connection between NTTF's working conditions and their ability to create an
optimal learning environment for students is clear, what can institutions do to support NTTF so
that they can deliver quality instruction to their students? The report from the Delphi Project on
the Changing Faculty and Student Success states that institutions need to support NTTF by
giving them office space, an orientation to the department, opportunities for professional
development, and participation in curriculum development, which will affect student learning
positively. The report notes:
If an institution does not support faculty members in their roles, faculty will be limited
in fulfilling their role in the institution and using promising practices. It is important
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 14

that institutional leaders understand that they are responsible for supporting faculty
in ways that create optimal circumstances to support student success.
(Delphi Project on the Changing Faculty and Student Success, 2012, p. 20)
It is imperative that colleges and universities better support their NTTF so that they can be
effective in their role, advance student learning, and fulfill the academic mission of the
institution. Gappa and Leslie (1993) state that "institutions should tackle the issues of part-time
faculty employment from a foundation of self-interest" (Gappa & Leslie, 1993, p. 283) and that
"the future of colleges and universities is largely the future of its faculty" (Gappa & Leslie, 1993,
p.284).
Statement of the Problem
Following the trend in higher education at large, there has been a rise in NTTF in health
professions programs, including in medicine, dentistry, and nursing, and therefore these
programs are also vulnerable to the negative effects on student learning (Creech, 2008; Forbes,
Hickey, & White, 2010; Howell, Chen, Joad, Green, Callahan, & Bonham, 2010; Kennedy &
Hunt, 1998). As in other areas of higher education, NTTF in the health professions need
institutional support to be successful faculty (West, Borden, Bermudez, Hanson-Zalot, Amorim,
& Marmion, 2009). Various studies have identified problematic conditions in the health
professions programs that mirror trends in broader higher education as it relates to NTTF
(Howell et al., 2010; Peters & Boylston, 2006; West et al., 2009). And like NTTF in other fields,
studies indicate they need an orientation, mentoring, online resources, office space, opportunities
for professional development, and other resources needed for faculty in the health professions
that tenure-track faculty have (Forbes et al., 2010; Howell et al., 2010; Peters & Boylston, 2006).
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 15

As professional health programs have had a long history with NTTF, they may have
some model departments for identifying best practices. Health professions programs have relied
on NTTF, as there are many advantages to having them, and they bring many benefits to
students. The NTTF are valued for their clinical expertise and professional experience outside
academia (Gappa, 2002). They are seen as an asset to the program because they have up-to-date,
"real world" knowledge which will help students develop their skills as clinicians and prepare
them for career success (Wallin, 2004). Whereas NTTF in other disciplines are treated as
expendable laborers, NTTF in the health professions tend to be more respected. Because there is
a shortage of qualified, doctoral level, tenure eligible faculty in some health professions, such as
in nursing and dentistry, institutions may be more motivated to support NTTF well and groom
them to become full-time tenure-track faculty (Hinshaw, 2001; West et al., 2009). While these
fields also experience problems of institutions often overlooking NTTF as they develop campus
policies and practices, their longer history means there may be some models that can be
identified and made public for replication by others (Gappa, 2002).
In order to examine the issue of support for NTTF, I conducted a case study of a physical
therapy program at a university in the southwest. I chose a case study, as it is an appropriate
methodology for examining and documenting models of support. My study was guided by the
frameworks of Gappa, Austin, & Trice (2007) who outline the essential elements of the faculty
workplace and Kezar (2012) who offers policies and practices specifically in support of NTTF.
Research Question
The purpose of my qualitative case study was to identify models for supporting NTTF in
a physical therapy program. My research question was: What do the chair, tenured and tenure-
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 16

track faculty, and NTTF in a physical therapy department perceive to be the support NTTF need
to be effective
2
in their teaching role?
Significance of the Study
It is important to understand the needs of NTTF as they are educating the majority of
students in higher education. Kezar and Sam (2010b) write that "they are in large measure the
individuals responsible for meeting the mission of post-secondary institutions, and to know so
little about who these faculty are (and how to support them) is at best reckless and at worst
unethical" (Kezar & Sam, 2010b, p.3). While there have been many studies on NTTF in
community college settings, very few studies have been conducted specifically in the health
professions programs, and none in a physical therapy program with regard to NTTF and their
needs. Because the health professions programs have had a long history with NTTF, it was
worthwhile to study these programs to learn good practice models for supporting NTTF. There
are many studies from a deficit point of view of NTTF, where they are viewed as negatively
affecting the quality of education. This study has added to the body of existing knowledge
regarding NTTF in the health professions programs where NTTF bring so much value to their
students. As there are many health professions programs that do not support their faculty well
and have not been successful in integrating their NTTF into their departments, this study has
offered some model practices that can be used to improve the quality of education provided.
While I looked for positive policies, practices, and values that support NTTF at SU, I also
discovered working conditions that hinder the ability of the NTTF to effectively fulfill their
teaching role, which I addressed in the study. At the completion of this study, we gained an
understanding of what the chair and the faculty in a physical therapy department perceive as

2
The essential elements of effective faculty performance will be defined in chapter two.

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 17

support the NTTF need so that NTTF can contribute positively to student learning and success.
This study has provided information to allied health programs, as well as to other disciplines, on
how best to support their NTTF so that they can improve their educational outcomes,
departmental climate, and the commitment, performance, and morale of all of their faculty. It is
in the best interest of institutions to support their faculty well, so that in turn, the faculty can best
serve the needs of their students and their learning. If the United States is to meet President
Obama's goal of increasing college degree attainment to 60% by 2020 (U.S. Department of
Education, 2011), it is critical that institutions examine the working conditions of the NTTF who
are educating the majority of all students in higher education and play a key role in their success.
If the United States is to compete in a global economy, we must safeguard the quality of higher
education by learning from institutions that have flourished because they have made a
commitment to supporting and investing in all of their faculty.
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 18

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
The purpose of this case study is to identify models for supporting NTTF in a physical
therapy department. Supporting NTTF is important as they teach the majority of students in
higher education, and it is in the best interest of institutions to support NTTF so that they can be
effective and provide a good learning environment for their students. To this end, my research
question is: what do the chair, tenured and tenure-track faculty, and NTTF in a physical therapy
program perceive as the support NTTF need to perform effectively. In order to examine this
issue, I will present from the literature the essential elements that all faculty need to succeed, the
policy recommendations specifically for NTTF, and the needs of NTTF in allied health. First, I
will describe the framework of Gappa, Austin, and Trice (2007), in which they outline the
essential elements that faculty need in the workplace to be successful. While Gappa and
colleagues (2007) developed their framework with tenure-track faculty in mind, they noted that
these essential elements are also applicable to NTTF. Second, I will describe the framework that
Kezar (2012) offers, in which she adapts Gappa and colleagues' (2007) framework with policy
recommendations specifically in support of NTTF. Lastly, I will present a review of literature of
needs that are unique for NTTF in allied health.
Five Essential Elements of Faculty Work
Gappa et al. (2007) state that faculty in higher education have grown, diversified, and
their appointment patterns have changed in the last decades. Many colleges and universities now
operate with a tripartite system of faculty appointments: faculty that are tenured or tenure-track
who serve the traditional role of teaching, service, and research; faculty with renewable contracts
who focus on teaching or research; and temporary faculty who are hired to teach specific
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 19

courses. Faculty with renewable contracts and who are temporary are not eligible for tenure, and
they generally do not enjoy the benefits of tenured faculty, such as respect, autonomy,
collegiality, and opportunities for professional development. According to Gappa et al. (2007)
institutions have shifted appointment types from tenured to non-tenure-track without
considering the impact this would have on faculty and the academic workplace. Gappa et al.
(2007) argue that in order to enhance faculty commitment to the institution and to maximize their
talents in service to the academic mission, policies and practices need to evolve to address the
needs across the different appointment types. They write that "it is important to find ways to
retain the substance of the key traditions of tenure, academic freedom and sufficient job security,
and simultaneously to ensure that all faculty members, regardless of their appointment types, are
supported in their work and valued by their institutions" (Gappa et al., 2007, p. 130).
Gappa et al. (2007) state that in order to achieve a mutually beneficial relationship
between faculty and the institution, there are five elements of the workplace that need to be in
place: employment equity, academic freedom and autonomy, flexibility, professional growth,
and collegiality. These elements are interdependent, and one element supports the growth of
another element. At the center of these elements is respect, which is foundational for fostering
the five elements. Based on studies of faculty satisfaction and meaningful work, Gappa et al.
(2007) arrived at the essential elements that need to be in place for all faculty, including NTTF,
in order for them to perform effectively and to contribute to the educational goals of the
institution. Gappa et al. (2007) suggest that when institutions strengthen these elements in the
workplace, they are likely to enhance faculty satisfaction and commitment, have better
recruitment and retention, achieve a diverse faculty makeup, and effectively utilize faculty's
talents. Gappa and colleagues (2007) suggest that creating a positive environment for faculty
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 20

would mean that faculty, in turn, are likely to create a better learning environment for their
students and contribute more significantly to the success of the institution.
Respect
The five essential elements for faculty work revolve around the core foundation of
respect. Gappa et al. (2007) define respect as the "basic human valuing of people for who they
are and for what they uniquely contribute to their organizations" (Gappa et al., 2007 p.145).
Gappa et al. (2007) refer to a study from the corporate sector by Campbell and Koblenz (1997)
that addresses the causes of dissatisfaction in the workplace. Campbell and Koblenz's (1997)
study suggests that employees consider respect to be a basic entitlement, and it is critical to their
satisfaction. In their study, when respect was not part of the work environment, employees
reported outcomes such as turnover, apathy, low productivity, and unwillingness to contribute
fully to the organization. Furthermore, when respect was not shown to employees, employees
did not appreciate other supportive and beneficial policies, such as childcare provided by the
corporation. Therefore, the study found that issues of respect were paramount in the workplace.
In order to create an environment of respect, Gappa et al. (2007) recommend that
institutions perform a cultural audit to determine the areas that need improvement. Gappa et al.
(2007) suggest using Bolman and Deal's (1997) framework to audit the culture. Bolman and
Deal's (1997) four lenses are structural, political, human resources, and symbolic. The structural
lens involves examining the policies and procedures of the institution and may include studying
whether the institution restricts the use of certain programs for tenure-track faculty only, whether
support services are available for faculty who teach outside of the regular hours, and whether
work assignments are given equitably among faculty with different appointment types. From the
political lens, the institution may look at how power and resources are distributed among the
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 21

faculty. The institution would look at issues such as whether NTTF are included in the faculty
senate, whether NTTF serve on important institutional committees, and whether NTTF can
participate in decisions about the curriculum. Using the political lens would also mean looking
at how resources for administrative support are distributed. From the human resources lens,
which emphasizes relationships, institutions would review contracts for NTTF and determine if
they contribute to job security. Looking at the level of accessibility of department chairs to all
faculty and the existence of professional development for NTTF are also important from a
human resources frame. Lastly, the symbolic frame deals with the importance of myths, rituals,
and stories. The institution would look at whether NTTF faculty are listed in the faculty
directory and where NTTF offices are located in relation to the offices of the tenure-track
faculty. Gappa et al. (2007) emphasize that respect for all faculty must be a core value of the
institution and should be cultivated and communicated whenever possible. When faculty do not
feel respected, their motivation and commitment decline, therefore they cannot contribute all that
they can to the growth and success of the institution. Respect is the essential requirement for all
the other elements to take root and flourish.
Employment Equity
Equity is an essential element of the work environment for faculty. Because NTTF have
grown in numbers and comprise the majority of all faculty, it is important to ensure equity across
the different appointment types. According to Gappa et al. (2007) equity stems from respect for
all faculty who make a valuable contribution to the institution, regardless of the appointment
type. In order to have equity, Gappa et al. (2007) write that all faculty should have the key
components of a traditional faculty appointment, including participation in governance decisions
regarding their employment, academic freedom, and opportunities for professional development.
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 22

However, Gappa et al. (2007) emphasize that equity does not mean uniform treatment; it means
that faculty are treated fairly after their differences in their appointments are considered. Gappa
et al. (2007) state that there should be clear, equitable policies governing each faculty
appointments and that NTTF should not be left vulnerable to the whims of department chairs.
All faculty members should have access to administrative support, office supplies, equipment
and computers, even if they are part-time NTTF. In order to achieve equity, especially for full-
time NTTF, Gappa et al. (2007) recommend that NTTF have multi-year contracts, an evaluation
and promotion system, appropriate titles, equitable compensation, support for professional
development, and right to academic freedom.
Academic Freedom
Academic freedom is defined as the faculty’s freedom in the classroom, freedom in
research and scholarship, and freedom to express their opinions as citizens (Gappa, et al., 2007).
The concept of academic freedom is linked with the idea of autonomy, which means that the
faculty also have the right to design their class, select books and learning materials, and choose
teaching strategies. The need to protect faculty’s academic freedom was the fundamental reason
for the tenure system, codified in the AAUP’s statement in 1940. The tenure contract provides
that after faculty members successfully pass a comprehensive review by their peers, they would
be guaranteed continuous employment. However, Gappa et al. (2007) argue that all faculty,
regardless of their appointment type, need to have academic freedom, as they have a right to
express their truth, albeit in a responsible manner. Gappa et al. (2007) cite Baldwin and
Chronister (2001), who argue that academic freedom is essential to the faculty role, and if it is
compromised for one group of faculty, then it affects the integrity of the entire faculty. Gappa et
al. (2007) acknowledge that because academic freedom is linked with tenure, it may be
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 23

challenging for institutions to extend it to NTTF. They recommend that institutions provide a
clear description of what constitutes academic freedom and include this in the policy handbook
and contract for NTTF. Institutions should develop a grievance policy for reports of alleged
violation of academic freedom and ensure that the policy includes provisions for NTTF. They
suggest that a retired or senior faculty serve as a trained ombudsman who would be available to
counsel and guide faculty reporting a breach of academic freedom. The ombudsman could also
help to resolve grievances informally, when it is possible and appropriate. Gappa et al. (2007)
emphasize that institutions need to educate new faculty about academic freedom, because it is
not a concept that is emphasized in graduate schools, nor commonly understood outside the
academy. They suggest that this could be done in orientations and convocations. They also
stress the importance of regularly updating and educating the faculty, as the concept of academic
freedom continues to evolve with time. They emphasize that academic freedom is the "life
blood" of the professoriate, and that institutions need to extend it to all faculty in order to
maintain the integrity of the educational enterprise.
Flexibility
Flexibility is an essential element of the workplace for faculty, because the faculty have
diversified since the early twentieth century. There are now both men and women in the
academy, who may have care-giving responsibilities to their children, parents, and other family
members, so there must be policies in place to accommodate the faculty with these needs. Gappa
et al. (2007) point out that because women still shoulder the bulk of family responsibilities
including childcare, a work environment that does not offer flexibility is not equitable and
disadvantages women. Gappa et al. (2007) explain that providing flexibility means adjusting
work schedules, allowing personal leaves, granting the ability to move from tenure-track to non-
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 24

tenure-track positions and from full-time to part-time positions, and opportunities for job sharing.
These options enable faculty to attend to various personal responsibilities and life circumstances,
and reduce their stress level so that they are able to perform at their highest level at work. When
individuals are stressed, their productivity and commitment to the organization decline. Gappa
et al. (2007) refer to a study from the corporate sector which found that employees from DuPont
who took advantage of work-life and flexibility programs reported that they were more
committed and suffered less burn-out than employees who did not participate in the programs.
Therefore, Gappa et al. (2007) state that flexibility is an important strategic element of the
workplace. Out of all the essential elements, flexibility requires the institution to make a
financial commitment, such as offering paid leaves. Gappa et al. (2007) write that by adopting
these policies that afford flexibility, institutions will be on the cutting edge in redefining the
meaning of commitment to an institution and be able to retain talented individuals in the
academy.
Professional Growth
Having opportunities to develop one's knowledge in one's discipline is a hallmark of
being a member of a profession. Professional growth is important for faculty as well as to the
institution. Opportunities for professional growth allow faculty to stay current, engaged, and
productive. Faculty who demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning also serve as a
positive role model to their students. Gappa et al. (2007) suggest that institutions that invest in
faculty growth can improve faculty productivity, morale, and commitment. After all, if an
institution demonstrates commitment to the development of its faculty, the faculty, in turn, will
be committed to the institution. Gappa et al. (2007) recommend that institutions provide faculty
with resources to do their jobs well, such as workshops on assessing learning outcomes, teaching
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 25

underprepared students, and incorporating technology into their teaching. Institutions also need
to disseminate information on faculty development events widely on campus. Additionally,
Gappa et al. (2007) recommend that institutions provide opportunities for faculty from diverse
backgrounds and disciplines to gather and network so that they can share ideas on teaching and
learn from multiple perspectives. The authors also recommend team teaching, in which a NTTF
can partner with a tenured or tenure-track faculty, so that collaborative relationships can be
created across the appointment types. Gappa et al. (2007) recommend that departmental chairs
pair up new faculty with established faculty, so that faculty can build collegial relationships and
support one another. The mentoring relationship can be mutually enriching, as it can give the
senior faculty satisfaction in nurturing a novice faculty, and the new faculty can gain knowledge
about institutional norms. Gappa et al. (2007) also recommend that department chairs help
faculty with individualized growth plans, with goals and action plans. Gappa et al. (2007) state
that all faculty members need professional development so that they can stay vibrant, productive,
and knowledgeable, and institutions that invest in their faculty are investing in their future health
and success.
Collegiality
Collegiality refers to the faculty's sense of belonging to an academic community and the
respect that the members have for one another for the contributions that they make. Gappa et al.
(2007) write that having a collegial environment is likely to lead to good morale and faculty
satisfaction. Gappa et al. (2007) write that in order to have a collegial environment, all faculty
should have opportunities to participate in governance at a level appropriate to their appointment
status. Also, all faculty should be invited to college events and activities so that NTTF do not
feel marginalized and isolated. Institutions can foster collegiality by creating opportunities for
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 26

faculty to come together and learn about one another's disciplines and create meaningful
relationships with one another. Gappa et al. (2007) offer suggestions such as creating lunch time
seminars for faculty around a topic of interest, such as some facet of teaching. Another idea is to
have faculty learning communities where they learn about the institutional mission or about
different disciplines on campus. Social events such as picnics where faculty can bring their
family members would allow more faculty to participate. Faculty members' engagement with
one another can result in creative collaborations and interdisciplinary learning, which can
contribute to a better climate for faculty.
Important Role of the Chair
Gappa et al. (2007) underscore the importance of the role of the chair in fostering a
culture of collegiality and respect. Gappa et al. (2007) write that the "chairs are where the action
is" because faculty spend their time and efforts in the department (Gappa et al., 2007, p. 169).
According to Gappa et al. (2007) the chair's primary job is to promote academic excellence and
to ensure the well-being of the faculty. The chair's role in creating a supportive, inclusive
environment for all faculty is critical, as he or she sets the tone of the department, establishes and
interprets policies, ensures that new faculty become integrated into the department, provides
resources to the faculty, determines work assignments, and facilitates career development for
faculty. The ways in which chairs carry out their duties have a big impact on the culture of the
department and influence the climate and morale. Because the role of the chair is so important
and complex, Gappa et al. (2007) highlight two institutions that are providing support and
training to their chairs: Carleton College offers a detailed, comprehensive handbook on the
website for chairs clearly outlining every facet of their role, and the University of Missouri
provides a year-long, in-depth leadership training for their chairs. The chairs serve as both
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 27

academic leaders and administrative managers of their departments, and their strong leadership
can create a supportive, collegial, and respectful environment for all faculty.
In conclusion, Gappa et al. (2007) provide a valuable framework that institutions can use
to improve the working conditions for faculty. Having a work environment characterized by
equity, academic freedom, flexibility, professional growth, and collegiality, with a foundation of
respect, is likely to create positive outcomes for the faculty, such as improved satisfaction,
commitment, and productivity. Creating positive working conditions for faculty is likely to
enhance faculty performance and student learning. Institutions achieve excellence through the
dedication of their faculty, therefore supporting good working conditions for all faculty so that
they can perform their best should be a paramount goal of all institutions.
Policy Recommendations for NTTF
Kezar (2012) builds on Gappa and colleagues' (2007) framework by offering ten policy
recommendations, specifically for NTTF that fit under the five essential elements of the
workplace. Kezar (2012) emphasizes the importance of understanding the policy
recommendations not just as a series of bullet points but within the broader framework of
effective faculty work. Through these policy recommendations, Kezar (2012) calls for
institutions to professionalize NTTF, rather than treating them as managed laborers as some
NTTF have described their experience in the academy. Kezar (2012) writes that
professionalizing NTTF will improve their performance and productivity, which will enhance the
quality of their teaching and the learning experience of their students.
Kezar (2012) adapts the framework by Gappa et al. (2012) by connecting the policy
recommendations to each of the five essential elements for faculty workplace as follows.

