Designing Stability in an Unstable Academic Environment

Faculty member working at a desk, representing research productivity in an unstable academic environment

Academic careers have always involved a degree of uncertainty. But for many faculty, the current environment feels especially difficult to navigate. Funding landscapes shift. Leadership changes. Expectations expand. Priorities move quickly. As a result, many faculty are asking a practical question: how do you maintain research productivity and steady progress in an academic environment that … Read more

How to Balance Teaching and Research During the Semester

faculty balancing teaching and research responsibilities during the semester

Balancing teaching and research during the semester is one of the most persistent challenges faculty face. Many begin the term with clear research goals, only to find their schedules quickly filled with course preparation, grading, meetings, and student support. As teaching responsibilities expand, research time often becomes harder to protect. Without intentional planning, writing and … Read more

Access the Recording: How to Create and Maintain Healthy Boundaries

How to Create and Maintain Healthy Boundaries Webinar Recording

Facilitator: Lisa Hanasono, PhDProfessorBowling Green State University Build boundaries that support productivity, balance, and long-term success. On-Demand Webinar Recording Feeling stretched thin? Saying “yes” too often? Struggling to maintain balance with students, colleagues, and constant demands? You’re not alone. And you don’t have to keep operating at the edge of burnout. Access the recording of … Read more

Knowing Your Worth: Negotiating Academic Contracts under Budgetary Constraints

Faculty member negotiating academic job offer and contract terms

Authors: Jocelyn Olcott & Lori Flores One of the principal challenges that we face when deciding whether to take a new position at an academic institution is how to negotiate the best possible terms of employment. Whether senior or entry-level, in an academic or non-academic position, tenure-track or not, most job offers come with an … Read more

The 2026 State of Faculty Development in Higher Education Survey Report

The faculty support gap in higher education is real. Over 1000 faculty and academic leaders revealed what faculty need most, and how institutions can help deliver it. Faculty development is no longer optional infrastructure. NCFDD’s national survey of 1,098 faculty and academic leaders reveals a growing divergence between what faculty need to remain productive and … Read more

The Missing Step Between Strong Research Ideas and Competitive Proposals

Faculty developing competitive research proposals

Strong research ideas are not in short supply. Across disciplines, faculty are asking rigorous questions, developing sophisticated methods, and pursuing work with real intellectual and societal value. Yet many of these ideas never become competitive research proposals, even when faculty invest significant time and effort. This gap is not a reflection of weak scholarship or … Read more

From Enforcement to Pedagogy: Rethinking Academic Integrity in the Age of AI

faculty discussing academic integrity in the age of AI

Questions about academic integrity in the age of AI are now central to conversations about teaching and learning. As AI tools become more visible in the classroom, many faculty are unsure how to uphold standards while responding to new forms of student work. Concerns about AI and academic integrity often surface as anxiety about misuse, … Read more

Free Research Funding Story Arc Builder

Funding Story Arc Builder Blog CTA

Turn Your Research Into a Clear, Compelling Funding Story Learn how to communicate your research in plain language that resonates with funders and partners beyond your discipline. Download this free worksheet designed to help faculty turn their research into a story they can use in emails, conversations, proposals, and pitches to non academic audiences. You … Read more

Why Clear Research Narratives Matter More Than Ever to Funders

clear research funding

Across disciplines, faculty often assume that strong ideas speak for themselves. If the question is rigorous, the methods are sound, and the scholarship is credible, the value should be obvious to reviewers. Increasingly, that assumption no longer holds. Today’s funding landscape places growing weight not only on what faculty study, but on how clearly they … Read more