Loyola University has been named one of the 32 colleges and universities most welcoming to junior faculty in a recent report by the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education, a 160-member consortium based at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.
The report draws from a survey of 15,000 junior faculty at 127 of the collaborative's member institutions. The questions focus on work-life criteria such as tenure practices, clarity of expectations for tenure, and work and home balance. The 32 outstanding institutions scored at the top of three peer groups—undergraduate, master's, and doctoral/research institutions—in at least one of eight work-life categories.
“In order for Loyola to fulfill its educational mission, we must be able to continue to attract and retain committed faculty at the top of their fields,” said Timothy Law Snyder, Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs. “We strive to cultivate an environment at Loyola that demonstrates the value we place on our faculty, their professional fulfillment, and their personal happiness. To have our efforts acknowledged in this way is gratifying to all who work continually to maintain a thriving environment for our colleagues.”
In addition to highlighting institutions that excel in these areas, the report also serves to provide participating institutions with information on how they can improve, and which peer institutions they might turn to for guidance.
Loyola faculty reported particular satisfaction in the “Nature of Work—Research” section of the survey, which covered time allotted to conduct research, expectations for finding external funding, influence over focus of research, research services, professional assistance in finding grants, travel funds, and research leave.
For more information or questions regarding this story, contact Media Relations Manager Nick Alexopulos at nalexopulos@loyola.edu or 410-617-5025.