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 28

Table 1: Kezar's (2012) Adaptation of the Framework of Gappa et al. (2007)
Five
elements
Gappa et
al. (2007)
Policy recommendations for
professionalizing NTTF
Kezar (2012)
Actions in support of policies
Kezar (2012)
Equity Regularize hiring; clear role
definitions; revise contracts,
compensation and benefits;
appropriate office space
clerical support and
equipment
Follow affirmative action policy by
regularizing hiring; equitable benefits and
compensation lead to equitable employment
Academic
freedom
Protection policies;
involvement in governance
Seek input from NTTF on a variety of
decisions, including teaching and learning
environment; allow NTTF to make decisions
on textbooks, syllabi.
Flexibility Involvement in governance Allow NTTF input on decisions that affect
their employment; allow movement from non-
tenure to tenure-track positions; include service
work in NTTF contract so that they have more
flexibility in their role.
Professional
growth
Promotion and evaluation;
professional development and
mentoring
Give NTTF feedback on performance, so that
they can develop as faculty; provide them
opportunities to develop new skills and
knowledge as instructors
Collegiality Regularize hiring; systemic
socialization; involvement in
governance
Have tenured and NTTF participate in hiring
process for NTTF; create opportunities for
NTTF and tenure-track faculty to socialize,
build relationships, and break down barriers;
invite NTTF to all campus social events; foster
networks for NTTF through creative
assignment of office space

Equity - Hiring Process
Kezar (2012) writes that in order to achieve employment equity, institutions need to have
a formal process for hiring NTTF so that they can cast a wide net and find the best qualified
candidates, instead of having the chairs make hiring decisions based on those they know and on
the candidates' availability. A formal process is important so that the goals of affirmative action
and having a diverse faculty are addressed in the hiring process. Kezar (2012) states that there is
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 29

less effort into hiring part-time NTTF versus full-time NTTF, because there is a misconception
that the full-time faculty will remain longer at the institution, which is contradicted by data.
Kezar (2012) recommends that there be a thoughtful, systematic process for hiring NTTF as
there is for tenure-track faculty.
Equity - Compensation and Benefits
Kezar (2012) writes that another important policy under employment equity is equitable
pay for NTTF. For full-time NTTF, she recommends pay equivalent to the starting salary of a
new tenure-track faculty. For part-time NTTF, they should be compensated for holding office
hours if this is part of their responsibility. NTTF should be eligible for benefits, especially health
care and retirement. In addition, Kezar (2012) suggests parity in pay for faculty within the same
department, as well as parity in pay among all the departments.
Equity and Academic Freedom - Contracts
An important way to achieve employment equity and to ensure academic freedom for
NTTF is to provide them with multi-year contracts based on performance evaluations, so that
they have some level of job security, rather than the current practice of having annual contracts
for full-time NTTF and term contracts for part-time NTTF. Kezar (2012) also recommends that
part-time NTTF who have seniority be assigned classes before newer faculty, and that a limit on
the number of years a faculty can teach off the tenure track be eliminated. Also, employment
renewal dates should be explicitly stated in the contract for NTTF and a due process be given for
situations in which a contract is not renewed, despite longevity and positive performance
reviews.

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 30

Equity - Office Space and Clerical Support
Kezar (2012) writes that NTTF need office space to be able to meet with their students and
prepare for class. They also need to be able to make photocopies, use the internet, fax, and the
computer. These are basic supports that NTTF need to be accessible to their students and to
prepare for class, and often they are not well supported in this regard.
Equity and Academic Freedom - Governance
In addressing areas of equity and academic freedom, Kezar (2012) recommends that
NTTF have the opportunity to participate in governance, including serving on the faculty senate
and institutional committees, as well as participating in department meetings. They should have
equal vote and proportional representation on the senate as the tenure-track faculty, and they
should be compensated for their governance work.
Professional Development
One of the hallmarks of being a professional is having the opportunity to grow and
develop in one's discipline. NTTF should be given the same opportunities as tenure-track
faculty, and they should be supported through scholarships, workshops, and opportunities to
attend professional conferences. Institutions should offer professional development geared
toward the special needs of NTTF, as well as to offer opportunities where NTTF and tenure-track
faculty can learn and grow together. Professional development events should be scheduled
when NTTF can attend, and online resources should be available.
Professional Growth and Collegiality - Socialization and Mentoring
In addressing the elements of professional growth and collegiality, Kezar (2012) writes
that socializing NTTF into the institution and the department is important so that NTTF can learn
the norms of the organization. Recommendations include holding formal orientations for NTTF,
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 31

scheduled during a time when they can attend, as well as making an online orientation available.
Through the orientation, NTTF can learn about grading policies and procedures, the
characteristics of the student body, and other information that will equip them to perform
effectively as faculty. In addition to the orientation, mentoring can play an important role in
integrating NTTF into the department, and Kezar (2012) recommends that both tenure-track and
senior NTTF serve as mentors to new NTTF. Having tenure-track faculty serving as mentors for
NTTF is especially important as it can help to bridge the divide between the two groups and
dispel negative stereotypes, as they get an opportunity to form meaningful, mutually supportive
relationships.
Equity and Professional Growth - Roles and Responsibilities
In order to ensure equity and to enhance professional growth, Kezar (2012) writes that
institutions need to clarify NTTF's roles and responsibilities, especially those of full-time NTTF.
If there are expectations that full-time NTTF be involved with research and service as with the
tenure-track faculty, this needs to be made explicit in their contracts. Also, if they are
responsible for student advisement, this needs to be specified. There needs to be clear
expectations for faculty, and they must be evaluated based on agreed-upon expectations.
Evaluating NTTF without defining their roles and responsibilities sets them up for failure, as
they may be given negative evaluations based on standards that NTTF are not aware of or cannot
meet because of their status.
Professional Growth - Promotion and Evaluation
With regard to professional growth, Kezar (2012) recommends that NTTF be eligible for
promotion and salary increases based on performance evaluations just as the tenure-track faculty.
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 32

NTTF should participate in developing an evaluation and promotion system for NTTF; if peer
review is part of the evaluation, both tenure-track and NTTF should conduct the evaluations.
Academic Freedom
Academic freedom of NTTF should be safeguarded, especially as it relates to their
participation in governance. There should be a specific statement in the employment contract
that protects their academic freedom, so that they could critique the administration and freely
voice their opinions in carrying out their governance duties, without a fear of reprisal and
termination.
Kezar (2012) writes that the essential elements and the related policy recommendations
support and build upon one another and if one element is strengthened, the other elements are
enhanced as well. For example, if there is collegiality among faculty, tenure-track faculty are
more likely to support equitable employment conditions for NTTF. If some policy
recommendations are neglected, there could be a "domino effect" and damage the foundation of
the change efforts to support NTTF (Kezar, 2012, p.15).
Policy, Practices, and Principles and Cultural Change
Kezar (2012) writes that changing policies, practices, and principles can bring about a
cultural change in an institution. Kezar (2012) writes "research on change demonstrates that
changing the culture of the institution is one of the most important ways to institutionalize
changes, and it requires alteration of policies, practices, and principles/values" (Kezar, 2012, p.
16). Kezar (2012) writes that some scholars have recommended working on uncovering and
changing the assumptions and values of an organization so as to bring about positive policy
changes, while others have recommended making changes in policies and practices first and then
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 33

opening the discussion on the underlying values and principles. Kezar (2012) recommends that
institutions work all three areas simultaneously to bring about positive changes for NTTF.
Heterogeneity of NTTF
Finally, in examining support for NTTF, it is important to recognize the heterogeneity of
NTTF in comparison to tenure-track faculty NTTF are not a homogenous mass, but are diverse
in terms of their motivation, employment history, and life circumstances. Gappa and Leslie
(1993) cite Tuckman (1978) who first created a typology of part-time faculty as follows: a)
semiretireds who are former full-time academics who are teaching part-time, b) graduates
students who teach at an institution different from where they are earning a degree so that they
can gain teaching experience, c) hopeful full-timers who aspire to tenure-track status, d) full-
mooners who hold another primary job, e) homeworkers who work part-time while caring for a
family, f) part-mooners who work part-time in two institutions, and g) part-unknowners whose
reasons for working part-time is unknown. Gappa and Leslie (1993) reorganized Tuckman's
(1978) typology into four broad categories: career enders; specialists, experts and professionals;
aspiring academics; and freelancers. Career enders are those who have had a career outside of
academia and are retired or semi-retired and teach part-time for enjoyment and/or supplemental
income. Specialists, experts, and professionals are employed full-time outside of academia and
teach part-time because they enjoy it. They come from varied backgrounds and can add prestige
to the institution. Aspiring academics are those who would like to be part of the "regular"
faculty and have status similar to that of a tenure-track faculty. Freelancers are those who have
multiple jobs outside of academia, and part-time teaching is one source of income. Kezar (2012)
writes that it is important to recognize the different motivations and needs of NTTF. For
specialists, equitable pay might not be important, as they are employed full-time elsewhere,
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 34

whereas for aspiring academics, equitable pay would be very important. For career enders,
having professional development opportunities might not be desirable, whereas it would be for
aspiring academics. Kezar (2012) recommends that institutions survey their NTTF to determine
their needs and implement policies to support NTTF with the choice to opt out for some.
Needs of NTTF in Allied Health
As in all areas of higher education, the number of NTTF in the health disciplines,
including nursing, dentistry, and medicine have increased (Forbes, Hickey, & White, 2010;
Howell, Chen, Joad, Green, Callahan, & Bonham, 2010; Kennedy & Hunt, 1998). Cost-saving
has been cited as one of the reasons for hiring part-time NTTF, as they are generally not eligible
for benefits and receive lower compensation than full-time tenure-track faculty (Kezar & Sam,
2010b). In nursing programs however, a major reason for the growth of NTTF has been that
there is a shortage of doctoral-prepared, full-time, tenure-eligible faculty (Hinshaw, 2001). As
nursing institutions have increased enrollment to meet the demand for more nurses in the
workforce, they have recruited part-time NTTF to teach additional classes, especially focusing
on clinical supervision (Forbes et al., 2009). The NTTF are valued for their clinical expertise,
though they often do not have formal training in education (West et al., 2009). Unlike tenure-
track faculty in nursing who have PhDs and who are likely to have served as teaching assistants
during their doctoral studies, most new NTTF do not have experience with teaching. There have
been challenges for both the institutions and the NTTF as the NTTF in nursing have grown in
numbers (West et al., 2009). A study conducted with 538 associate degree nursing students
using the Nursing Clinical Teacher Effectiveness Inventory found that part-time, clinical NTTF
were ranked by the students to be significantly less effective in teaching than full-time, tenure-
track faculty, and the authors cited the factors of the NTTF's working conditions contributing to
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 35

their perception of being less effective (Allison-Jones & Hirt, 2004). Nursing programs have
begun to create programs to help support part-time NTTF so that they could be effective in their
faculty role. Institutional support has included a formal orientation program, mentoring
program, an online discussion board so that NTTF could feel part of the academic community, a
faculty handbook especially for NTTF, and additional training opportunities with tuition
remission (Forbes et al., 2009; West et al., 2009). I will focus my literature review on the
nursing profession for the following reasons. Although the nursing literature offered very few
studies addressing the issue of support for NTTF as a unique group, as there have been even
fewer studies conducted on the support for clinical NTTF faculty in other health disciplines, and
none in the field of physical therapy.
3
This is an emerging area of research, and there are limited
published studies addressing the needs of NTTF in allied health. Focusing on literature from
nursing is appropriate as it has many similarities to physical therapy, as they both draw NTTF
who are clinical specialists, but are not trained as educators, therefore both disciplines face
similar challenges socializing faculty into the academic culture. Also, in nursing and physical
therapy, there is not a large pool of qualified candidates with PhDs for full-time, tenure-line
positions as there is in other disciplines such as English, so both programs are dependent on their
part-time NTTFs to teach their students to be competent healthcare professionals.
Orientation Program
A comprehensive orientation to the institution and to the department is important for all
NTTF, but it is especially important for new part-time NTTF in nursing, as they are selected for
their clinical knowledge and professional experience, but they generally do not have experience
as educators. A survey of 65 part-time NTTF at the Adelphi School of Nursing found that

3
There are studies on the rise of NTTF in medicine, however, these studies focus on needs of research-oriented
faculty or faculty whose primary responsibility is for patient care. Therefore, I chose not to include literature from
medicine, as my study will focus on NTTF in their teaching role.
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 36

orientation was inadequate and that the lack of socialization into the academic environment
created many obstacles to teaching (Forbes et al., 2009). Institutions can help NTTF
successfully transition from a clinician to an educator through a strong orientation program.
Through the formal orientation program, departments can communicate important key
information to the new NTTF, tell them where to seek resources, and introduce them to the
experienced faculty so that they can develop relationships and exchange ideas about teaching
strategies (Forbes et al., 2009). Morin and Ashton (2004) write that orientation is the first step in
the on-going process of faculty development and socialization into the academic environment.
Mentoring
A mentoring program is also valuable for NTTF in nursing, as they are likely not to be
knowledgeable about theories of learning, evaluation, and curriculum assessment (West et al.,
2009) and without guidance and nurturing from an experienced educator, the transition from a
practicing professional to a nurse educator is likely to be difficult (West et al., 2009). Through
the mentoring relationship, the new NTTF can learn about their academic role, the expectations
for them as faculty, and the unwritten norms of the institution. The mentor could also help the
NTTF with writing a syllabus, developing lesson plans, evaluating students, and working with
challenging students (Peters & Boylston, 2006). Also through the mentoring process, institutions
could cultivate NTTF and encourage them to further their education to become full-time tenure-
track faculty (West, et al., 2009). Lastly, the relationship developed between a doctoral-
prepared, full-time, tenure-track faculty and a part-time clinical NTTF could lead to
collaborations in research and scholarship, as they serve as an important link between academia
and clinical practice (Peters & Boylston, 2006). As Boice (1991) cited by Morin and Ashton
(2004) suggests, faculty new to the role or the institution requires three years minimum to be
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 37

acculturated (Morin & Ashton, 2004). Therefore, it is even more critical to support part-time
NTTF in nursing who spend limited time on campus, so that they can succeed as faculty and best
serve their students.
Faculty Handbook and Online Resources
A faculty handbook for NTTF is important, so that faculty are informed about the
mission and purpose of the institution and the department and the policies that faculty need to
know. The College of Nursing at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston has
created an online repository of resources for NTTF, including the faculty handbook, so that
NTTF can access this information at any time (Duffy, Stuart, & Smith, 2008). As part of the
online resource, schools have established discussion boards, so that NTTF can ask questions, get
feedback from their colleagues, and build a support network, as many NTTF report a feeling of
isolation (Duff, Stuart & Smith, 2008; Peters & Boylston, 2006).
Conclusion
In conclusion, supporting NTTF to fulfill their role successfully is critical for institutions
to meet their academic mission. In this literature review, I have presented Gappa and colleagues’
(2007) framework for five essential elements of faculty work, which is the primary framework I
will use to guide my study. Because Gappa and colleagues' (2007) framework was designed
with tenure-track faculty in mind, I have also presented Kezar’s (2012) policy and practice
recommendations specifically for NTTF to shed light on other areas for probes in my study.
Lastly, I have presented the ways to support the unique challenges that part-time NTTF in
nursing face as they transition from a clinical role to an educator role.
Having reviewed this literature, I have used it in the following ways. I used the Gappa
and colleagues' (2007) framework as my overarching model to design the study. I used it to
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 38

design the interview protocols for the NTTF, tenure-track faculty, and the program chair,
addressing each of the five essential features of faculty work. The framework also informed my
design of the classroom observations and retreat observation protocols. I used the Kezar (2012)
framework to review institutional and program documents, reports, and publications that address
NTTF and looked for positive policies and practices that are in place. After the data collection, I
used the frameworks of Gappa et al. (2007) and Kezar (2012), as well as the literature from the
nursing profession to analyze the data. As the review of literature has shown, there is a gap in
research addressing the needs of NTTF in allied health, and my study has made a contribution to
this important emerging area of study.

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 39

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
In this chapter, I will discuss the methodology, site selection, data collection, data
analysis, trustworthiness, and ethical considerations. The research question guiding this study is:
what do the chair, tenured and tenure-track faculty, and NTTF in a physical therapy program
perceive as the support NTTF need to be effective.
Methodology
I selected a descriptive, single case study as my methodology, as it is well-suited to the
purpose of my study--to conduct an in-depth examination of the policies, practices, and values
that support NTTF in a physical therapy program. Creswell (2007) writes that "in a case study, a
specific case is examined, often with the intent of examining an issue with the case illuminating
the complexity of the issue" (Creswell, 2007, p. 93). My specific, bounded case is a physical
therapy program at a university in the southwest, and the issue I examined is the support for
NTTF that promotes their effectiveness. I chose a single case study, rather than a multi-sited case
study, in order to have a “prolonged engagement in the field” (Creswell, 2007, p. 202). I made
multiple visits to the site during August to November 2013 to gain an understanding of the
people, values, and culture of the program and to gather data from different perspectives so as to
ensure the trustworthiness of the study (Creswell, 2007).
I selected the case study because it is a strong method for examining cultures and
practices. The case study allowed me to understand the culture and context in which the NTTF
work, as I made frequent visits to observe them in their natural setting. In order to understand
the culture of an organization, the researcher needs insights into the values, assumptions, and
practices of the members of the organization, which I strived to understand through interviews
and observations that are part of the case study data collection. Exploring the issue of support
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 40

for NTTF from multiple perspectives and within context in the natural setting is important in
order to achieve a holistic understanding of an institutional culture. Using a case study method
has enabled a deep, complex understanding of the issue, and the rich, thick description of the
case study has provided readers a solid basis for comparison to other settings.
Additionally, a case study is appropriate for my research purpose, as I am working from a
social constructivist paradigm, which assumes that "individuals seek understanding of the world
in which they live and work" and that they "develop subjective meanings of their experience--
meanings directed toward certain objects or thing" (Creswell, 2009, p.8). Since the social
constructivist approach relies heavily on the participants' views of the phenomenon being
studied, a case study method, with its interviews and open-ended questions, is appropriate. Also,
how individuals make meaning of their experience is varied and multiple, and the case study
method has enabled me to understand the complexity of views of the NTTF. The case study
method allowed me to explore the issue of support for NTTF from multiple perspectives,
including from the viewpoint of the program chair as well as the tenure-track faculty, as Stake
(1995) states that "the qualitative case researcher tries to preserve the multiple realities, the
different and even contradictory view of what is happening" (Stake, 1995, p.12).
Site Selection
The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program at Southwest University
4
(SU) was the
site for my case study. SU is a small, private, religious university in the southwest. SU has
approximately 1500 undergraduate students and 500 graduate students. SU is well-regarded for
its graduate allied health programs in nursing and physical therapy. SU has had a graduate
program in physical therapy since the 1970s. In 2002, the program transitioned from a master's
level to a doctoral level program, following a consensus in the physical therapy profession that

4
"Southwest University" is a pseudonym for the institution in this study.
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 41

all programs move from a master's to a doctoral level education by 2020. The Doctor of
Physical Therapy (DPT) program is a three year program and has 90 students. There are six
tenure-track faculty and 40 part-time NTTF in the DPT program. The faculty are not unionized.
I used purposeful sampling to select the DPT program at SU, and I had three criteria for
selecting a program for the case study:
1. A program that had good policies and practices for supporting NTTF determined by
the framework established by Kezar (2012) in which she outlines exemplary policies and
practices for NTTF.
2. A program that had a culture of respect for NTTF.
3. A program with good student outcomes.
There are many published studies in which NTTF express being marginalized and
alienated, and I wanted to highlight the experiences of NTTF at an institution that had policies,
practices, and values that resulted in positive working conditions for NTTF. My criteria for
determining the positive policies and practices were informed and guided by the framework of
Kezar (2012), who defines positive policies and practices that support NTTF. Kezar (2012)
writes that policies are formal institutional guidelines that direct practice and action, and she
writes that supportive policies for NTTF include regularizing hiring; having clear role
definitions; giving a role in governance; and providing access to professional development,
mentoring, and evaluation. Kezar (2012) writes that practices are the "accepted behaviors,
actions, and procedures" that may not necessarily have a policy connected to them (Kezar, 2012,
p. 17). Practices are "the everyday execution of the processes" and are as important as policies in
achieving a good working environment (Kezar, 2012, p. 17).
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 42

