Kim Cotzias 
Author: NCFDD A promising funding opportunity can take over your calendar remarkably fast. One call looks like a strong fit. The deadline is six weeks away. Suddenly, your research funding strategy is the proposal due six weeks from now. That kind of focus can be useful. Grants require concentrated attention. But when every funding decision … Read more
Author: NCFDD Faculty leadership roles often come with an unusual expectation: learn the job once you have it. A faculty member may spend years building expertise as a researcher, teacher, mentor, and colleague. Then they become a department chair, program director, center director, associate dean, or another academic leader. Almost overnight, the work changes. They … Read more
Author: Jennifer Henry, Launch Program Manager, University of Michigan Starting a faculty position is exciting—and overwhelming. New assistant professors are expected to quickly learn the “hidden curriculum” of academia: how things really work in their department, how to build networks across campus, how to navigate expectations for research, teaching, and service, and where to find … Read more
During the academic year, much of faculty work is driven by external demands. Teaching schedules, committee responsibilities, student needs, departmental priorities, and institutional deadlines shape how time is spent from week to week. Summer often looks different. Understanding how department chairs can support faculty over the summer starts with recognizing that this season serves a … Read more
Author: Laura Portwood-Stacer When attempting to publish an academic book, it can feel as if so many factors are beyond your control. Will an acquiring editor like your book idea? Will it take them forever to get back to you? Will peer reviewers understand and support the intervention you’re trying to make? What if they … Read more
Summer has a way of creating big expectations. By the end of the spring semester, it’s easy to imagine finally having time to focus on the work that has been pushed aside for months. By August, many faculty find themselves wondering where the time went. The summer wasn’t wasted; in fact, most people stayed busy. … Read more
Author: NCFDD Faculty development has become a growing priority at research universities as expectations around scholarship, mentoring, leadership, teaching, and research productivity continue expanding across higher education. Many institutions already offer substantial professional development resources for faculty. Workshops, mentoring opportunities, writing support, leadership programming, and wellness initiatives often exist across multiple offices and departments. The … Read more
For many faculty, conversations about AI in higher education initially centered on teaching. How should instructors respond when students use generative AI tools in assignments? What belongs in the classroom? What policies are reasonable? What counts as ethical use? Over time, though, those conversations have expanded well beyond classroom policy. Faculty are now navigating questions … Read more
Many faculty enter summer expecting academic writing productivity to return once the semester ends. Instead, summer often becomes a period of fragmented attention, stalled projects, and inconsistent writing routines. One reason is that academic writing productivity depends heavily on continuity. Momentum is easier to maintain than rebuild. When writing becomes sporadic, faculty spend substantial time … Read more
Author: NCFDD Summer can feel deceptively open at first. The semester ends, meetings slow down, and many faculty finally have room to think about the projects that have been difficult to sustain during the academic year. Writing goals return to the surface. Research plans that were pushed aside start demanding attention again. Fall teaching preparation … Read more