In order to determine whether the NTTF had good policies and support for NTTF, I
conducted some preliminary interviews with the chair of the program and several NTTF in the
program. In the interviews, the NTTF expressed their belief that the program at SU was better
than other DPT programs where they were teaching or have taught. One NTTF commented,
referring to the NTTF, "Everyone who's here wants to be here." Several NTTF spoke of a paid
faculty retreat scheduled twice a year, where they give input on various aspects of the program,
including the curriculum and assessment of the program. They said they appreciated the
opportunity to see their colleagues at the retreat and to network with them. They also spoke
about team teaching in the program and mentoring relationships with other faculty. Two NTTF
spoke about their autonomy in the classroom--their ability to select textbooks, create lesson
plans, invite guest speakers, and make improvements to the course for the following term.
Through these exploratory interviews, I determined that the program met the criterion of having
established some positive policies and practices for NTTF, based on Kezar's (2012) framework.
The DPT program also met the second criterion of having a respectful culture. Gappa et
al. (2007) emphasize the importance of the chair of a program in fostering a culture of respect for
NTTF, and the DPT program seemed to be exemplary in this regard. The chair of the DPT
program started her career in the program as a part-time NTTF and appeared to value the
contributions that the NTTF make to the program. She said the NTTF were the "cream of the
crop" as clinical specialists, were dedicated to the students, and that the program could not exist
without them. The NTTF also described a collegial environment, the openness of the chair, and
the accessibility of the tenured and tenure-track faculty. Although the program is not perfect--all
programs have strengths and areas for improvement--my initial interviews and observations
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 43

suggested that there is respect for NTTF and there is commitment to supporting NTTF, which
made it an appropriate site for my study.
The program met the third criterion of having strong learning outcomes. From 2009 to
2011, the DPT program had an average graduation rate of 91%, and during the same time frame,
average pass rate on the national physical therapy licensing exam was 98% (SU website).
5

Although the literature links the expansion of NTTF in higher education with a decline in
educational quality, the DPT Program at SU seemed to present a unique case in which it is
delivering a high quality education with the majority of its faculty that are part-time, non-tenure-
track. Although my research did not focus on student outcomes, I wanted a site in which the
program was meeting its academic mission successfully.
Data Collection
A descriptive case study involves collecting data from multiple sources, including
interviews, observations, documents, and audiovisual material (Creswell, 2007) to arrive at a
detailed, rich, "thick description" of the case (Stake, 1995). I collected data from multiple
stakeholders, including the chair, tenured and tenure-track faculty, and NTTF. I also conducted
observations and reviewed documents and reports. Collecting data from multiple sources was
important for two reasons. First, I was able to triangulate the data by validating the information
collected from one source with another. This reduced the risk of relying on the biases of one
particular method and strengthened the credibility of the study (Maxwell, 2013). Second, using
multiple sources was important so that I could collect information on different facets of the
phenomenon (Maxwell, 2013). Through observations, I was able to get information on

5
The national average for first-time test takers from accredited programs was 87% in 2009; 87% in 2010; 89% in
2011 (Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy).
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 44

behaviors and events, while through the interviews, I came to understand the goals and
perspectives of the informants (Maxwell, 2013).
I collected data in the following order. First, I reviewed program documents so that I
could get sensitized to the issue of support for NTTF at SU. Second, I conducted some
observations, which helped me to identify additional areas of inquiry for the interviews. Third, I
conducted interviews. Lastly, I conducted additional observations to check and confirm the data
collected during the interviews.
Document Review
I reviewed the program website, faculty handbook, program policies and procedures,
strategic plan, and departmental newsletters. I looked for policies that supported the five
essential elements described by Gappa, Austin, and Trice (2007) and are recommended by Kezar
(2012) specifically for NTTF.
Observations
I conducted two types of observations: classroom observations where NTTF participate
in team teaching and observation of the faculty retreat that occurred in November 2013. The
observations allowed me to validate information collected through the document review, as well
as gave me insights into additional areas of inquiry that guided the interviews.
I observed three different class sessions where the faculty participate in team teaching.
The DPT offers about a dozen classes a term where NTTF team teach classes with other NTTF
as well as tenured and tenure-track faculty. This is a way in which novice faculty can be
mentored by both senior NTTF and tenure-track faculty. It was important for my study to
observe the team teaching process, so that I could understand the interpersonal dynamics and the
hierarchy that may or may not exist among faculty. The observation gave me a basis for further
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 45

inquiry during the interviews regarding how the faculty learn from one another, exchange
feedback, and develop collaborative relationships. The collegial and mutually supportive
relationships that faculty develop through team teaching contribute to a positive culture and is an
example of a strong practice in support of NTTF. My study made a contribution to the field, as
these relationships have never been documented in research regarding NTTF. The classroom
observations also allowed me an opportunity to see how new faculty are cultivated and socialized
and gave me additional probes for the interviews. For the classroom observation protocol, please
see Appendix A. For the classroom observations of the team teaching, I looked for the following
elements which helped me explore the issues of professional growth for NTTF, collegiality, and
respect in the organization:
1. NTTF being mentored by senior faculty
2. Faculty giving each other feedback and learning from each other
3. Collegiality among faculty
4. Respect for NTTF
5. NTTF being treated by tenure-track faculty as equal colleagues, rather than
professional teaching assistants.
In addition to the classroom observations, I attended a one-day faculty retreat that
occurred in November 2013. It was important for me to observe the interactions between the
faculty and see how they work together and give input on the curriculum. I looked for elements
of respect, collegiality, professional growth, and exercise of academic freedom during the retreat.
For the faculty retreat observation protocol, please see Appendix B. For the faculty retreat
observation, I looked for the evidence of the following:
1. Faculty giving each other feedback and learning from each other
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 46

2. Collegiality among faculty
3. Respect for NTTF
4. Expressions of academic freedom by NTTF (e.g., giving opinion on curriculum
without reservation and freely giving constructive criticism.)
Finally, I observed the office spaces, the hallways for the department postings, and areas where
students and faculty gather.
Interviews
In the DPT program, there are six tenured and tenure-track faculty, including the chair,
who are full-time and 40 NTTF who are all part-time. I started by conducting one-on-one
interviews with three tenured and tenure-track faculty, one female of Asian descent, one male of
Asian descent, and one male of Caucasian descent. Also, I interviewed 15 NTTF. Eight were
female, seven male. Six were of Asian descent and nine were of Caucasian descent. Four NTTF
had been teaching at SU for 1-4 years, seven NTTF for 5-8 years, two NTTF for 9-12 years, one
for 13-16 years, and 1 for 17-20 years. Through the classroom observations and the retreat, I met
NTTF faculty, and I asked them if they would be willing to be interviewed. I used a snowball
sampling technique to identify additional participants. I also asked a long-term NTTF to identify
other NTTF to be interviewed, and he sent out an invitation to his colleagues to participate in my
study. I selected a diverse sample of NTTF in terms of gender, number of years taught at the
institution, the number of courses taught at the institution, and those who teach at multiple
institutions. I attempted to achieve a maximum variation in my sample of NTTF to be
interviewed so that I could enhance the transferability of the study (Merriam, 2009). I prepared a
letter asking the tenured faculty to participate in my research and asked the chair to email the
letter to the faculty. The interviews were semi-structured and lasted 20-60 minutes. I conducted
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 47

one-on-one interviews in person with 14 participants, and I conducted interviews via telephone
with five participants. I asked permission to record the interviews. The recording tapes were
transcribed. I also took notes during the interview.
Interview protocols. I had different protocols for the different faculty appointment types
and the program chair. For interview protocols for the chair, tenured and tenure-track faculty,
and NTTF, please see Appendix C, D, and E. I designed the interview protocols based on the
Gappa et al. (2009) framework in which the authors outline the five essential elements of
effective faculty work and the Kezar (2012) framework in which she makes specific policy
recommendations for NTTF. I designed semi-structured interview protocols, so that I had a
number of same questions for all the faculty and the program chair, but also allowed space for
other questions to emerge as the interviews unfolded. Merriam (2009) writes that this allows the
researcher to "respond to situation at hand, to the emerging worldview of the respondent, and to
new ideas on the topic" (Merriam, 2009, p. 90).
Program chair. First, I interviewed the chair, as the chair plays an important role in
setting a positive climate for NTTF. The chair is also responsible for policies and practices for
the department, so it was important to collect data on her perception of the support needed for
NTTF. In my interview, I began with some open-ended questions about how she sees her role in
supporting NTTF, some positive policies that are in place in support of NTTF, and other policies
that are under consideration. I also asked focused questions addressing the five essential
elements for effective faculty work. As Gappa et al. (2007) emphasize the important role of the
chair in creating a positive working environment for NTTF, I designed questions that gave me
insights into how the chair's leadership influences the culture and values of the program.
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 48

Tenured and tenure-track faculty. Second, I interviewed tenured and tenure-track
faculty, as they serve a critical role in creating a collegial environment for NTTF, which is one of
the essential elements of faculty work. My interview protocol for the tenure-track faculty was
similar to that for the program chair. At the interview, I began with some open-ended questions
about their role in supporting NTTF, some positive policies that are in place in support of NTTF,
and any future plans. Gappa et al. (2007) underscore the importance of the tenure-track faculty,
along with the program chair, in creating an inclusive environment for NTTF and in providing
colleagueship that NTTF need to develop as professionals and to perform their faculty role
successfully. My questions were designed to gain an understanding of their attitudes toward and
relationship with the NTTF.
Non-tenure-track faculty. Finally, I interviewed the NTTF, as this study is on the
support for NTTF, and they are the ones who have personal knowledge and can share their lived
experience and speak best about the support they need to be successful. For the NTTF, I
included questions that address each of the five essential elements of effective faculty work, as
well as the core requirement of respect, defined by Gappa et al. (2007). It was important to use
the framework to shape the interview questions, as the NTTF may not have reflected on all the
kinds of institutional support that would make them more effective beyond their immediate,
pressing needs. I began the interviews with some open-ended questions about the departmental
culture, whether they felt that they were supported or not, and their working conditions that made
their jobs easy or hard. I also asked some focused questions addressing each of the five essential
elements of faculty work. To address issues of employment equity, I asked about their pay and
access to office equipment and clerical support. For academic freedom, I asked them about their
classroom autonomy and participation in governance. For professional development, I asked
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 49

about the availability of mentorship and orientation to the program. Regarding flexibility, I
asked about the possibility of their moving from being NTTF to tenure-track faculty. For
collegiality, I asked about their interactions with the tenure-track faculty and the chair. Lastly, I
asked an open-ended question about the positive support in the program to address the issue of
respect.
Data Analysis
Creswell (2007) describes that qualitative data analysis consists of "moving from the
reading and memoing loop into the spiral to the describing, classifying, and interpreting loop "
(Creswell, 2007, p.151).
Documents
Documents were analyzed for themes based on the frameworks and further served as a
basis for discussion during interviews. Also, documents were used to compare and contrast data
from interviews and observations. They served as a source to validate information learned
during the interviews and observations.
Observations
I used the field notes from observations to inform my interviews and to develop
additional questions. The field notes further served in the categorizing and coding of themes
based on the conceptual frameworks.
Interviews
I started my data analysis by reading all the transcripts of interviews and made notes as I
looked for common themes and categories. My data analysis was guided by the framework of
Gappa et al. (2007). I used the five essential elements as my "pre-figured" categories, and I
worked deductively to test the framework (Creswell, 2007, p.152). At the same time, I kept an
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 50

open mind as I reviewed the data and looked for recurring themes and "emergent" categories. I
used categorical aggregation over multiple interviewees to establish patterns. Interview data
were analyzed on an on-going basis during the data collection so that the analysis could inform
the interviews and bring up additional areas of inquiry.
Trustworthiness
Lincoln and Guba (1995) use the terms credibility, transferability, dependability, and
confirmability to describe the trustworthiness of a study. I aimed to make this study credible by
collecting data from multiple sources--the chair, tenure-track faculty, and NTTF--to corroborate
the information. I also conducted observations and reviewed documents, which enabled me to
cross check information and triangulate the data, thereby establishing the trustworthiness of the
study. In order to establish credibility, the literature also recommends techniques such as
"prolonged engagement in the field" (Creswell, 2007, p.202) to learn the institutional culture,
develop relationships, and gain trust. I chose a single case study, so that I would be able to spend
sufficient time at the site and with the informants in order to conduct a trustworthy study.
Finally, I provided a detailed, "thick description" of the setting, people, and the findings in order
to provide a vicarious experience to the reader, enabling the reader to determine if the case will
be transferable to another setting (Stake, 1995).
Ethical Considerations
Creswell (1995) states that in order to be ethical, a researcher tells the participants that
they are participating in the study, tells them the purpose of the study, and does not deceive the
participants about the nature of the study. Following these guidelines, I explained the purpose of
the research study verbally and in writing to the informants. I let the informants know that they
could cease to participate at any time. I did not deceive the participants regarding the purpose of
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 51

the study. Maintaining the trust of the informant is also an ethical consideration, and therefore, I
kept confidential any sensitive information that I learned during the interview. I told the
informants that I would keep their identities confidential and that I would use pseudonyms in the
findings. Lastly, I followed all the rules and guidelines of the IRB at the University of Southern
California.

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 52

CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS
Introduction
The purpose of this case study is to identify good models for supporting part-time, non-
tenure-track faculty in a physical therapy program. My research question is: what do the chair,
tenured and tenure-track faculty, and NTTF in a physical therapy program perceive as the
support NTTF need to perform effectively. My study was guided by Gappa, Austin, and Trice's
(2007) framework, which describes the five essential elements of effective faculty work:
employment equity, academic freedom and autonomy, professional growth, collegiality, and
flexibility, around a core foundation of respect. These elements are interdependent and when
one element is strengthened, it enhances other essential elements (Gappa, Austin & Trice, 2007;
Kezar, 2012). Gappa and colleagues (2007) developed this framework with tenure-track faculty
in mind, but stated that it was applicable to NTTF as well. In addition to the Gappa and
colleagues' (2007) framework, I used Kezar's (2012) adaptation of the framework for essential
elements with policy recommendations specifically for NTTF.
Chapter Overview
In this chapter, I will first provide a description of Southwest University (SU) and its
Doctor of Physical Therapy program to provide a context for the findings. Then, I will describe
the five themes that emerged in my data analysis: effective leadership of the chair, effective
program-wide communication, dedication to continuous improvement as a program,
commitment to serving as mentors, and a sense of pride and a high level of satisfaction among
faculty. I address these themes first, because they either encompass all of the essential elements
in the Gappa and colleagues' (2007) framework or are unique features that are not included in the
framework. Then I will present the findings for each element in Gappa and colleagues' (2007)
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 53

framework. I will also address areas that need to be improved to better support NTTF at SU.
Finally, I will provide a chapter summary.
Southwest University's Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
Southwest University is a small, private, religious university in the southwest that is
"dedicated to providing a superior education enhanced by an emphasis on building leadership
skills and fostering a spirit to serve others" (SU Strategic Plan, 2013). SU offers an associate's
and a bachelor's degree programs. SU also offers a "weekend college" where students with
family and career responsibilities can attend classes on the weekends and earn a bachelor's
degree. At the graduate level SU offers 10 programs, including business, education, psychology,
nursing, film, religious studies, among others. SU offers one doctoral-level program, the Doctor
of Physical Therapy. In addition to the degree programs, SU offers four certificate programs that
offer graduate level credentials. SU has approximately 1500 students at the undergraduate level
and 500 students at the graduate level. SU is non-unionized.
SU has two campuses. The campus for the bachelor's degree program is located in the
hills in an affluent neighborhood with a panoramic view of the city. The campus for the graduate
and associate's programs are located in an enclosed, park-like setting in an urban area. The
graduate campus has several large, well-preserved, historic homes that house various
administrative offices, which creates an inviting atmosphere. The centerpiece of the campus is a
100 year old mansion where important campus events are held, including the Christmas
celebration for faculty. During my fieldwork, I saw a meeting of the Board of Trustees held at
the mansion and a filming of a television show featuring a popular actress. Both campuses are
beautiful and well-maintained. Referring to the graduate campus, Susan, a NTTF in the physical
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 54

therapy program said, "I really enjoy going there, because the campus is gorgeous, so it's nice
walking through there."
The physical therapy program at SU was established in the 1970s. In 2002, the program
transitioned from a master's level to a doctoral level program, following a consensus in the
physical therapy profession that all programs should upgrade to the doctoral level by 2020. One
of the reasons for this change was to achieve parity with other health professions programs, such
as the doctor of pharmacy programs, according to a NTTF in the program. The mission of SU's
physical therapy program is to "provide doctoral education to a diverse student body culminating
in physical therapists with sound clinical reasoning in a variety of settings who are committed to
professional and personal development, social citizenship, and compassionate care" (SU Physical
Therapy Department Policies and Procedures, 2013).
The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at SU is a three year program. There are
approximately 90 students in the program. There are approximately 30 students in a cohort, and
all the students in the cohort take classes together in lock-step. There are six tenured or tenure-
track faculty, including the chair. All the tenured and tenure-track faculty are full-time. There
are 40 NTTF who are all part-time. There are no full-time NTTF in the program. The DPT
program has a good reputation among its colleagues, as it is ranked as one of the best graduate
programs in the country in the 2013 edition of US World News and Report (SU website, 2014).
The program has good student outcomes, as the graduates have a higher passing rate on the
licensing examination than the national average.
The DPT program is housed in an attractive, modern, two-story building. On the first
floor, there are classrooms, department and faculty offices, and labs. There are additional
classrooms on the second floor. The department office houses the offices of chair and the
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 55

tenured and tenure-track faculty. The department office has a large open, communal area where
the administrative assistant and student staff work. The open area also has a work station that the
NTTF use. The department office has students and faculty coming in and out and appears to be a
convivial space for faculty. I saw faculty chatting with each other and with students in the open
area during my visits. The hallways of the building feature research posters of tenured faculty,
NTTF, and students. In addition, the hallway has a "faculty scholarship board" that displays
copies of published research studies by all faculty, including NTTF.
Work Environment for NTTF at SU
There were many positive policies, practices, and values that contributed to a supportive
working environment for NTTF in the DPT program at SU. The following table summarizes the
connection between the features in the DPT program and how they support the success of NTTF.

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 56

Table 2 : Connection Between Features and Support for NTTF
Feature How it supports NTTF performance and
success
Effective leadership of the program chair The chair sets the tone for a culture of
respect and inclusion for the NTTF, which
allows them to feel like an essential part of
the program.
Effective program-wide communication NTTF are included in broader
communication about goals and direction
of the program, therefore they understand
how their courses fit into the overall
curriculum and they can be more effective
in teaching.
Commitment to serving as mentors All is committed to mentoring the next
generation of faculty, the majority of which
are NTTF, therefore NTTF benefit through
mentoring relationships.
Dedication to continuous improvement as a
program
All is dedicated to improving the program,
therefore program involves all the NTTF in
its efforts, as the NTTF are the faculty
majority and have a substantial impact on
student learning.
Demonstrating pride in the program A program with pride does not marginalize
or exploit NTTF, but rather supports and
helps them to succeed.
Employment equity Sends the message that NTTF are full-
fledged faculty members as their tenure-
track peers and fair and equitable treatment
allows NTTF to achieve comparable results
as tenure-track faculty.
Academic freedom Allows NTTF to contribute their expertise
in the classroom.
Professional growth Allows NTTF to develop as educators and
scholars, bringing new skills and
knowledge to the classrooms.
Flexibility Collaborative course scheduling allows
NTTF to meet with their teaching team
before class and with their students after
class.
Collegiality NTTF are supported and encouraged by
their colleagues to perform successfully.

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 57

Effective Leadership of the Chair
As reflected in the literature, the chair of a department plays a critical role in fostering a
supportive environment for NTTF (Gappa, Austin, & Trice, 2007; Kezar, 2012). As the chief
administrator of the department, the chair has the authority to implement positive policies and
practices that can enhance all elements of effective faculty work and reinforce a culture respect
for NTTF. This was exemplified at SU, where the chair exercised leadership in such ways that
supported the NTTF and their ability to do their jobs well and contribute positively to the
program. The NTTF perceived the chair to be supportive in the following ways: she
demonstrated respect for faculty; she facilitated effective program-wide communication;
provided adequate equipment, materials, and infrastructure; provided professional development
opportunities for NTTF; and served as a mentor to NTTF in the areas of teaching, scholarship,
and student management.
Demonstration of Respect for NTTF
As discussed in chapter two, respect is the core foundation in which other elements of
effective faculty work revolve, and the chair has tremendous respect for NTTF and does all she
can to maintain a culture of respect. Prior to becoming the chair in 2004, Kay Martin
6
was a
NTTF in the program for two years. Having been a NTTF, she recognizes the value that NTTF
bring to the program. She said "the program could not be run without them." She continued:
What I really like about this program is the fact that we have a large number of part-
time faculty who are really invested in educating the next generation of physical
therapists, so they work extremely hard during the day in the clinic, and they find time
off during the week, at least one day a week, to be able to come in and contribute in the
classroom.

6
All names used in this study are pseudonyms.
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 58

The chair understands that in order to have an outstanding physical therapy program, she needs
to hire and retain excellent clinicians who will bring "real world" experience to the classroom
and provide cutting edge information from the field that will enhance student learning. She
clearly values the NTTF and communicates her appreciation for the NTTF. Alex, a NTTF who
has been teaching in the program for seven years, spoke about the respect that was conveyed to
him by the chair, when his mother visited the DPT program:
Recently my mom was in town and she came with us to the new student orientation
and Kay Martin actually took her aside and complimented me on my role in the
department and how much the students appreciated me, and so proud mom comes back
and tells me that. So, it's nice to have her hear that from the chair of the department.
Although verbally affirming the contributions of a NTTF is a relatively small gesture, it had a
big impact on Alex and meant a great deal to him. The literature reflects the experience of part-
time NTTF who are unrecognized and devalued in their lowest place in the academic hierarchy
below tenure-track and full-time faculty. In contrast, the chair confers respect upon the NTTF by
thoughtfully taking the time to acknowledge the work of NTTF. These kinds of gestures that
acknowledge the meaningful contributions of NTTF go a long way in creating a supportive
environment that helps NTTF to flourish.
Furthermore, Mike, a NTTF who has taught in the program for eight years, explained a
number of ways in which he felt respected:
Just things like at the retreat where you're invited to speak to the rest of the faculty
members, or whether it's on a day-to-day basis here where they see you and they greet
you appropriately and respectfully. And then whenever you have issues, they deal with
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 59

it immediately. It's not, "we'll get to you, adjunct, in a week." You're getting emails
immediately or whatever your concerns are, they're being addressed immediately.
All the chair's actions communicate the message that NTTF are respected members of the
academic community. Through her practice of including NTTF in faculty retreats, inviting them
to present on a variety of teaching or curriculum related issues at the retreats, communicating
with them with consideration, and addressing their concerns in a timely manner, the chair
demonstrates respect for NTTF and sets the tone for a respectful departmental culture.
Effective Use of Formal and Informal Communication
Another way in which the chair supports the NTTF is by maintaining effective channels
for formal and informal communication. Effective communication is critical to a healthy, high-
performing organization, and she achieves this by holding two, daylong, faculty retreats each
year on a Saturday. Attendance at the retreats is expected for tenured and tenure-track faculty
and optional for NTTF, who are compensated for their time. After the retreat, she sends out a
summary of the meeting via email to the NTTF not in attendance so that they are kept apprised
of important information and decisions. She said that the purposes of the retreat are as follows:
Keeping people in tune with what's happening in the curriculum, making them a part of
any changes that we make, so there's always discussion about the curriculum every
retreat and we get feedback from the clinics in terms of what our students might be
challenged by, and what they're doing well, and then reflect back on the
curriculum, and see what we might do differently. If they have ideas of their own and
they bring them forward, we've always been able to support them.
As stated in the literature, often NTTF do not understand the philosophy and goals of the
program and how their courses fit into the overall curriculum, which has a negative impact on
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their teaching. Therefore, the chair makes it a priority to keep "people in tune with what's going
on in the curriculum," so that the NTTF understand how their courses align with other courses,
which is especially important in a structured curriculum. She includes the faculty in decision
making about changes and in improving the program to advance student learning. She
empowers the NTTF by seeking their input and incorporating their ideas to strengthen the
program. Twice a year, Kay applies for a university level "program enhancement grant" which
allows her to pay the NTTF a $150 stipend for attending, as well as to provide lunch and
refreshments. As Mina, a NTTF who has been with the program for two years and previously
taught at another university for 10 years, commented regarding the stipend, "they're not paying
the rate that a therapist gets paid, but they're still saying, 'we value you, because it's on a
Saturday and we're going to pay for you to come to this day and you are an important part of our
team.' " By holding the retreats on a Saturday when the NTTF are generally not working and by
compensating them, the chair sends a strong message that the NTTF's opinions matter and that
their participation in discussions about the curriculum is integral to moving the program forward.
Furthermore, in the program enhancement grant report of activity to the provost, the chair
stated:
The program enhancement grant has been essential for keeping the DPT Program's
part-time and full-time faculty connected. The bi-annual retreats have allowed us to
better integrate our curriculum, share course content, teaching styles, learning styles
and course structure. At the retreats we are also able to share information about the
College and the many exciting programs, initiatives etc. that are always occurring.
As the chair stated, the retreat serves as forum for tenure-track and NTTF to communicate with
one another about curriculum and instructional issues and to learn from one another. Creating
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opportunities for faculty to get to know one another and build relationships is an important way
to foster collegiality in the program. All NTTF interviewed felt well-informed about the changes
and important happenings in the program, regularly communicated through the faculty retreats
and via email by the chair. The chair's facilitation of regular communication has had an effect
of creating a sense of connection and community for the faculty. Mina, a NTTF, said the
program has done a great job in "making [NTTF] feel that they are part of the team versus just an
ancillary group." Susan, an NTTF who has taught in the program for 14 years, said of the chair:
She pulls you in, so you feel like you're part of the program, the way they have those
faculty meetings ties you into the program. So you feel like you know what's going
on. It's not like just coming in and teaching and leaving, but you feel like you're part of
the whole group.
The literature reflects the fact that often part-time NTTF feel disconnected from the program
because their time on campus is limited. In contrast, the chair has been able to encourage a sense
of belonging through the retreats. Through the retreats, the chair is able to support the NTTF by
communicating program changes, soliciting their input regarding the curriculum, instilling a
sense of belonging and community, and conveying respect for NTTF by compensating them.
In addition to official communication through the retreats and via email, the chair is
easily accessible to the NTTF. Kit, a NTTF who has taught in the program for nine years, said "I
can easily pick up the phone and call her. She's readily available via e-mail, and then on other
times if I happen to be on campus, you knock on the door. She's always available." Ellen,
another NTTF who has been with the program for five years, said:
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She welcomes questions, she welcomes any need for assistance and makes sure that
she makes herself available to us....I think she is a good role model for the rest of the
staff in terms of her openness and willingness to support the faculty members.
The chair has an open door policy and is easily accessible via phone or email so that when issues
arise for NTTF, the chair can address them immediately and give the NTTF the guidance that
they need. As reflected in the quote, the chair is a role model in setting a culture of openness and
accessibility in the program.
Through effective formal and informal communication, the chair supports the NTTF by
keeping them informed about the direction of the program, as well as involving them in the
decision making process. As a result, the faculty feel connected to and invested in the program.
The chair makes herself available to the NTTF, so that they feel comfortable in approaching her
for help so that various concerns are addressed before they become larger problems. Also, the
chair responds to NTTF in a timely manner, which conveys respect. The chair is effective and
efficient in meeting the needs of the NTTF so that in turn, the NTTF can perform their best in the
classroom and meet the needs of their students.
Adequate Resources and Materials for NTTF
In addition to frequent and effective communication, the chair is able to support the
NTTF by making sure that they are provided with adequate resources. All NTTF said that they
had sufficient resources such as supplies, textbooks, administrative support, and guest lecturers
so that they can be effective in the classroom. Ryan, a NTTF in his seventh year of teaching in
the program, said "there's a DVD on death and dying that I wanted to view for myself, but then
also to have some of the class watch, and it's simple. I just email Anne [the department assistant]
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and she asked Dr. Martin [the chair] and then the next week the videos are in the box." Mike, a
NTTF, also echoed the existing support for classroom resources:
If I need something, they get it. And we have guest lecturers and we have mock
patients that come in for our practicals and we have guest examiners and we pay them
out of the budget. We've never been told, "No, we don't have money for that, you'll
have to do it on your own."
The literature reflects many instances in which the NTTF do not have the proper tools and
materials to carry out their work. In contrast, the chair makes sure that the department budget
allows for expenses, such as guest lecturers, mock patients, and examiners for all faculty, which
helps to enhance the learning experience of students. Allocation of financial resources
demonstrates the priorities of the program, and it is clear that supporting all faculty equitably so
that they can strengthen student learning is an important value in the program.
Opportunities for Professional Growth
Professional growth is another essential element for effective faculty work, and the chair
facilitates this for the NTTF by providing free and discounted continuing education classes that
are held on campus. The NTTF are also given the opportunity to travel to continuing education
classes that will benefit both the faculty and the program. Regarding the funding of professional
development for NTTF, the chair said:
We have professional development grants campus-wide, but they are only for full- time
faculty, and that's anything from attending a conference to presenting research...or
whatever it is that you can bring back and will benefit SU. Those grants are not
available for the part-timers. I and other full-time faculty can apply for that money
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 64

and we do, and so the money that we have in our own budgets for travel and stuff like
that, we try to save and then assist part-timers in attending courses.
The chair understands the importance of professional development for all her faculty. Because
the university does not fund professional development for part-time faculty, she uses
discretionary funds in her program budget so that NTTF can stay current in the field, benefit
from professional growth, and maximize their contributions to the program. The chair strives to
be equitable in her allocation of resources so that tenure-track faculty and NTTF alike can
flourish as professionals.
Mentorship is also an important part of professional growth, and many NTTF interviewed
referred to the chair as a mentor who has helped them in the areas of teaching, scholarship, and
student management. Kit, a NTTF in her 10th year of teaching in the program, talked about the
one-on-one mentoring she received from the chair in an area that she found challenging:
Dr. Martin did ask me to pick one course or one project or assignment in the course
and then we got to sit down and try to go over it in ways we could improve it, and I
picked the rubric for the oral presentations. We discussed it, modified it, and then tried it
out, and then we met again to see, did it capture what I wanted it to do, or do I need to
improve the rubric.
The chair recognizes that although the NTTF are expert clinicians, they are for the most part new
to the faculty role when they begin teaching in the program. Although many of the NTTF have
doctorates in physical therapy, they do not have PhDs where they may have gotten experience
teaching as graduate assistants. These faculty need mentoring in instructional strategies so that
they can become effective educators. Therefore she personally provides one-on-one mentoring
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so that they can develop as clinician-educators and successfully fulfill their teaching
responsibilities.
The chair is also invested in developing her faculty as clinician-researchers. Austin, a
NTTF who has taught in the program for 14 years and is currently in a PhD program, talked
about the mentoring he received from the chair for his doctoral research:
I get a lot of mentoring now, since I'm in the PhD program. I've written textbooks, but I
haven't done a lot of peer review, writing for journals, and that's a different animal, and
so she's done a lot of editing of that. If I'm publishing a paper or submitting a
manuscript, she'll allow me to send it to her and she'll vet it for me. She'll edit it as well
for content...and she's actually very talented at that, so she's helped me out that way and
she supported my career. And that's probably one of the best things and why I stayed
here, too, is because they support my career. So I always know that if I'm in need of
something, they'll support me.
Although scholarship is not an expectation of the NTTF, the chair encourages, helps, and
provides resources for those who are interested so that they can grow in their discipline and
enhance their career. The chair cultivates scholars, which benefits the individual faculty, brings
prestige to the program, and advances the field of physical therapy. As demonstrated by this
quote, the chair retains excellent faculty through her mentoring, as faculty who find satisfaction
in their career by continuing to learn and to develop new talents will demonstrate commitment to
the program that supported their growth. The chair recognizes that her faculty are valuable
intellectual assets, therefore she mentors NTTF, both new and experienced, so that they can
develop as educators and scholars, be fulfilled in their work, strengthen the intellectual climate of
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the program, and bring their new knowledge and skills to the classrooms so that students can
benefit.
Finally, the chair mentors NTTF with difficult student management issues, which can be
challenging for all faculty, but especially for clinicians who are transitioning to a educator role.
Ryan, a NTTF, spoke about a student who was caught cheating and was dismissed from the
program. He said:
I sat down with Dr. Martin and talked to her about it, about how I should handle this,
and if this person contacts me, what should I say? So she was helpful in the sense
of helping me set boundaries. And here's your advice as a professor, here's your advice
just as a human being. And making sure that I didn't cross any lines or say anything that
got me in trouble or the department in trouble.
The chair has been very effective in helping NTTF negotiate thorny student management and
disciplinary issues that inevitably arise in universities. As reviewed in chapter two, the literature
reflects a sense of isolation felt by the NTTF and a lack of a "go-to person" when questions and
problems arise. Often NTTF are totally left to their own devices and expected to work
independently without guidance or direction (Gappa & Leslie, 1993). In contrast, the chair has
been exemplary in maintaining close relationships with the NTTF so that they seek her out
immediately when difficult student management issues surface. By mentoring her NTTF
through these difficult situations, she has helped them to develop as clinician-educators, has
gained the trust and confidence of her faculty, and has minimized the potential for legal liability
of the program.

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Summary
As Gappa, Austin, and Trice (2007) emphasized, a culture of respect in the work place is a
requirement for other essential elements of effective faculty work to matter. The chair in the
DPT program fosters a culture of respect for NTTF by maintaining a good communication
channel; keeping them informed of important news and changes; including them in the decision
making process regarding the curriculum so that they feel enfranchised; integrating them into the
academic community and making them feel "part of the whole group"; being easily accessible so
that she can help troubleshoot and resolve problems before they escalate; providing necessary
equipment, materials, resources so that they can enhance student learning; and providing free
classes, mentoring, and student management support. As Gappa, Austin, and Trice (2007) and
Kezar (2007) noted, these positive policies and practices are interrelated and mutually-
reinforcing. The chair's equitable practice of inviting all faculty to the retreat enhances a sense
of collegiality. Each of the policies strengthens other elements of effective faculty work and
contributes to a respectful culture. Through these positive policies and practices, the chair is able
to retain excellent NTTF, when health professions programs such as nursing and dentistry
typically struggle to attract and retain qualified faculty. The chair supports NTTF so that they
stay committed to the program, find satisfaction in their work, and perform at their best as
faculty members.
Effective Communication
Effective communication among all the faculty was a significant feature of the DPT
program that led to many benefits. In addition to the chair who sets the tone for open
communication, the tenured and tenure-track faculty play a key role in creating a culture of open
communication which characterizes an environment of support. Effective communication is an
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element related to collegiality, an essential element of faculty work as described by Gappa and
colleagues (2007), but I highlight it in this chapter as a separate theme because it was so
pervasive among all the faculty and emphasized by all as a positive feature in the program. The
subthemes of effective communication are: having regular faculty retreats as an official forum to
share information; having frequent, informal communication among all the faculty; and
expressing care, consideration, and respect through communication. Good program-wide
communication helps all the members in a program, but it especially supports part-time NTTF to
perform their work well, as their time on campus is limited. By bringing NTTF together with
tenured and tenure-track faculty and facilitating communication among all, the DPT program at
SU strives to make sure that NTTF have the information and resources that they need to perform
their role effectively and to serve their students well. The chair, tenure-track, and NTTF
described many examples in which frequent, respectful, timely communication helped NTTF to
develop, innovate, and collaborate, enriching both the experience of the faculty and the program.
Communication through Faculty Retreats
The chair, tenured faculty, and NTTF interviewed all cited the faculty retreat as an
important forum to share news and to learn about changes at the university and at the program
level. Kate, a NTTF who is in her third year of teaching in the program, said she appreciated the
program in the following ways:
Trying to include the adjunct faculty as much as possible, having sort of regular faculty
retreats every semester where everybody comes together so that hopefully we're all
getting the same message, understanding what's going on with the program, being
involved in changes in the program, new initiatives, that sort of things. So I really
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 69

appreciate that... I've found them to be very supportive, very easy to communicate
with, very responsive to communication...
As Kate stated, the faculty "getting the same message" and "understanding what is going on in
the program" are critical for them to effectively work together to achieve the goals of the
program. This is especially important in a graduate clinical program, where there is a structured
curriculum and courses build upon one another. Furthermore, as the NTTF represent the faculty
majority in the DPT program, it is essential that the program create opportunities for all faculty
to come together and communicate with one another about important curricular and instructional
issues.
Kit, a NTTF, said that the retreat served as an important opportunity to communicate with
her colleagues about the curriculum and to make sure that her course content was appropriate
and aligned with the course content of others:
When we have our faculty retreats, it's a chance to interact with other faculty
members and see what they are covering or not covering. For example, I talk to my
students about chest wall development, so it gets into a little bit of pediatrics, but
certainly there's a pediatric instructor who needs to do peds. So I might say to her, what
part of the chest wall have you covered. When do you cover that? And make sure
we're in line, that our information is not contradictory to one another.
Because the retreats afford an opportunity for faculty to communicate with one another, NTTF
can coordinate their course materials so that students do not get confused with contradictory
information. Faculty communicating and coordinating with one another can have significant
benefits for students, because the faculty can avoid excessive repetition of information or
important gaps across the curriculum.
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Kate, a NTTF, said she attended the retreat as a new faculty member and learned about
the institutional norms and expectations. She talked about how she became more strict about
addressing student tardiness after the expectations were communicated to her.
I think my default would really be to be too lenient, and they were very strong about
reinforcing policy, this is what our expectation is. This is how we're all going to deal
with this. That changed the way I was dealing with that issue.
Although NTTF can read the policies and procedures in the handbook, it is better for faculty to
have a chance to discuss the policies with one another so that they understand the implicit norms
and meet the expectations of the program. Often, NTTF do not have an understanding of the
institutional norms and are unclear about the expectations for their performance, leading to
confusion and stress. Therefore, having a venue where faculty can discuss and understand these
issues benefits the NTTF and the program.
Finally, at the faculty retreat, I witnessed the chair using part of the time to present the
new strategic plan of SU and explaining how the DPT program fit into the new direction of the
university and the opportunities for the program to play a role and to benefit. The chair also
explained the meaning of a symbol used in university publications and its relationship to the
religious founders of SU and their commitment to serving the public good. The retreat also
incorporated small group work so that NTTF could get to know each other as well as the tenured
and tenure-track faculty. There were very lively discussions among faculty regarding many
topics, such as the use of technology, program policies and procedures, the characteristics of the
entering class, and the future direction of the field of physical therapy. The discussions were
punctuated by many supportive comments to one another, such as "that's a good idea," "I like
that," and "this is so rich." As discussed in chapter two, the literature reflects many barriers that
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NTTF face, including the lack of communication from the department about the goals and
purposes of the program, how their courses fit into the overall curriculum, and special
characteristics of the student body that would help them be better instructors. The DPT program
has created opportunities for its faculty to communicate with one another about various
curricular issues, which keeps NTTF informed and prepares them to succeed as faculty.
Widespread Communication Among Faculty
In addition to the formal communication via the retreat and email, there is frequent
informal communication among all the members, including between chair and NTTF, tenured
faculty and NTTF, and among NTTF. All faculty interviewed talked about communicating with
one another to share resources, to ask for help, and to give one another support. This benefits
NTTF and allows them to be socialized into the academic community. Kit, a NTTF, compared
SU to two other universities where she taught. She said:
Here, I think overall the faculty gets along better. They seem to like one another better.
They seem to interact informally but share a lot of information, and so things get done,
because the people are almost always available. You could just walk in there and say,
I'm having a hard time with this, and someone will typically step up and help you out
fairly immediately.
Kit suggested that because the faculty communicate regularly and are easily available to
one another, they can share resources and be more productive as a group than faculty at the other
two institutions where she also teaches. Kit described an environment of trust, where NTTF felt
comfortable asking for help, knowing that their colleagues would be there for them.
Lila, a NTTF, talked about how the faculty retreats spurred further discussions,
exchanges, and interactions:
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Especially after the faculty retreat, we talked a lot about these different things that
we do in our classes, like that's a great idea, I want to see how that works, so the
[faculty] sat in, or I was thinking, I'd love to see that class....Unfortunately it doesn't fit
within my timeframe, but I would love to hear what they say, so we got a copy of their
syllabus and I can see how they teach it.
As Lila stated, there is widespread cross pollination of ideas among faculty, as they observe and
learn from one another and adopt their colleagues' successful teaching strategies. Because there
are open communication channels, the faculty can freely exchange information and resources
and help one another become better instructors.
Effective communication has resulted in additional benefits, including collaboration in
scholarship. Thomas, a NTTF who is a tenured faculty at another university, talked about how
the communication at the retreat led to a research collaboration with a tenured faculty member:
"First I knew her just by interaction at faculty meetings, and then I would see her in her office
before I would teach and we struck up a conversation and then we did one article together that's
shared with Dr. Martin." Because the program intentionally creates opportunities for faculty to
come together at the retreats, the NTTF and tenure-track faculty are able to get to know one
another and discover similar interests. As their relationships deepen through frequent
interactions, they collaborate on different projects such as research, which benefits the faculty,
the program, and the profession.
The literature speaks to the great divide between the tenure-track faculty and NTTF, with
negative stereotypes associated with NTTF. However, in the DPT program, the tenured faculty
and NTTF are partners who work together to make sure that all faculty succeed. Ryan, a NTTF,
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said that the chair and tenured faculty frequently send him information that may be helpful in his
teaching.
They'll send me a lot of stuff about culture, because we talk about culture in that class.
They'll go, "Do you want to include this?" They send a decent amount of stuff my way,
and I get to say, no, I don't really need that, or we already do this, or yeah, I'll include
that.
The NTTF are provided with many resources to be effective in the classroom, and it is clear that
the chair and the tenured faculty want the NTTF to be successful as instructors. Often NTTF are
expected to perform effectively without receiving proper guidance and resources to do so, but the
DPT program is exceptional in equipping its NTTF to do their jobs well.
Additionally, there is effective communication regarding student management issues
between NTTF and tenure-track faculty who serve as program advisors to students. Mike, a
NTTF said:
I think sometimes students feel like because you're adjunct faculty, they can treat you
differently than a full-time faculty...They try to get away with a little more with adjunct
faculty. But if they know that an email is getting copied to their faculty advisor, that kind
of shocks some people. And they know there's communication between me and the full-
time faculty, I think that helps with changing student behavior.
The tenured faculty and NTTF communicate regularly with one another regarding student issues,
so the faculty stay connected with one another and problem solve together to help students who
are underperforming or may be facing various challenges. As Mike stated, because the students
know that NTTF work in partnership with tenured and tenure-track faculty, they can reinforce
high standards for professionalism and classroom behavior.
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Andrew, a tenured faculty who previously served as a NTTF, exemplifies the values of
caring and empathy that characterize many of the faculty. Andrew said that he offers himself as
a resource to NTTF facing various challenges. He said:
I've talked to faculty members either in my office or phone call on the weekend or
email, you know, those are things that happen and I don't think none of us really do that
because we need to--because it's in some check off box that our chair needs to know--but
we just do it because as an adjunct, that's what I wanted, too.
The faculty are so invested in one other's well-being that they make themselves available on the
weekends so that NTTF who are going through difficult issues can be listened to and provided
with guidance. In addition to the support in teaching and classroom management, the NTTF
stated that they receive a lot of psychosocial and emotional support from other faculty and the
chair. There is frequent informal communication among faculty that helps NTTF to perform
effectively in the classroom and to receive the mentoring and support they need to become
effective educators.
Caring and Respectful Communication
Caring and respectful communication helps NTTF performance as they can build confidence as
educators through the nurturing provided to them. A program that champions values of caring
and respect makes sure that NTTF are supported and guided in their work. Ellen, a NTTF, spoke
about the care, consideration, and respect that the chair and tenured faculty convey through their
communication.
The tenured faculty members and the head of the program are all very open about saying,
"we really appreciate the work you do." If we've dealt with a specific issue with a
student or something with a class, a lot of times they will provide support and feedback
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saying, "we just think you handled that really well." It's just this ongoing conversation
of them expressing to us how much they appreciate us being here because the adjunct
faculty are really a huge part of that program and so verbally, they're always giving us
that affirmation.
The literature reflects accounts of NTTF being stereotyped as not being as qualified as tenured
faculty and being made to feel invisible, but SU's DPT program is unusually supportive in that
the tenured faculty intentionally seek out NTTF to recognize them for their work and to provide
them with support and guidance. Caring and supportive communication from the tenured and
tenure-track faculty strengthens morale and allows the NTTF feel valued as important members
of the academic community. Sarah, a NTTF added that a sense of caring and respect permeates
through the entire institution. She said, "Everyone's very helpful, people are kind and
compassionate. If you call the IT help line, they'll stay on the line as long as you need. I mean,
at every level... there's so much love, it's really phenomenal." An organization that promotes
caring and compassion treats NTTF well and supports them so that they will succeed as faculty
members.
Finally, the DPT program maintains its culture of open, respectful communication by
recruiting faculty who show compatibility with the values of the program. Ellen, an NTTF, who
served on a search committee for a tenure-track faculty, remarked:
I've had the opportunity recently to sit in on an interview for a new faculty
member who just got hired and I was invited to be on the interview team for that and I
get the feeling that what they're looking for are individuals who are going to collaborate
well together and who are going to communicate well together and invite that within the
department.
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As Ellen stated, the program values open and respectful communication, and therefore recruits
faculty based on their ability to enhance communication and collaboration and to fit into the
organization. The literature gives accounts of part-time NTTF feeling both marginalized and
disconnected, but the NTTF in the DPT program feel connected to one another through regular,
friendly, and respectful communication.
Dedication to Continuous Improvement
In the DPT program, there was a strong commitment to improving the program for the
benefit of student learning. This has resulted in a commitment to supporting and developing
NTTF, because they are the faculty majority in the program and have a huge impact on student
learning. The program recognizes that in order to reach higher levels of excellence, all the
faculty need to be at their best and contribute fully to the advancement of the program. A
program that is committed to continuous improvement supports all of its faculty including NTTF
and capitalizes on their talents, so that they can work in concert to advance the goals and mission
of the program. The chair, tenured and tenure-track, and NTTF alike spoke about making the
curriculum more coherent and providing a better learning experience for the students. Mitchell,
a NTTF, said, "everyone works toward a common goal, which is trying to give all the students
the best opportunity we can provide." Diana, a tenured faculty said, "A program has to be plastic
and flexible. You always have to be evolving and changing to better the profession." David, a
newly appointed tenure-track faculty who previously served as a NTTF in the program, said the
program was well poised to ask, "How can we improve upon the quality of what's being
provided? And how can we create a better experience for the students from the time they get in
to the time they leave." All faculty are united in their efforts to continuously improve the
program to meet the changing needs and requirements of the profession. They are in constant
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dialogue and reflection about ways to improve the program. They embrace change as they work
toward their common goal in providing the best learning environment for their students. To this
end, Andrew, a tenured faculty, spoke about the importance of improving as a team. "I think all
of us have different strengths and all of us want to improve not only individually but as a team."
He continued:
I always think it's a better team if you've got everybody cohesively working
together. Because with 45 [NTTF], you need a cohesive team to be really, really good,
you know, I mean a football analogy. You need that 45 to be just as good as the five
[tenured/ tenure-track faculty]. And to do that, you need input from those [NTTF].
The program is invested in developing the strengths of all the faculty, including the NTTF. The
program recognizes that faculty have a direct impact on student learning and all the faculty need
to be supported so they can perform at their best. All in the program recognize that both full-
time and NTTF have to work together and to bring out the best in one another for the benefit of
their students.
Commitment to Serving as Mentors
Another distinguishing feature of the DPT program is that the chair and faculty feel
responsibility to serve as mentors and find satisfaction in it. A program that recognizes the
importance of mentoring in the teaching profession will support the development of the next
generation of faculty, the majority of whom are NTTF. In the DPT program, the chair mentors
NTTF, the tenured faculty mentor NTTF, senior NTTF mentor novice NTTF, and some
experienced NTTF mentor tenured and tenure-track faculty. There is mentoring happening at
every level. Kay, the chair, who personally mentors many NTTF, said:
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It's been interesting mentoring them as educators, because they're all master
clinicians....One of the more rewarding things is to see them develop as clinicians-
educators, and even some of them as clinician-researchers....The fact that they're so
passionate and willing to try new things makes it really nice.
In the DPT program, mentorship is built into the system, as half of the courses are team
taught, with a tenured or senior NTTF, serving as "primary" instructors and new and less
experienced NTTF serving as "secondary" instructors or lab assistants. Austin, a long term
NTTF who has team-taught for many years as a primary instructor, said "team teaching helps me
mentor up the future generation of teachers, because I think it's my job to train other instructors
and so I think it give me the opportunity to do that." Sarah, a NTTF who has a full-time faculty
position at another university, said, "I think that's the job of any active profession. Each one
teach one. Your job is to always mentor and reach down and give a hand to the person that's just
behind you." The faculty in the DPT program understand that being a "professional" comes with
a responsibility to mentor and socialize the newer members into the academic environment, and
they find satisfaction in doing so. The team teaching structure in the DPT program allows the
mentoring relationships to flourish, benefitting NTTF, the student experience, and the profession.
Sense of Pride and High Level of Satisfaction
All faculty interviewed expressed a sense of pride in the program and a high degree of
satisfaction in being a faculty member in the program. A program with pride does not exploit or
marginalize NTTF, but rather supports them so that they can flourish and contribute to the
advancement of the program. An organization with pride treats its entire faculty with respect and
equity, and as a result, the organization benefits in retaining dedicated faculty who will give their
best to advance the mission of the program. The subthemes are: the program's ability to adapt to
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change, the faculty being united around a common mission, and faculty choosing to work at SU
over other universities.
Receptivity to Change
The DPT program is receptive to change, and it is continually assessing its program and
scanning the health care environment to make sure that it is offering an education that is current
and relevant. The program is nimble and responsive to change, as they solicit feedback from the
NTTF who experience the changes in the profession first hand in the clinical setting. The
program's receptivity to change helps NTTF to succeed as faculty, as they are encouraged to
teach cutting edge material that is relevant in the "real world." Thomas, a NTTF who is also a
tenured faculty member at X University, expressed pride in the DPT program and its ability to
embrace change:
They've been able to instill a sense of pride in the program and everybody knows that
pride, for the future, is contingent on continually improving and changing the
program. And so they're really receptive to change. The program at X University
is just dead set against change and is getting progressively further and further behind
practice. The contrast is remarkable.
Thomas has pride in the program because of its ability to anticipate and to adapt to changes for
the benefit of students. Thomas suggested that SU's DPT program is cutting edge and that it has
remained ahead of the curve in a rapidly changing healthcare environment, especially because it
has incorporated feedback from NTTF who are in the frontlines of health care. It is noteworthy
that Thomas has more pride in a program where he serves as a NTTF than at the institution
where he has a tenured position, which speaks to the superior working condition at SU.

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Faculty United Around a Common Mission
In addition, the faculty are united around the mission of the program and the institution.
SU has a mission that emphasizes "fostering a spirit to serve others" and it measures its success
by having graduates who use their "knowledge and skills to better themselves, their
environments, and the world" (SU Strategic Plan, 2013). Further, one of SU's "five pillars of
distinction" is community, and SU underscores its "richly-diverse close knit community which
values respect, excellence and the contribution of all" (SU Strategic Plan, 2013). In line with its
mission that emphasizes community, SU strives to achieve a positive campus climate and is
generally inclusive of its NTTF and supports them well. Thomas, a NTTF, spoke about the
cohesion of the faculty and working in unison to fulfill the mission of the program:
The fact that they have all of their part-time faculty come to a joint faculty
meeting and they discuss the curriculum and the threads and rationally talk about
repetition as a desirable trait and then when you've got too much....I think the very
logical reasoned approach of uniting everybody around a common mission
statement and changes in the workforce and changes in physical therapy. It's just a nice,
cohesive group.
As Thomas suggested, there is no bifurcation in the faculty at SU. Tenure-track and NTTF are
all working toward a common goal of strengthening the program, and everyone plays a valuable
a role in this endeavor. In contrast, Thomas commented that at X University, the faculty
meetings are reserved just for tenured and tenure-track faculty. On occasion, the NTTF are
invited, but Thomas said that "they never attend because there is no incentive to attend and
they're scheduled in the middle of an afternoon when they would have to leave their practice to
come, so they would lose money to come." Thomas said that X University, in contrast to SU,
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does not take advantage of the expertise of the NTTF and he attributed this to the "academic
arrogance" of the tenured faculty. Thomas has pride in SU's DPT program because of its
"approach of uniting everybody around a common mission" and motivating faculty to work
toward achieving the mission.
In addition to the commitment to the mission of the DPT program, there is also an
understanding of and respect for the larger institutional mission. Sarah, a NTTF, said that SU
has a "very lovely mission...that saturates through the entire organization" and that there is a
"level of caring and commitment and compassion" because of it. She also expressed admiration
for SU's mission and the way in which the behavior of the leadership aligned with the mission.
She said:
Every organization has a mission, every organization has a story...it isn't so much how
it's communicated formally because everyone hears the story of the organization, but then
you watch and see what happened and then you see, is the story aligned with behavior?
That's the key, I think. And so often it is not, you know, they talk a good game but
then you see behavior that is not aligned with the mission....The fact that they are so
proud of educating young women that are new immigrants or the only one in their
family that ever finished high school level and went to college. They do service for
homeless, they have tremendous outreach to the local community. So there is just a lot of
walking the walk.
Sarah has pride in the institution because she believes that SU's mission has real significance and
that the leadership demonstrates its commitment to the stated mission with actions that support it.
As Sarah noted, often there is a disconnect between the mission and the behaviors of an
institution which can bring about disillusionment among the constituents, and she has pride in
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SU because she sees the alignment between its mission and its practices. Sarah stated that SU's
commitment to the ideals espoused in its mission is unique even among religiously affiliated
institutions. She continued:
I've worked at a lot of Catholic organizations being in health care and I'm sorry to report
that they are so rarely consistent with the mission, their behavior. They lose their way
quite often. So this is just an organization that hasn't lost sight of who they really are.
SU appears to have a strong identity as an institution defined by its mission, and it has been able
to unite faculty because of it and to instill pride by "walking the walk." SU strives for
congruence between the espoused mission and its practices and behavior, thereby instilling a
sense of pride among the faculty.
Choosing to Work at SU Over Other Programs
Several NTTF said that they chose to work in the program over other programs as they
perceived SU to be more supportive of NTTF. Mina, a NTTF, said that at Y University where
she has also taught, she felt disconnected from the rest of the faculty. She said:
I've made a choice to teach there versus the other place I'm at; they are very
supportive of their part-time faculty, so they allow for team teaching, they do
retreats, they involve you with the general classes, so they keep you well connected to
the department so you don't feel isolated. They help to integrate you into the
department as a whole. So I chose to actually drive further for a better teaching
experience.
As Lila stated, having team teaching and holding retreats are supportive practices that help to
integrate NTTF into the program and socialize them into the academic culture. These practices
have made a big difference to NTTF, as they choose to work at SU over other institutions. The
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chair said that the support for NTTF has made a difference in terms of retention. She said, "we
have many faculty who have been with us for now, going on six and seven years, as part-time
instructors. I think part of the reason why people stay is because they feel that they are a part of
it. What they do matters." All the NTTF interviewed felt pride in the program, perceived that
they were part of a forward-thinking, highly-functional organization, and expressed a high level
of satisfaction and enjoyment in being a member of the faculty at SU.
Summary
In conclusion, the five features of a supportive working environment found at SU are:
effective leadership of the chair in modeling respect for NTTF; effective program wide
communication where all the faculty share information, resources, and support; dedication to
continuous improvement of the program; commitment to serving as a mentor and socializing
new faculty into the academic community; and a sense of pride in being part of the program and
a high level of satisfaction in their work. These themes were addressed first as they either
encompassed all the essential elements of faculty work, or were unique themes that stood outside
of the framework. In the next part of the chapter, I will discuss in detail the findings for each
essential element of effective faculty work: employment equity, academic freedom and
autonomy, professional growth, flexibility, collegiality, with a core foundation of respect.
Employment Equity
Employment equity is an essential element of the faculty workplace. Gappa, Austin and
Trice (2007) define employment equity as the "right of every faculty member (regardless of
appointment type or time base) to be treated fairly in regard to all aspects of his or her
employment by the institution and its departments" (Gappa, Austin & Trice, 2007, p. 140).
Unfortunately, as stated in chapter two, NTTF are often treated as second class citizens and are
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not afforded the tools and support needed for success that tenured and tenure-track faculty
receive. Kezar's (2012) recommendations for policies that support employment equity include
regularizing hiring, having clear role definitions, providing fair compensation, and having
adequate equipment and materials for teaching, and offering work space, and having fair
contracts. All the NTTF in the DPT program perceived that they were treated fairly and
equitably and that they were full-fledged faculty members with voice and status. The NTTF are
treated equitably in the following ways: they are compensated fairly, they have adequate tools
and resources to accomplish their work; their achievements are promoted, they are invited to
events on campus; they are included in decision making in the program, and they are treated with
respect. Equitable policies and practices help NTTF, because they are afforded fair working
conditions that allow them to succeed in ways that their tenure-track colleagues are supported to
do.
Compensation
Compensation is an important issue for NTTF, as NTTF, particularly part-time, are paid a lower
wage compared to tenure-track faculty, according to the Coalition of Academic Workforce.
Equitable pay supports NTTF so that they are not exploited with heavy workload and low pay.
Although the NTTF in the DPT program are not eligible to receive benefits, such as health
insurance and vacation time, they are paid fairly. According to the chair, a three unit, five-hour
(2 hours of lecture and 3 hours of lab), 15-week course has 19.1 teaching units attached and may
have three or four NTTF teaching as a team. Since part-time NTTF with a doctorate are paid
$1,316 per unit as set by the provost, the course would have a total teaching expense of $25,135
that can be divided among the NTTF. Therefore, a NTTF can be paid $6,283.75 for the course
when there are three additional instructors and $8,378 for the course when there are two other
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instructors in the team. For a two unit didactic course with only one NTTF, there are four
teaching units allotted, therefore the faculty would receive $5,264 for the 15 weeks of
instruction. As the median pay for part-time NTTF in 2010 was $2,700 for a three unit course
(The Coalition on the Academic Workforce, 2012), the compensation in the DPT program is on
the high end, especially given the fact that many NTTF team teach and divide the workload.
Most of the NTTF interviewed stated that their compensation was fair. According to the chair,
the compensation is competitive with other physical therapy programs in the area and with what
the NTTF would receive in their clinical work, as the program strives to retain outstanding
faculty.
Classroom Resources
All employees need the necessary tools and resources to perform their jobs well, and
NTTF are not an exception. As reviewed in chapter two, NTTF often do not have basic tools to
do their jobs and are unfairly blamed for poor student outcomes. In the DPT program, the NTTF
have all the tools, equipment, and materials that they need to be effective in the classroom.
Susan, a NTTF, said "Anne [the department assistant] is always there, so whenever I need
handouts xeroxed or exams passed back, she's always there and she's probably the biggest help
there is." Mina, a NTTF said, "[the chair] will send me documents, like I've asked for anything
that they have for the course and so she got me exams and books and things like that. Any books
for the courses, she'll order for me." The NTTF are well supported with tools, equipment, and
resources so that they can achieve comparable results as their tenure-track colleagues.
Promotion of NTTF's Achievements
The program treats its faculty with equity, as all the faculty are listed on the website and
their research and presentations are promoted. Recognition of their achievements helps NTTF,
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as they can garner respect from other faculty, as well as students, which can have benefits for
their career. Kate, a NTTF, said:
I've always been impressed by the fact that they do seem to take the opinions of the
adjunct faculty seriously, and respect them, and respect their work, and are
interested in their research. ...If there's a conference coming up that a lot of faculty
are going to, that a lot of the students are going to, they'll always make sure, okay,
what adjuncts faculty are presenting, so that they can inform the students. Everybody
from SU who is attending that is presenting something, not just full-time faculty, so
they're very inclusive in terms of highlighting everybody's productivity or scholarly
achievement, which I think is nice.
The program promotes the achievements of NTTF, signaling that NTTF have full status in the
program and are important members with worthy contributions. Also, the respect for NTTF is
evidenced by the "faculty scholarship board" in the hallways, featuring published studies by
tenure-track and NTTF faculty. This symbolizes the value that the program places on NTTF and
their accomplishments and its efforts to treat NTTF with equity.
Inclusion in Campus and Program Events
There is a culture of inclusion and equity in the DPT program and at SU, where all
faculty are invited to events, parties, faculty retreats. There are opportunities for NTTF to
interact with faculty with different appointment types and with the university leadership. These
opportunities benefit NTTF, as they can build collegial relationships that can enhance their work
and career and help them become integrated into the academic community. The invitations also
convey the respect that the university has for its NTTF. The chair said:
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There's an annual dinner in the spring of every year that everyone, staff, faculty, full
and part-time are invited to. And there's a luncheon at the mansion where they have their
special lobster bisque and they have a carving station. I mean, it's really beautiful in the
mansion, so they do put out some really fancy events.
The literature speaks to the importance of including NTTF in university events, even though they
may not be able to attend, and SU has an ethic of inclusivity that permeates throughout the
institution and helps to create bonds among faculty, staff, and administration. Thomas, a NTTF,
also spoke about the positive interactions he has had with the university administration. He said,
"I've been to one or two of the faculty Christmas functions, dinners and that sort of things. I
haven't met the new president but I had met the former provost, chancellor and just had
interesting conversations." The fact that the university includes NTTF in its social functions
sends a message that NTTF are an integral part of the community and make valuable
contributions just as the tenure-track faculty do. SU strives to foster a close-knit community and
works to make NTTF feel part of it. At the program level, there are barbeques for new students,
white coat ceremony, pub crawls at professional conferences, and other events where all faculty
are included. Providing opportunities for faculty to get to know one another will help strengthen
the bond among faculty with different appointment types, therefore increasing the likelihood that
tenure-track faculty will support equitable policies and practices for NTTF.
Inclusion In Decision-making
Inviting NTTF to participate in decisions that affect the program and their work helps
NTTF, as they have the power to make changes that will allow them to be more effective as
faculty members. All NTTF felt that they had opportunities to give input regarding decisions
about the curriculum and the program. Sarah, a NTTF, said: "I have a very strong voice and all
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adjunct faculty at SU have a strong voice because we're invited to the faculty retreats." Sarah
added "I'm always involved in discussions before things are changed and if I disagree with
something...I can always give input before it's implemented." The NTTF feel enfranchised and
perceive that they can effect changes that matter. Additionally, the NTTF serve on search
committees for tenure-track faculty, a practice that signals that NTTF are full-fledged members
of the faculty who have a role in decision making and departmental governance.
Summary
The DPT program has equitable policies and practices, as the NTTF are paid fairly,
included in events and activities, and involved in decision-making. Further, their achievements
and contributions are highlighted, and they are treated with equal respect as their tenured and
tenure-track peers. The NTTF are treated as professionals with full status who contribute to the
program just as the tenured and tenure-track faulty do.
Academic Freedom
According to Gappa, Austin and Trice (2007), academic freedom is the right of all faculty
to "freely express their views in research and in the publications of results, in the classroom
discussing their subjects, and as citizens without institutional censorship" and the right to make
decisions about the best ways to perform their work in the classroom. Academic freedom, a
hallmark of the academy, is often denied to NTTF, as they fear that their jobs are on the line if
they express dissenting opinions or try to have a say in improving their working conditions.
Safeguarding academic freedom for NTTF supports NTTF so that they can feel free to be critical
of the program and the institution without the fear of reprisal. The DPT program allows
autonomy to the NTTF, as they bring up to date research and information from their clinical
work to enhance the classroom instruction. The NTTF are not just bodies who are plugging
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holes in the program, but are content experts using their specialized knowledge to give the
students the most current information in research and practice. All interviewed stated that
NTTF had academic freedom and autonomy in the classroom. The chair said:
They choose their textbooks. They determine what guest speakers are most
appropriate based on their expertise. They make those arrangements. How they design
their exams is up to them. But as far as the content that they're teaching, a requirement
is that it be evidence based, so if they are not sharing evidence to support what they're
teaching, then that's when I or a coordinator will become involved.
The chair recognizes that the NTTF are the content experts, therefore they are given the freedom
to design the courses, select the textbooks, and decide on the appropriate methods of testing.
When NTTF are teaching a new course for the first time, they are provided with exams and
teaching materials from the class, but they can also change the class the way they see fit. Susan,
a NTTF, said:
When I was first developing the evidence based practice course, [the chair]
actually shared with me a lot of the resources that she had from the prior class, so I used
a lot of that to develop this course. But now that I've taught it for a couple years, I'm
kind of changing it a little bit to meet my style more.
Susan continued to speak about the freedom given to her to create her courses:
Kay gives us a lot of freedom to design our classes the way we want to do it. We still
follow the policies of SU and she tells you basically what she wants us to accomplish, but
then she gives you a lot of freedom to develop the courses the way you want to do it.
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The NTTF are considered as professionals who have expertise in the area that they are teaching,
therefore they would know best how to shape the course. Susan, along with several NTTF said
that they appreciated their autonomy in the classroom and not being "micromanaged" as faculty.
Mitchell, a secondary instructor in a team-taught course, said the NTTF have the freedom
to bring new, cutting edge information that may not be included in the textbook. He said:
We are allowed to teach what's more clinically important in real time, because
sometimes a textbook can be a little bit behind and waiting for the research to update, and
sometimes we have research studies that are just starting to come out, that's not provided
in a textbook, and we want to teach the most current information. So Dr. Smith [a
tenured faculty and the primary instructor] is always very willing to make adjustments
and is always looking for us to try to provide that type of clinical expertise, and change
things around and provide what is necessary for the best education.
The DPT program capitalizes on the clinical expertise of the NTTF by giving them the autonomy
to teach new information that is clinically relevant in "real time."
In addition to the autonomy in the classroom, the NTTF have the freedom to shape the
curriculum as a whole. Ellen, a NTTF, said that all the faculty, both tenured and non-tenure-
track who are teaching in the neurology curriculum are meeting to assess the curriculum. She
said, "the entire neuro faculty is going to sit down and look at the curriculum, and decide if we
need to change the entire neuro curriculum or if we can keep the structure that we have now and
then just make modifications within the content." The NTTF work alongside the tenured faculty
in shaping the content and structure of the curriculum in order to offer the best education to their
students.

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Professional Growth
Gappa, Austin, and Trice (2007) define professional growth as "opportunities that enable
faculty members to broaden their knowledge, abilities, and skills, to address challenges,
concerns, and needs, and to find deeper satisfaction in their work" (Gappa, Austin, & Trice,
2007, p. 141). Gappa and colleagues (2007) state that it behooves institutions to invest in
professional growth of their faculty, so that they can remain vibrant, creative, satisfied in their
work, and use their new knowledge and abilities to better serve their students. Just as tenure-
track faculty need to grow as professionals, NTTF need support to develop in similar ways. In
the DPT program, there are numerous opportunities for NTTF to develop as academics: the
NTTF are given the opportunity to team teach so that they can grow as educators, there is peer
mentoring and assessment, and there are opportunities for research collaborations. The
opportunities for professional growth support NTTF performance and success, as they gain new
knowledge and skills that they bring to the classroom to benefit their students.
Team Teaching
In the DPT program, half of the courses are team-taught, with tenured and tenure-track
faulty or senior NTTF serving as "primary" instructors and new or less experienced NTTF
working as "secondary" instructors or lab assistants. New NTTF often begin teaching as lab
assistants or secondary instructors and have the opportunity to become a primary instructor over
time. Sarah, a NTTF, spoke about her growth as an educator through the team teaching
relationship with a veteran faculty. She said:
When I came on as a new instructor, [team teaching] offered me the opportunity to be
mentored in the classroom. Not just mentored outside of the classroom to talk about
what I would do, but actually be there and observe a more experienced person
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teaching and learn by observation and then also collaboration, and then get
feedback on how I did by someone that watched me teach. So it was really 360
degrees of mentoring--before, during, and after.
One of the most effective ways to learn best practices in teaching is to directly observe an
experienced instructor, and the DPT program successfully cultivates and socializes new faculty
by pairing them with senior faculty in team teaching who serve as mentors. This is especially
important as the new faculty are clinicians with expertise in a particular content area who may
not have had much experience in teaching. The primary instructor actively works with the
secondary instructors so that NTTF can learn, develop, and be prepared take on the role of a
primary instructor over time. Sarah said that her primary instructor was a "tremendous mentor"
who had a "real wealth of knowledge about pedagogy and the act of teaching, how to set up a
course well." Sarah also compared her experience to NTTF at other institutions where she has
worked. She said:
I've talked to a lot of people that are part-time at places I worked and I think the
experience that I've heard of has largely been very Viking method, they just throw
you in the water and you sink or swim on your own, there's not enough formal
mentoring that goes on. I think I was just exceptionally lucky that I had very time-
intensive mentors [at SU], so I'm really grateful for that experience and that's
probably why I'm still kind of holding onto that little piece of that job, even though
I don't need it anymore.
As Sarah stated, the DPT program has a well designed system of developing new faculty through
the team teaching process, where they are gradually given increasing responsibilities over time
until they have the opportunity to become primary instructors leading the class. Then the cycle
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of mentoring and transmitting information, norms, and values continues as they mentor newer
faculty. Mina, a NTTF who began team teaching with the chair when she was new to the
program, remarked that she became oriented to the program by observing and interacting with
the chair. She said, "I figured if [the chair] was doing it, I was okay doing it," speaking to the
way in which the chair helped her socialize her into the program. Diana, a tenured faculty who
has served in the program for 13 years, spoke about her role in teaching the NTTF about the
expectations in a doctoral-level program, as well as learning from them. She said that she valued
"knowing what they use in the clinic and how I can teach to enrich that, and then vice versa,
what is expected at the doctoral level training for science and then they can learn from that too."
Diana added that often the NTTF have an unclear idea of their role as instructors and their
relationship to the students and that they are "scared to offend students." She said "I'm teaching
them to have the confidence and to set the standards high." Through the team teaching
relationship, Diana is defining the program's expectations of NTTF as faculty members as well
as the norms of the program, teaching them about their role and responsibility, and coaching
them so that they can be successful. Mina, a NTTF, also talked about the value of team teaching
in her continued growth and learning as an educator:
The chair was really good at her science background and linking everything to the
basic sciences, so always bringing back the science into the treatment or the
intervention and the reevaluation is really good and then the one right now that I'm
working with, she's really good at evidence-based practice and referencing
everything through evidence and talking about the most current research.
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There is great value in NTTF team teaching and collaborating with tenure-track faculty, as they
can marry theory and practice for the benefit of students. By team teaching, the NTTF learn best
practices from other NTTF and tenured faculty and can improve as educators.
In addition to benefitting the faculty, team teaching benefits the students. Emma, a
NTTF said:
In physical therapy, we all do things a little differently, and so having different voices
and helping the students understand, even though they struggle with it, that there are
more than one way to do things...I think it's very valuable for the student to hear the
various procedures or the variability of what we really do...so I enjoy that both the
students get to see that and then also as a group, seeing and hearing what other people are
also doing--it's still a learning environment for me, too, which I enjoy.
Team teaching not only allows faculty to continue to learn, but enriches the experience of the
students, as they have the benefit of getting multiple perspectives. Team teaching enables the
NTTF to grow, to become better educators, and to find enjoyment in learning from their
colleagues, at the same that it allows students to learn from multiple instructors with different
strengths who complement one another. As Sarah, a NTTF suggested, team teaching "works
really well because no one person can know everything. So when you have two really
compatible people teaching a course together, you get a summative effect, the two are greater
than two individual people. You get something more." Team teaching allows faculty to bring
out the best in each other and to leverage each other's strengths to create an outstanding learning
environment.

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Peer Mentoring and Assessment
In addition to the traditional form of mentoring with senior instructors assisting novice
instructors, the team teaching at SU allows for peer mentoring as well, where there is reciprocal
support among colleagues. Lila, a secondary instructor, said about her co-instructors:
There's reliance upon me to be efficient and do something but there's always ways
for me to rely on other instructors. I think that is huge because I learn from them as
much as I'm hoping the students learn from us and we're learning from each other,
so I think that really is a huge value to every body...and then I think it carries across
the program, too.
As Lila stated, the NTTF rely on one another and learn from one another in the process of team
teaching, allowing them to grow through their collaborative efforts.
NTTF also experience professional growth, as there is constant feedback and peer
assessment that allow them to be more effective in the classroom, especially in the team teaching
setting. Ryan, a NTTF who is a co-primary instructor, said:
I think we all kind of see each other as peers or equals, so all of us will give
feedback to each other. "That was too wordy, that was too long, let's organize it this
way, let's not do that this year, let's do this next year." So it's a lot of coaching and
working together.
The NTTF work in collaboration and in partnership, as they freely exchange feedback so that
they can improve as a team. Mitchell, a NTTF who is a secondary instructor in a team, echoed
the importance of peer-assessment:
We're always bouncing off ideas of, maybe we should present it this way, or if you
can slow down here or reiterate this portion. We're always constantly giving each other
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feedback. If it's not by the end of the day, it's by the end of the week, and we definitely
do give feedback at the end of the semester, but it's constant on-going process. The
feedback has allowed all of us to grow and become better educators.
As Mitchell stated, the peer mentoring has allowed everyone in the team to reflect on their
performance and strengthen their teaching skills and grow as educators.
According to the literature, NTTF are less likely to experiment and to use progressive
teaching methods than their tenure-track colleagues for fear of negative teaching evaluations
which may have an effect on their continued employment (Umbach, 2007). However, several
NTTF at SU spoke about their attempts to innovate and experiment using technology and other
modes to improve learning. The team teaching relationship facilitates discussions about
different teaching strategies that will further learning. Lila, a NTTF who team teaches with other
NTTF, said:
I got to talk with Alex and to talk with Ryan and Austin about, how is technology getting
integrated, how are we conveying this information to students in the way that they
understand versus the way that I learned and the way I teach. And we started adding
things like "tweet a statement," and then Alex started adding stuff like that to his
lectures as well because it really worked well.
The team teaching process has allowed faculty to develop trusting relationships, where they can
explore creative methods to increase student understanding.
Collaboration Among Faculty
Faculty also experience professional growth and satisfaction by collaborating with one
another. Susan a NTTF, who served on the dissertation committee of a tenured faculty member
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and has collaborated with the faculty on several papers and consulting projects, described the
relationship as follows:
It started when he started helping us with research, but it's kind of a win-win
situation because I learn a lot from him, too. And I helped him with his doctoral
dissertation research, so I think that's why he says that [I am his mentor]. I was
basically on his committee and so--and we've talked about research all along and when
new ideas come about, he runs them by me, or if I have some ideas, I run them by him.
So that's kind of the relationship that we have. It's a nice relationship because he's very
involved with physical therapy. I'm not as involved with physical therapy because I don't
really see patients anymore, but I do a lot of research.
NTTF are collaborating with tenure-track faculty and helping one another to grow as they create
a link between clinical practice and research, which benefits the profession. Thomas, a NTTF,
who has collaborated with the chair and another tenured faculty on articles, said:
Because of the interactions we had at faculty meetings, I engaged her in another study
on --I was looking at the values involved in cadaver dissections and the risk that
students incur doing that and the fact that there are other ways of teaching that same
content that expose students to less risk. And so we did that article together also. And I
think we'll do another article together. I just talked with her about an idea this past
week and she's eager to engage, so we'll probably do another one.
There is active, fruitful collaboration among the faculty with different appointment types, as they
leverage one another's strengths to engage in scholarship that keeps them vibrant and engaged
and moves the profession forward.

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Utilization of NTTF's Expertise
Lastly, the faculty experience professional growth, as the program takes advantage of the
NTTF's clinical expertise to advance the program, which benefits the faculty as well as the
program. Kit, a NTTF with a cardiopulmonary specialty and experience working in an intensive
care unit, said that the DPT program is setting up an emergency simulation lab in coordination
with the nursing program and that she will be helping to devise case studies and to debrief
students who go through the simulation. Mina, a NTTF with a specialty in pediatrics said, "they
really use your expertise." She said:
They've asked us to develop an online teaching module for the summer internship and
then they've also asked us to come in to a couple different classes in terms of
pediatrics, like where it's needed. So knowing that there's value in inserting us not just
in this class but in different parts. We're weaving the entire pediatric curriculum and
we're in charge of that whole curriculum.
In addition to teaching, NTTF with specialties take the lead in improving the program so that the
curriculum is more coherent and important threads are maintained across the program. The DPT
program capitalizes on the strengths and expertise of its NTTF to make continuous
improvements. Ellen, a NTTF who has a specialty in neurology, said:
I'm helping the school with a grant project where we're developing a video case study
system where we're going to have a basic set of videos of an individual performing
certain activities and then we're going to develop a case study that the students will
follow from their first year through the end of their graduate studies....And this is a
project that the faculty came up with and I was asked to come on board with that project
to lend my expertise towards the neurology based information....The school reaches
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out to people for their different areas of expertise and invites them to contribute in
those ways.
The creation of a common case study to be used throughout the program is an example of
successful teamwork in which the NTTF and tenured faculty have contributed their expertise for
the benefit of the whole program. The DPT program offers multiple opportunities for faculty to
grow as professionals and to contribute their experience and expertise to strengthen the program,
often with stipends for grant-funded special projects. Although the literature reflects the fact that
programs often do not capitalize on the strengths and expertise of NTTF, SU's DPT program has
been successful in elevating the program through thoughtful utilization of the NTTF's experience
and expertise.
Collegiality
Collegiality is a relationship between colleagues, who are all working together to further
the goals and mission of the program (Gappa, Austin & Trice, 2007). A collegial group respects
all its members and shows consideration for the well being of those united in a common purpose.
Collegiality is a key component of the academic workplace. Gappa and colleagues (2007)
emphasize that collegiality does not mean sociability or conformity. Rather, collegiality is a
professional standard related to faculty contributing constructively to a shared goal with
responsibility to one another. A collegial environment helps NTTF performance, as they can
rely on their colleagues for help in various aspects of their work and feel invested in the program
as full partners who contribute to its success. All the faculty interviewed perceived that there was
a strong sense of collegiality in the program. Everyone expressed feeling connected to the
program and to one another and attested to a sense of belonging to the academic community.
Mina, a NTTF who has taught at another university said:
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At the other place I was literally a lone man. There was no sense of family and you
didn't know who taught what...so you just didn't feel connected at all versus [at SU], I just
feel so much more connected to other people.
The program has engendered a sense of belonging through its supportive policies and practices.
Because the NTTF know other faculty and feel connected to them, there is a strong sense of
community in the DPT program. Mina also spoke about her experience benefitting from
colleagueship, when she reached out to another faculty member for help:
For example, this last week we had a topic that's not my area of expertise but it was
something that needed to be covered in the course, so I knew one of the other
faculty members had that area of expertise, so I emailed him and said I have this course,
this class coming up and I was hoping to get some support on this. And he ended up
coming in the class and facilitating that whole lecture and series. So I think when
needed, we know who to go to and they're ready and willing to help.
Faculty supporting one another for the benefit of students is a sign of a strong collegial,
cooperative environment. Because the faculty feel a sense of responsibility to one another, they
are generous with their time and willing to oblige when support is needed. Ellen, a NTTF,
underscored the key role the tenure-track faculty play in creating a collegial environment. She
said:
The thing that I have really appreciated at SU is that the tenure-track faculty
members, the permanent faculty members unhesitatingly offer solutions, guidance,
support, and they will frequently say, is everything going all right?
The tenured faculty are exemplary in that they proactively offer assistance and treat NTTF as
essential members of the department. All the faculty at SU recognize that they are colleagues
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and partners in an academic community with a shared responsibility for student learning and
success. Since physical therapy is a helping profession, one might conclude that the discipline is
inherently conducive to fostering collegial relationships. However, Sarah, a NTTF, does not
attribute the collegiality of the faculty to the fact that they are physical therapists. She said:
Oh, I wish I could say it's because it's physical therapy but I will tell you that that's not
true. There are petty jealousies and egos in every profession, including physical therapy.
Even though we are all helping people, it doesn't mean that we still don't have our own
dysfunctions and it really always just goes back to the culture of the institution....[SU] is
just a rare little gem. It's a little oasis in the middle of drama that is academia.
As Sarah commented, SU has a strong culture of collegiality, which allows NTTF to be nurtured
and become successful faculty. The faculty in the program are exemplars of collegial behavior,
as they care for one another's well-being and help one another to further the goal of educating the
next generation of outstanding clinicians.
Flexibility
Gappa, Austin, and Trice (2007) write that flexibility is an important element of faculty
work, as the American work force has changed, with dual career and single parent families, and
many faculty need support so that they can meet their personal obligations. Flexibility
encompasses support such as leaves, adjusting work schedules, and movement from non-tenure-
track to tenure-track positions and vice versa. There is flexibility in the DPT program in the
following ways: NTTF can move into tenure-track positions; teaching schedules are made to
accommodate NTTF; and team teaching allows NTTF to meet other personal and professional
obligations.

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Movement from Non-Tenure-Track to Tenure-Track Positions
Five of the tenured and tenure-track faculty, including the chair, first started as NTTF in
the program and moved into the tenure-track position when an opening became available. NTTF
are encouraged to get their PhD or equivalent so that they would be eligible to be in a tenure-
track position. Several NTTF interviewed said that they were interested in obtaining further
education to be eligible for a tenure-track position, and they said they were encouraged and
supported by the chair and other faculty to do so. The program has a long history of developing
its NTTF and moving them into tenure-track positions.
Flexible Teaching Schedules
Further, classes are scheduled to fit NTTF's work commitments. The collaborative
process of scheduling enhances the performance of NTTF, as they can arrange their teaching
times to be able to meet with their co-instructors before class or meet with students after class.
The DPT program is considerate of the needs of the NTTF and strives to reduce the stress of
commuting from afar or from a different institution so that they can be fully prepared and present
in the classroom. Diana, a tenured faculty said:
I think the department is very supportive. We're very flexible in scheduling
classes. You know, most universities, the schedule is set and the part-time faculty
has to adjust to that time, you know, the timeframe. But here, because of the way it was
at the beginning where we were relying on the part-time faculty, it's the opposite. The
full-time faculty teaches around the part-time faculty schedule. ...And that just tells you
about, you know, how we value them...so we set their schedule down first and then
the full-time faculty work around that which is very rare.
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The literature speaks to the challenges of part-time NTTF, as they are often not consulted in their
teaching schedules, are given their assignments at the last minute, and therefore face difficulties
when they have teaching commitments at multiple institutions. Because most of the NTTF in the
DPT program have other work commitments, the program strives to accommodate their
schedules. The program works with NTTF who have long commutes, have multiple teaching
jobs, are working full-time as clinicians, have childcare responsibilities, and need flexible
scheduling, which benefits NTTF as they are supported in their attempt to balance their different
responsibilities. As Dylan, a NTTF, expressed, "I feel like people are invested in having you
here.... It's the person first and then the job comes second" and that "they really try and do the
right thing."
Team Teaching
In addition to the flexible scheduling, team teaching is a way for NTTF to job share and
allows for great flexibility. Mina, a NTTF said:
As a part-timer, [team teaching] has a lot of value in that it allows for flexibility. So if I
can't make a class, I know somebody else is there. It allows us to split the workload, you
know, even such things as checking email, things like that.....I feel that I have a fall back,
especially since I have a full-time job elsewhere.
The team teaching allows for flexibility, especially for NTTF who are mothers and have
childcare responsibilities, as their co-instructors can fill in during an emergency. Emma, a NTTF
who had two children while teaching in the program, said that that she found support from the
teaching team. She said, "when I had kids, everybody stepped up and supported me. I know if I
needed anything more I could go to both Andrew [the primary instructor] and Kay [the program
chair]." As Gappa and colleagues (2007) noted, women still shoulder most of the responsibilities
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for child-rearing, therefore, programs that do not offer flexibility are not equitable in their
treatment of female faculty. The program understands that NTTF have complex lives with
professional and personal responsibilities, and therefore allows for flexibility for their NTTF.
Respect
As Gappa, Austin, and Trice (2007) stated, respect is the core foundation in which all
other elements of essential faculty work revolve. A respectful culture is necessary for all other
essential elements to flourish. There is respect for NTTF in the program because they are valued
for their expertise and they have a voice in the curriculum.
NTTF Valued for their Expertise
In the DPT program, all the tenured and tenure-track faculty recognize the importance of
the NTTF and the value that they add to the program. David, a tenure-track faculty, said "the
beauty of the adjuncts is that they're living what they're teaching every day...And they can bring
patients in and that's a great exposure for the students." The tenure-track faculty recognize the
key role that the NTTF play in educating students and preparing them for a successful career.
Kit, a NTTF who is certified as a cardiopulmonary specialist with experience working in an ICU,
said, "Everyone knows what my specialty is, so if they come across something they come and
ask, which I think conveys respect. Also that they acknowledge that you're really good at that
particular area and they want feedback." All the NTTF stated that their clinical expertise was
recognized and the program capitalized on their strengths.
Input Into the Curriculum
The NTTF feel respected, because they have a voice and input into the curriculum.
Austin, a NTTF said:
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I like the administration, because I feel that I have an open channel to the head, and I
have the ability to make changes in curriculum where I need to, and I feel that my voice
is heard, and not necessarily always do I get the things that I want, but at least I know it's
considered.
All the faculty perceived that they voices were heard, that their contributions mattered, and that
they were treated as full partners in meeting the goals of the program.
Summary
In conclusion, the DPT program at SU exemplifies many positive policies and practices
that bolster all essential elements of effective faculty work. The program treats NTTF fairly and
equitably, offers autonomy in the classroom, provides professional growth opportunities, allows
for flexibility in moving from a non-tenure-track to a tenure-track position, fosters collegiality,
and holds respect for NTTF as a core value. As noted by Gappa, Austin and Trice (2007) and
Kezar (2012) and exemplified in the DPT program, the essential elements are interconnected.
Providing professional growth by offering mentoring opportunities strengthens collegiality as
NTTF have opportunities to interact with tenured faculty. Giving academic freedom and
classroom autonomy to NTTF strengthens a sense of equity in the program.
Areas for Improvement
Although SU has many positive policies and practices for NTTF, no institution is perfect,
and SU has areas that need to be improved to better support faculty. A major concern is that
there is no formal evaluation for the part-time NTTF. Diana, a tenured faculty said:
They get student course evaluations but that again you know, students can write
whatever they want but it may not help them. But there's really no checks and
balances right now. I think that's a huge drawback for the whole entire [program].
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...There is no evaluation or any kind of formal process right now for adjuncts. And this is
for the whole college, not just for our department.
Evaluation of "associated faculty" is an accreditation requirement by the Commission on
Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, so it is important that the DPT program begin a
systematic evaluation of its NTTF. Beyond compliance with accreditation standards, however,
having a formal, systematic evaluation process is an important part of professional growth, and a
majority of the NTTF interviewed said that they would like to receive formal evaluations so that
they could improve their performance. Alex, a NTTF, said:
I think the big thing would just be kind of going back to the question of does
anybody ever sit in and evaluate me? As much as that would be in some ways nerve-
wracking, I would like to know from somebody outside or outside my normal peer
group and teaching group, to have someone watch and actually give me feedback and
problem solve with me in terms of, you know, if they would have any ideas for me to be
more effective.
Austin, a NTTF, also echoed the need for evaluation:
I've been teaching for the last 14 years, and so sometimes you get into a rhythm with
your teaching, and things become habitual for you... I was looking for someone to
come in and critique and give evaluations, and that's for me personally as an
instructor.
Evaluation is especially important at SU, because the majority of the NTTF said that they were
interested in moving into a full-time, tenure-track position in the future. Kezar (2012) writes that
the NTTF are a diverse group and that institutions tailor their support for NTTF based on their
particular needs and motivations. Given the NTTF's goals in academia, it is important that they
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be evaluated in their teaching so that they could improve as faculty members and fulfill their
career objectives.
In addition to formal evaluations, several faculty said that they would like to have more
in depth, teaching-related classes. Alex said:
I think a lot of the continuing education courses that are offered to us are very
clinically based and if there was something that was a little more teaching based. Like I
said, we get some within the staff meetings but I feel like it just touches on some things
that might be very helpful versus having a really intense weekend course on technology
or a course on just ways to teach. That would be far more helpful for me.
Dylan, a NTTF, also said that he would like to have more formal, in depth professional
development opportunities in teaching. He said:
Professional development in validating your teaching process would be one that I would
hope to see a little bit more of versus your clinical. I mean, that's where I specialize.
That's where I live. That's my life. So clinically, that's not the problem right? If I am
going to improve as an educator, it's got to be more from an academic standpoint and
getting resources or knowledge in that area.
Many of the NTTF interviewed are aspiring academics who are exploring the possibility of
gaining full-time tenure-track positions in the future, therefore they were interested in receiving
more intensive training in teaching-related subjects.
In addition, the DPT program does not provide multi-year contracts, but contracts per
term. Although there are de facto multi-year contracts as most NTTF have been teaching
regularly for a number of years and the NTTF did not mention it as a concern, it would be a
positive policy to provide multi-year contacts to guarantee a level of job security for NTTF.
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The chair of the program has played an important role in creating a positive work
environment for NTTF and modeling and instilling respect for NTTF. Beyond the practices of
the chair, there are structures in place, such as team teaching and mentoring that allow for
collegiality and respect to flourish. Further, at the institutional level, respect for all faculty and
staff is an important value, evidenced by invitations to various social functions and celebrations.
However, in order to ensure that having a positive work environment for NTTF in the DPT
program is not person-dependent, it would be in the best interest of the program to have a
program chair handbook outlining the responsibilities of the chair with regard to NTTF, so as to
ensure continued support for NTTF in the program with changes in leadership.
Finally, at the institutional level, there could be improvements in achieving equity in
compensation across departments. The NTTF in the physical therapy receive higher
compensation than those in other departments at SU. As colleges and universities adopt a
capitalistic model, where those in disciplines that are valued in the marketplace receive a higher
pay than those who are not, it challenges the ideals of equity that should be prized in academia.
Also, the DPT program has attempted to gain approval from the university to increase the
number of its full-time, tenure-track faculty, however the chair and one of the tenured faculty
said that they were uncertain that their request would be met. According to the Commission on
Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, programs must demonstrate that core faculty "is
sufficient in number to allow core faculty to meet...the expected program outcomes"
(Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education 2013). Given the challenges in
having a department with a large cadre of part-time NTTF, the university should work with the
department in determining the optimal number of full-time, tenure-track faculty versus part-time
NTTF needed to ensure the successful achievement of program outcomes.
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Summary
Although the DPT program has in place many supportive policies and practices, the areas
for improvement are the following: having formal evaluation for their NTTF so that they can
continue to develop; offering more intensive teaching-related classes and professional
development opportunities; and creating multi-year contracts to formalize job security for NTTF.
At the institutional level, SU needs to examine its policy for compensating part-time faculty
across departments and achieve parity for faculty in different disciplines doing similar work.
Also, the university should work with the program in determining the optimal ratio of full-time,
tenure-track faculty versus part-time NTTF in a department. Addressing these areas for
improvement will further strengthen a program that has already created a positive working
environment that allows NTTF to thrive.
Chapter Summary
In conclusion, the DPT program at SU provides a supportive working environment through a
number of positive policies and practices. In this chapter, I described the five features of SU that
either encompass all the essential elements of effective faculty work described by Gappa, Austin,
and Trice (2007) or unique elements that stand outside of the framework: the leadership of the
chair, effective program-wide communication, dedication to continuous improvement,
commitment to mentoring other faculty, and a sense of pride and a high level of satisfaction.
The chair of the program demonstrates respect for NTTF by making sure that NTTF are included
in the communication and decision-making about the program, that they have adequate
equipment and resources, and that they are provided with professional growth opportunities.
There is effective communication between the chair and the faculty and among faculty. All
faculty embrace change and work as a team to achieve higher levels of excellence in the
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program. All faculty interviewed expressed a commitment to mentoring the next generation of
clinician-educators as they themselves had been mentored. The faculty expressed pride in the
mission of the university and the program and found satisfaction in furthering the goals and
mission through their participation.
In addition to these features, I described the findings for the five essential elements of
faculty work described by Gappa, Austin, and Trice (2007): employment equity, academic
freedom and autonomy, professional growth, flexibility, and collegiality, around a core value of
respect. The NTTF are treated equitably, as they are paid fairly, provided with adequate
resources to do their job, play a role in departmental governance, and are involved in decision
making about the curriculum. The NTTF have autonomy in the classroom, as they are able to
design their classes with freedom. The NTTF have the opportunity to grow as professionals, as
they can attend free or discounted continuing education classes, receive mentoring from
experienced faculty as well as from their peers, and can contribute their clinical expertise to
various projects. There is flexibility in the program, as the NTTF may move into tenure-track
positions, they are consulted in the creation of their class schedules, and team teaching allows for
flexibility in their schedule, especially for those with childcare responsibilities. All NTTF
attested to a collegial bond among faculty, as they share resources and help one another to better
the program. Finally, there is respect all around for the work that NTTF do and their critical role
in the program in educating future clinicians. Although there are areas for improvement, such as
a need for formal evaluation, more teaching related professional development classes, and multi-
year contracts, DPT program at SU has achieved an exemplary environment for their NTTF.
The leadership in the DPT program understands that all faculty, including NTTF, must be
supported so that they can be at their best, contribute fully to the program, and meet the needs of
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their students in a changing healthcare environment. By supporting their faculty and investing in
their growth, development, and satisfaction, the DPT program is investing in its own future
health and success.
Although there are studies that attempt to paint a picture of NTTF as undesirable in
academia and link NTTF to a number of lower student outcomes, the DPT program is succeeding
because of its strategic use of their NTTF. As Thomas, a NTTF commented, "Although one
would think that since there's so many part-time faculty, that you would have a disjointed
curriculum. You would think that would be very difficult but in fact they've sort of turned it into
an asset." NTTF are here to stay, especially in the health professions, which need practitioners to
bring their knowledge and experience to the classroom. The DPT program at SU has
intentionally turned having a large cadre of NTTF into a valuable asset, rather than a deficit, and
other institutions have much to learn from it.

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CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Introduction
There has been a dramatic rise of non-tenure-track faculty in higher education in the last
several decades. NTTF now represent the majority of the professoriate and educate the majority
of students in higher education. Despite this change in the academy, universities and colleges
have been slow to implement policies and practices that support NTTF who are confronted with
unique barriers to performing their work unlike their tenure-track peers. In fact, institutions have
responded in a haphazard way to the change in the academy as a result of the increase in non-
tenure-track appointments. Because there is a dearth of research on institutions that have created
work environments where NTTF can flourish and help advance the goals and mission of the
institution, I conducted a case study of an exemplary organization that supports its NTTF well.
The purpose of the study was to determine how a physical therapy program creates a positive
working environment that nurtures and supports its NTTF so that they can serve effectively as
faculty members. The research question guiding this study was: what do the chair, tenured and
tenure-track faculty, and NTTF in a physical therapy program perceive as the support NTTF
need to perform effectively. I used Gappa, Austin, and Trice's (2007) framework, in which they
describe the five elements of effective faculty work: employment equity, academic freedom,
professional development, collegiality, and flexibility, all revolving around a core requirement of
respect. Although Gappa and colleagues (2007) developed their framework for tenure-track
faculty, they stated that it was applicable to all appointment types. In addition, I used Kezar's
(2007) framework, in which she recommends specific policies for NTTF, corresponding to each
of the five elements of effective faculty work. In this chapter, I will provide a summary of the
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findings, discuss my contributions to the literature, present implications for practice, suggest
areas for future research, and provide a conclusion.
Research Findings and Discussion
The research question guiding this study was: what do the chair, tenured and tenure-track
faculty, and NTTF in a physical therapy program perceive to be the support NTTF need to
perform effectively. The three key findings are the importance of the program chair in
implementing policies and practices that support NTTF, the practice of socializing NTTF
through mentoring, and having respect as a core value. In addition, the findings validated Gappa
and colleagues' framework in that the program promoted all the elements of effective faculty
work, as well as a core foundation of respect, which resulted in a high level of commitment,
satisfaction, as well as retention of highly-qualified NTTF. Also, the program at SU was
characterized by the following elements: effective program-wide, formal and informal
communication; commitment to continuous improvement and learning as a program; dedication
to serving as mentors; and a high-level of pride.
Key Findings
The importance of the program chair. The case study supported the literature as to the
important role of the program chair. Because the chair has the authority to allocate resources,
interpret policies, and encourage positive practices, he or she can have a great impact on the
working conditions of the NTTF. The DPT program has a chair who understands that the
working conditions of NTTF affect their performance and their ability to enhance student
learning, therefore she does all she can to support them. She verbally acknowledges the
contributions that the NTTF make; facilitates effective program-wide communication; provides
adequate tools, materials and resources; includes NTTF in faculty meetings and in decisions
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about the curriculum; promotes their scholarly activities, and supports their professional growth
through classes and mentoring. These policies and practices strengthen all elements of effective
faculty work and send a strong message of respect for the NTTF.
The practice of socialization through mentoring. Developing NTTF through
mentoring is a supportive practice that has served the DPT program well. In addition to the
program chair, many faculty, both tenure-track and senior NTTF, serve as mentors. Mentoring
relationships are built into the program, as new NTTF are paired with experienced faculty in
team teaching, and they "learn the ropes" by observing, interacting, and receiving feedback
through the teaching process. The NTTF interviewed said that they learned to design a course,
create a syllabus, adopt appropriate testing methods, incorporate technology, use multimedia,
manage challenging student relationships, and motivate the class by working with their mentors.
They also said that they received encouragement and emotional support as well as long term
career advice from their mentors. This is especially important for the DPT program, as the
NTTF are practicing professionals who are new to the faculty role. They need to be socialized
into the academic culture and the clinician-educator role, and this is successfully being
accomplished through mentoring relationships.
Respect as a core principle. Finally, positive policies and practices will not reap
benefits for the program if there is no underlying respect for NTTF. As Gappa and colleagues
(2007) underscored, respect is a requirement for all other essential elements of faculty work to
take root and flourish. It is clear that having a respectful culture is a core value of the program,
and the words and actions of the chair and the tenured faculty all conveyed tremendous respect
for NTTF as valued colleagues. All the NTTF felt respected because they were included in the
decision making process regarding the curriculum, they were asked to use their expertise to
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improve the program as a whole, and they were acknowledged as being integral in fulfilling the
program's mission as the faculty majority. As Kezar (2012) wrote, policies, practices, and
principles all contribute to a positive working environment for NTTF, and the DPT program at
SU exemplifies the way in which all three factors are aligned for the benefit of NTTF.
Five Elements of Effective Faculty Work
My findings supported the Gappa, Austin, and Trice's (2007) framework in that NTTF
need the five elements of effective faculty work, with a core foundation of respect, in order to
perform their work effectively. As Gappa and colleagues (2007) and Kezar (2012) stated, the
elements are interdependent, and when one element is strengthened, other elements are
enhanced. Conversely, when one element is neglected, there is a domino effect, and other
elements deteriorate.
Employment equity. The DPT program pays their NTTF fairly, provides them with the
tools, resources, materials, and administrative help to do their jobs, offers professional
development opportunities for NTTF, includes them in curriculum decisions and departmental
governance, and validates the importance of the NTTF by promoting their scholarship.
Academic freedom. The DPT program gives NTTF autonomy in the classroom. While
the program provides syllabi and previous exams to new NTTF, the NTTF can change the
syllabi, determine the appropriate testing methods, and schedule guest speakers and examiners
who are compensated from the program budget.
Flexibility. The NTTF are provided with flexibility, as the program actively cultivates
the NTTF so that they can move into tenure-track positions in the future. Also, the program
works collaboratively with the NTTF to create their class schedules. Finally, the team teaching
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 116

process affords flexibility, as they can rely upon their co-instructors to fill in for them when they
have other personal or professional obligations.
Professional growth. The NTTF in the DPT program are given ample opportunities to
develop as professionals. They are offered free or discounted continuing education classes, or
have the opportunity to travel out of state for classes. Most new NTTF are provided with
mentoring, as they teach as part of a team, where they can learn from experienced faculty
members. There is also peer-mentoring among the NTTF who team teach together, as they offer
one another support in the classroom, as well as emotional and career support outside of the
classroom. There is constant peer assessment among the team members, as they work together
to be more effective in the classroom to strengthen student learning.
Collegiality. There is a deep sense of collegiality in the DPT program, as all the faculty
perceived that they were united in a common goal of advancing student learning. They respect
one another as they work together in concert to strengthen the program. All the NTTF felt a
sense of belonging to the program, and expressed the ways in which other faculty members
showed respect and consideration for their well being.
Respect. As Gappa, Austin, and Trice (2007) wrote, respect is the core requirement for
other elements of effective faculty work to have meaning. Respect is the fundamental valuing of
people as human beings, and all the faculty in the DPT program have respect for one another as
equal members in the academic community. Respect for NTTF is imbued in all of the program
policies and practices, which support all the elements of effective faculty work. Because there is
deep value of respect for NTTF, the program creates a nurturing, supportive working
environment for them.

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 117

Four Features of a Supportive Workplace
In this case study, I identified four additional features of effective faculty work that are
either unique or are related to the elements in Gappa and colleagues' framework but are not
emphasized. They are: effective formal and informal communication, dedication to continuous
learning as a program, commitment to serving as mentors, and having pride in the program.
Effective formal and informal communication. Effective communication is a
requirement for achieving a healthy, productive organization, and the DPT program is
characterized by a high level of formal and informal communication. The program holds faculty
retreats twice a year to bring all the faculty together so that they could discuss the goals and
direction of the program, areas for improvement, policies and procedures, and changes in the
physical therapy profession that would affect the program and the curriculum. In addition, the
chair sends out frequent emails to faculty, asking for input and updating them with important
news and changes. As a result, all the NTTF perceived that they were well informed and
equipped to be effective in the classroom, as they were included in the broader discussions about
the curriculum as a whole and how their courses fit in the overall structure. In addition to the
formal communication, all the faculty stated that there were frequent email exchanges, sharing of
resources that would help them be better instructors, discussions about underperforming or
unprofessional students, effective teaching strategies, and other matters beyond work. The
faculty all felt comfortable to reach out to another and to ask for help and to problem solve
together.
Dedication to continuous improvement and learning. All the faculty interviewed
spoke about the need to improve the program and to enhance the learning experience for the
students. The faculty are not only interested in improving as individuals in their classrooms, but
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 118

are dedicated to the larger goal of improving as a program and as a team. Because the DPT
program is engaged in continuous improvement as a collective, it supports the NTTF well, as
they are the faculty majority and have a substantial impact on student learning. All understands
that the program as a whole cannot achieve higher levels of excellence if NTTF experience
barriers to teaching and cannot perform at their best.
Commitment to serving as mentors. All the faculty were committed to mentoring new
faculty, as they saw it as a responsibility as professionals to mentor, guide and support the next
generation of faculty. All the faculty could see beyond their own personal interests to the greater
good of the program, as well as the physical therapy profession by giving of their time and
energy in mentoring others. All the faculty realize that in order to have an excellent program,
NTTF need to be mentored, and all the faculty are active in mentoring others.
Pride in the program. The faculty expressed a tremendous sense of pride in the
program for its ability to anticipate and adapt to the changing landscape of physical therapy. All
the faculty had an appreciation of one another and a strong connection to the program. Several
faculty said that they chose to work at SU over other institutions. A program that has pride treats
all of its faculty well and equitably, and this value undergirds all the policies and practices of the
program.
Contribution to Literature
Through my case study of the DPT program at SU, I have made a contribution to the
literature in the following ways. First, there is a dearth of research on how institutions create
good working conditions for NTTF for the benefit of student learning, and I have filled a gap
through my case study. Second, I have supported the literature on the importance of the five
elements of effective faculty work as outlined by Gappa and colleagues (2007). I have also
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described the benefits of team teaching for NTTF, which have never been documented before.
Lastly, I have added to the literature by identifying four additional features of effective faculty
work.
Although there is a body of literature that associates the rise of NTTF with negative
student outcomes, there are very few studies featuring exemplary institutions that are succeeding
because they have intentionally created policies and practices to support their NTTF well.
Although the health professions have had a long history with hiring NTTF, there are only a
handful of studies that deal with supporting NTTF and there are none in the field of physical
therapy. I have filled the gap in the literature by offering a case study of the DPT program at SU
that has created a supportive working environment for NTTF, which has allowed the program to
retain talented faculty who are committed to the program, satisfied with their work, and
dedicated to enriching the learning experience of their students.
Further, I have supported the literature on the need for institutions to foster the five
elements of effective faculty work and the ways in which the elements are interactive and
mutually reinforcing. I have demonstrated the ways in which an issue of academic freedom,
such as having autonomy in the classroom, can strengthen collegiality, as tenure-track and NTTF
work as peers in the classroom, all contributing their expertise to create an outstanding classroom
experience. I have confirmed the importance of institutions working on all elements of effective
faculty work to improve the experience of NTTF.
In addition, I have contributed to the literature by describing the team teaching
relationship and the benefits it has for NTTF, which has not been documented before. Team
teaching allows NTTF to be mentored by senior faculty members as well as their peers so that
they can learn effective teaching strategies, learn about the institutional norms, become
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 120

socialized into the academic community, use their expertise, and develop professionally. The
NTTF talked about the emotional support that they received from their co-instructors, as well as
guidance regarding their career. The NTTF attested to the fact that through the team teaching
process, they challenge one another to improve and to become better educators.
I have also contributed to the literature by identifying four additional features of an
effective workplace: effective program wide- communication, dedication to continuous
improvement and learning as a program, commitment to serving as mentors, and having pride in
the program. These are features that have not been emphasized in the literature regarding a
supportive workplace for NTTF and were found to be important features for the NTTF at SU.
Finally, I have contributed to the literature by describing the importance of the program
chair's leadership, mentoring relationships, and a respectful culture, which were the key factors
in supporting NTTF success at SU. The chair implemented policies and practices that supported
NTTF, the mentoring relationships helped NTTF to become effective clinician-educators, and
the respectful culture created an equitable and collegial environment for NTTF.
Implications for Practice
The findings from this case study may be used to guide other health professions or
technical programs that work with a large number of part-time NTTF. In the health professions,
in contrast to other disciplines such as English or math, they will always need practicing
clinicians who bring "real world" experience to the classrooms. Given the unique barriers that
part-time NTTF face, the question institutions need to ask is: how can we support NTTF so that
they can do their jobs well and enhance student learning. There are several important findings
that will help other health professions programs as they look to better support their NTTF: the
importance of mentoring for clinicians who are new to the faculty role; supporting NTTF will
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 121

improve faculty retention and strengthen their commitment and satisfaction; many of the
supportive policies and practices found are not cost prohibitive; and institutions can use the
framework by Gappa and colleagues (2007) as well as the four additional features found at SU to
audit their organizations to identify areas for improvement.
One of the significant findings that has implications for practice is the importance of
mentoring for clinicians who are transitioning to a clinician-educator role. The NTTF in
physical therapy, as well as in other professional and technical programs, are different from
NTTF in disciplines such as literature or math, as they are in general not familiar with best
practices in teaching. The NTTF are content experts, but they need to learn about pedagogy,
effective teaching strategies, and classroom management, therefore mentoring is critical for
them. Also, the literature states that it takes three years for faculty to acclimate to an academic
environment, therefore it would be even more challenging for part-time NTTF to become fully
socialized into the community. Mentoring is a hallmark of being in a profession, and institutions
need to facilitate mentoring opportunities for faculty. Although team teaching may not be
possible for many organizations that have financial constraints, connecting NTTF with
experienced faculty so that they can provide teaching-related or emotional support is paramount
to helping NTTF succeed.
Another significant lesson from the study is that because the program supported NTTF
and there was a culture of respect for NTTF, the NTTF chose to work at SU over other
institutions. In physical therapy, as in other health professions such as dentistry and nursing,
attracting and retaining highly-qualified faculty is a concern, as the faculty compensation is
generally not competitive with what NTTF would receive as clinicians. In addition, there are
many institutional barriers for NTTF that make it challenging for them to be integrated into the
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 122

academic community and succeed as faculty members, therefore there is frequent turnover. As
reported in the literature, the costs of continuously recruiting and training new faculty are high,
therefore it behooves institutions to do their best to retain excellent faculty and have stability in
the program. Because the DPT program at SU invests in and respects their NTTF, the part-time
NTTF at SU are loyal and committed to SU. They remain at SU although they may not need the
position, or they have options at other institutions. They are committed and will extend
themselves for other faculty and participate in departmental governance, such as being on a
faculty search committee or participating in extra departmental meetings, although there is no
compensation for these activities. As exemplified at SU, part-time NTTF will show as much
commitment as tenure-track faculty if they are supported with all the elements of effective
faculty work.
Institutions use NTTF as a cost-saving measure and the DPT program at SU is not an
exception. However, the DPT program has health finances, and it is able to support their faculty
in ways that many institutions cannot. Although supporting faculty requires a financial
investment, the DPT program recognizes that the cost of doing nothing is detrimental to the
health of the program. At the same time that the DPT invests financial resources in their NTTF,
many of the policies and practices that SU has implemented are not cost-prohibitive.
Communicating with NTTF often so that they are informed about the news in the program and
feel part of the group, including them in the decision making about the curriculum and involving
them in departmental governance, highlighting their scholarship, and acknowledging their
contributions to the program do not involve any financial investment. However, these activities
require having a program leader who is organized, effective, transparent, and who understands
the importance of supporting NTTF and its connection to student learning. Most programs and
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 123

departments have tight financial resources that must be managed carefully, and institutions can
learn from the chair of SU who was able to align her department goals with the larger goals of
the university in applying for a "program enhancement grant" that would provide compensation
for her NTTF attending the faculty retreats. Bringing faculty together regularly has had a
significant impact on the program, which has resulted in a caring and highly functioning faculty
that communicates and collaborates well with one another. The chair was very astute in
garnering university funding in support of the NTTF, which has yielded big dividends for the
program. In addition, the chair has involved NTTF in grant-funded special projects for which
they receive compensation, so that the program can capitalize on their expertise and the NTTF
can feel engaged in their discipline and grow as professionals. As exemplified at SU, there are
creative ways in which programs can support NTTF and improve their working conditions that
do not involve a big financial investment.
Lastly, institutional leaders can benefit from this study by using both the Gappa, Austin,
and Trice's (2007) framework, as well as the four additional features identified in this case study-
-effective program wide communication, dedication to continuous improvement and learning as
a program, commitment to serving as mentors, and a sense of pride in the program--to audit their
organizations and departments to identify areas that need to be strengthened. As stated
throughout this study, the elements of effective faculty work interact with one another and
bolstering one element strengthens other elements. According to Gappa, Austin, and Trice
(2007), "the result of all the elements together is much greater than their individual contributions
because each element supports the realization of other elements" (Gappa, Austin & Trice, 2007,
p. 331). It is important that organizations create intentional policies and practices to better
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 124

support NTTF, and the case study provides a framework in which to assess the institution's
working conditions for NTTF.
Future Research
The purpose of this study was to identify good models for supporting NTTF in a physical
therapy program. The results of this study lead to other questions for future research. It would
be worthwhile to replicate the study in other health disciplines, in a unionized setting, in a larger-
sized department, in a program where NTTF did not already have relationships with other faculty
prior to becoming departmental colleagues, and in a program with a racially diverse faculty.
Further, it would be important to examine the relationship between support for NTTF and
student outcomes, as well as to examine how the support for NTTF affect other institutional
outcomes, such as knowledge generation, shared governance, and academic freedom. It would
be valuable to study the costs involved with supporting NTTF, to examine the composition of
faculty and determine the optimal ratio of tenure-track versus NTTF, and to further examine the
unique features identified: effective program wide communication, dedication to continuous
improvement and learning, commitment to mentoring, and a sense of pride in the program.
It would be worthwhile to replicate this study in another health discipline, such as in
nursing or chiropractic, that has good working conditions for its NTTF and to determine
similarities and differences. It would be particularly interesting to see the variations in how
institutions use mentoring relationships to socialize clinicians into the faculty role and the
academic environment.
As SU is non-unionized, it would be interesting to study a program in a unionized
institution to examine whether a collegial environment would be possible in a unionized setting.
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 125

If positive policies for NTTF were already stipulated in union contracts, would faculty extend
themselves for NTTF and provide mentoring and other kinds of support?
The DPT program at SU is small with 45 tenured and NTTF combined. It is possible that
the DPT program was able to achieve a collegial and respectful environment, because it is a
small program situated in a small university where it is easier for faculty to get to know one
another. Achieving a collegial and nurturing work environment may be more difficult in a large
department in a large university. It would be worthwhile to conduct the same study in a larger
setting to determine how a department with a large cadre of NTTF can create a collegial and
supportive environment.
A limitation of this study is that the findings may have been shaped by the impact of the
physical therapy field. According to several of the NTTF, faculty knew one another in the DPT
program from their training in residencies or fellowships, working in hospitals together, or
conducting research. Because several NTTF said that they knew one another prior to joining the
DPT Program, it may have been easier to create an environment where mentoring and collegial
relationships have flourished. It would be important to study how a collegial and respectful work
environment could be cultivated in a department where faculty did not have relationships prior to
becoming departmental colleagues.
The faculty in the DPT program at SU is not racially diverse, with mostly those of
Caucasian and Asian descent represented. Therefore, it would be worthwhile to conduct a study
in a program with a more racially diverse faculty makeup and explore whether there is a
difference in the level of departmental collegiality and support for NTTF.
The DPT Program is a resource rich program with healthy finances, and therefore this
study may be less generalizable. The DPT program can afford to support NTTF with equitable
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 126

pay, team teaching, and compensation for non-instructional work, such as attendance at the
faculty retreats and working on curriculum development projects. According to one NTTF, the
DPT Program is well-supported by the university, as it is the only doctoral-level program at the
university. Although the program also had supportive features that were cost-neutral, such as
effective program-wide communication, honoring classroom autonomy for faculty, and
encouraging faculty collaborations, it would be fruitful to do another study focusing on the cost
for supporting NTTF.
An important future study would be examining the relationship between a supportive
working environment and student learning outcomes. This would entail doing a study with
multiple physical therapy programs and examining whether creating a supportive working
environment has benefits that extend beyond increased faculty commitment, satisfaction, and
morale to increased student learning outcomes. As physical therapy is a discipline that leads to
licensure, which measures student learning, it would be interesting to compare different physical
therapy programs, determine the relationship between having positive working conditions for
NTTF and the pass rate on the licensing exam. Other measures of student learning outcomes
might include the number of students who proceed to apply to a residency or a fellowship, which
are advanced educational opportunities for the best and most motivated students. The DPT
program at SU has a higher pass rate on the licensing exam than the national average, so there is
a suggestion that supporting NTTF leads to positive student learning outcomes. It would be very
fruitful to continue this study with multiple physical therapy programs and to examine the
relationship between the work environment for NTTF and student outcomes.
In addition to examining the ways in which supporting NTTF affect student learning
outcomes, it would be worthwhile to examine how support for NTTF affect other institutional
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 127

outcomes that strengthen the academic mission, such as generation of knowledge, shared
governance, and academic freedom. With the changing makeup of the professoriate, there are
concerns that the important principles of shared governance and academic freedom that are so
vital to the health of the academy are being eroded, and it would be interesting to examine if and
how support for NTTF can strengthen institutions in these key areas.
Additionally, it would be interesting to conduct a study on the composition of faculty.
Although the AAUP recommends that institutions have no more than 25% of NTTF in a
department, it may not be realistic to achieve this given the trends and economics in higher
education. It would be worthwhile to examine the optimal ratio of tenure-track faculty versus
NTTF or full-time faculty versus part-time faculty that is related to better faculty performance,
student learning, and institutional outcomes.
Finally, it would be important to test the four unique features identified at SU and explore
if they are resonant at other institutions. It would be informative to explore more closely how
features such as effective program-wide communication and dedication to continuous
improvement as a group result in support for NTTF.
Conclusion
I have presented a case study of an exemplary institution that has created a supportive
working environment for NTTF and is succeeding as a program through its strategic utilization
of NTTF. Other institutions may use the findings to assess their policies, practices, and
principles concerning NTTF and to make needed changes. Given the widespread problem
concerning the poor working conditions of NTTF, and the impact on faculty satisfaction,
commitment, morale, as well as student learning, institutions cannot afford not to change
direction in its treatment of NTTF who are educating the majority of students in higher
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education. As expressed in the Daoist saying "if you do not change direction, you may end up
where you are heading," institutions that do not support their NTTF must change their course as
they cannot afford to end up where they are heading. Future of American higher education
depends upon the course of action that colleges and universities choose with regard to their
support for NTTF.

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 129

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APPENDIX A
Classroom Observation Protocol
Date:
Location:
Purpose:
Start time:
End time:
Visual depiction of space

Description of room set-up
Description of participants
Features to look for:
1. NTTF being mentored by senior faculty
2. Faculty giving each other feedback and learning from each other
3. Collegiality among faculty
4. Respect for NTTF
5. NTTF being treated as equal colleagues, rather than a professional TA
Time Description Reflective notes

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 133

APPENDIX B
Faculty Retreat Observation Protocol
Date:
Location:
Purpose:
Start time:
End time:
Visual of depiction of space

Description of room set-up

Description of participants. Features to look for:
1. Expressions of academic freedom (NTTF speaking freely about the curriculum, giving
constructive criticism)
2. Faculty giving each other feedback and learning from each other
3. Collegiality among faculty
4. Respect for NTTF
Time Description Reflective notes

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 134

APPENDIX C
Program Chair Interview Protocol

Interviewee:
Date:
Start time:
End time:
Thank you for agreeing to participate in this interview. I know you have a busy schedule, and I
appreciate your making the time for this. I am a student in the Doctor of Education program at
USC, and I am doing a study on part-time non-tenure-track faculty and how institutions can
support them. I will keep your comments confidential, and I will not use your name in the
report. I would like to record the interview. May I have permission to do that? If at any time,
you would like to stop the interview early, please let me know and we will do so.
Opening Questions
Tell me about being the chair of this program. What is the department like?
What are the reasons for having NTTF at SU?
What do you see is your role in supporting NTTF? Why?
Could you describe the kinds of support you have for NTTF?
Are there any future plans?
In what ways has the support made a difference?

Professional growth
Can you tell me what kind of orientation to the department there is for NTTF?
How do you evaluate the NTTF?
Are there any professional development opportunities offered? (Prompt: such as funding to
attend conferences, workshops on teaching, etc.)
Could you tell me about the team teaching and what value it has for the program?
What value does it have for the faculty?

Academic freedom
What kind of autonomy do the NTTF have in the classroom? (Prompt: do they choose the
textbooks? Can they make changes to the syllabus if need be?)

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 135

What kind of input do they have on the curriculum? On larger department goals and objectives?
What kind of expertise do the NTTF provide regarding the curriculum?

Equity
Do the NTTF have office hours and do they get paid for holding office hours?
Do they have any benefits such as insurance or retirement?
Do they have adequate access to office equipment and secretarial help?

Collegiality
What kinds of interactions do you have with NTTF? (Prompt: how often do you communicate
with them)
Tell me about the relationship between the tenured track faculty and NTTF. (Prompt: What kinds
of interactions do they have with one another.)
Are there any departmental or SU events that NTTF attend?

Flexibility
Do the NTTF have the opportunity to become tenured track faculty?
a) If yes, why and what would you need to do to become full-time tenured track faculty?
b) If not, why not?

Closing
Do you have any questions for me?
Thank you very much for your time.

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 136

APPENDIX D
Tenure -Track Faculty Interview protocol

Interviewee:
Date:
Start time:
End time:
Thank you for agreeing to participate in this interview. I know you have a busy schedule, and I
appreciate your making the time for this. I am a student in the Doctor of Education program at
USC, and I am doing a study on part-time non-tenure-track faculty and how institutions can
support them. I will keep your comments confidential, and I will not use your name in the
report. I would like to record the interview. May I have permission to do that? If at any time,
you would like to stop the interview early, please let me know and we will do so.

Opening questions
Tell me about being a faculty member here. What is the department like?
What are the reasons for having NTTF in the program?
What are some of the supports that are in place for NTTF that positively affect the working
environment?
What do you see is your role in supporting NTTF? Why?
What have you accomplished in terms of providing support and are there any future plans?

Professional growth
Can you tell me what kind of orientation to the department there is for NTTF?

How do you evaluate the NTTF?

Are there any professional development opportunities offered for here? (Prompt: such as
funding to attend conferences, workshops on teaching, etc.)

Could you tell me about the team teaching and what value it has for the program? And for you?

Academic freedom
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 137

What kind of autonomy do the NTTF have in the classroom? (Prompt: do they choose the
textbooks? Can they make changes to the syllabus if need be?)

What kind of input do they have on the curriculum? On larger department goals and objectives?

Equity
Do the NTTF have office hours and do they get paid for holding office hours?

Do they have any benefits such as insurance or retirement?

Do they have adequate access to office equipment and secretarial help?

Collegiality

What kinds of interactions do you have with NTTF? (Prompt: how often do you communicate
with them?)
Are there any departmental or SU events that NTTF attend?

Flexibility
Do the NTTF have the opportunity to become tenured track faculty?
a) If yes, why and what would you need to do to become full-time tenured track faculty?
b) If not, why not?
Closing
Do you have any questions for me?

Thank you very much for your time.

SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 138

APPENDIX E

NTTF Interview Protocol
Interviewee:
Date:
Start time:
End time:
Thank you for agreeing to participate in this interview. I know you have a busy schedule, and I
appreciate your making the time for this. I am a student in the Doctor of Education program at
USC, and I am doing a study on part-time non-tenure-track faculty and how institutions can
support them. I will keep your comments confidential, and I will not identify you by name in the
report. I would like to record the interview. May I have permission to do that? If at any time,
you would like to stop the interview early, please let me know and we will do so.
Opening Questions
Tell me about being a faculty member here. What is the department like?
Do you feel supported? Why or why not?
What kinds of things make your work easy?
What kinds of things make your work difficult?
What kinds of things do you wish you had more control over?
What are the most important decisions that you make as a faculty member?

Professional growth
How did you learn how to teach? (Prompt: was there someone who served as a mentor in this
regard?)

When you began teaching at SU, what kind of orientation to the department was there for you?

Have you taught a course as part of a team? If yes, could you tell me about the experience?

How are you evaluated on your teaching?

Are there any professional development opportunities offered for you here? (Prompt: such as
funding to attend conferences, workshops on teaching, etc.)
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 139

Academic freedom
Tell me about how you prepare for your classes. (Prompt: do you choose the textbooks? Do you
change the syllabus if need be?)

What kind of input do you have on the curriculum? On larger department goals and objectives?
Are you asked to contribute expertise from the field?

Equity
Do you hold office hours and do you get paid for holding office hours? If not, can you describe
how this may have hindered your ability to do your job well?
Could you give an example?
Do you have adequate access to office equipment and secretarial help? If not, can you describe
how this may have hindered your ability to do your job well?
Could you give an example?
Are there any responsibilities that you have that are not clearly defined in your contract?

Collegiality

Tell me about your relationship with chair of the department. (Prompt: What kinds of
interactions do you have with her?)
What kinds of support do you receive from her?

Tell me about your relationship with the tenure-track-faculty. (Prompt: What kinds of
interactions do you have with them?)
What kinds of support do you receive from them?

Are there any departmental or SU events that you attend?

Flexibility
Would you like to be a full-time tenured track faculty?
a) If yes, why and what would you need to do to become full-time tenured track faculty?
SUPPORTING NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 140

b) If not, why not?
What would you have to give up to become tenured faculty?
What additional responsibilities would you expect to take on?

Respect
Do you feel respected as a faculty member here?
a) If yes, can you provide a story that demonstrates the respect?
b) If not, why?

Closing
What are the supports you would like to receive that would make you more effective as faculty
that is not provided right now.
Is there anything else you would like to tell me about your experience as a faculty at SU that
you'd like to share with me?

Do you have any questions for me?

Thank you very much for your time.

Abstract (if available)

Abstract There has been a dramatic rise of non‐tenure‐track faculty (NTTF) in higher education in the last several decades. NTTF now represent the majority of the professoriate and educate the majority of students in higher education. Despite this change in the academy, most institutions have been slow to implement policies and practices that support NTTF who are confronted with unique barriers to performing their work effectively. Most NTTF work under inferior working conditions compared to their tenure‐track peers and do not have the support needed to succeed as faculty. There are institutions that have begun to address the needs of the NTTF and to create positive working conditions to support them. This case study presents the experiences of part‐time NTTF in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program who work in a supportive environment with positive policies and practices for NTTF. ❧ This study affirmed the importance of the program chair in reinforcing positive practices for NTTF and fostering an environment of support and respect for NTTF. In order to ensure that having a supportive work environment for NTTF is not person dependent, a recommendation is to establish some structural features, such as having a program chair handbook outlining the chair's responsibilities regarding NTTF. Second, NTTF in health professions programs are clinicians who need to be socialized into the academic community as educators. Therefore, facilitating mentoring relationships among faculty through positive practices such as team teaching is critical. Finally, having a culture of respect for NTTF is an essential requirement for creating an effective faculty workplace. Achieving these key elements will help institutions enhance NTTF's satisfaction, performance, and success, enabling them to provide the best learning environment possible for their students.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Kim, Yun Jung (author)

Core Title Supporting non-tenure-track faculty in a physical therapy program: a case study

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag non‐tenure‐track faculty,OAI-PMH Harvest

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Kezar, Adrianna J. (committee chair), Clark, Ginger (committee member), Daniels, Sonja (committee member), Lorenz, Georgia (committee member)

Creator Email yun@emperors.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-464095

Unique identifier UC11288233

Identifier etd-KimYunJung-2843.pdf (filename),usctheses-c3-464095 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-KimYunJung-2843.pdf

Dmrecord 464095

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Kim, Yun Jung

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA