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
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
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
Author: Lisa Hanasono, Ph.D. The overwhelm is real! For many academics, it seems like there always will be more work to do than can possibly be done in a day, month, year, or career. From floods of emails and requests to jam-packed calendars and ever-expanding task lists, academics are managing a growing number of responsibilities, … Read more
Author: NCFDD Academic loneliness is more common than many faculty are willing to admit. Academic life is often portrayed as collaborative, intellectual, and community driven. In reality, many faculty describe it as isolating from the earliest stages of graduate school through the years leading to tenure. The pressure to perform, the expectation to manage everything … Read more
Watch the Recording: Planning for Rest and Recovery: An Agile End-of-Year Reflectionn Host:Rebecca Pope-Ruark, PhDDirector of the Faculty Professional DevelopmentGeorgia Institute of Technology Take a deliberate pause, recharge, and step into the new year with clarity, focus, and renewed energy. Have you had a year of intense teaching, research, service, meetings, and deadlines? It’s time to … Read more
Author: Rebecca Pope-Ruark I spend a lot of my time teaching faculty and academic leaders about burnout, which the World Health Organization (2019) defines as “a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” It has three characteristics: exhaustion, depersonalization or cynicism toward those you work with, and real or perceived … Read more
Burnout in higher education is widespread and deeply felt. Faculty are teaching, mentoring, researching, and serving their institutions all at once. The workload rarely slows down, and many academics find themselves running on empty long before the semester ends. What was once fulfilling can start to feel like survival. Recognizing burnout is not a sign … Read more
As the academic year winds down, many faculty find themselves running on momentum alone. The instinct is to push through the final deadlines, answer the last emails, and turn immediately to what comes next. But real progress often starts with a pause. Reflection is not about slowing down for its own sake. It is a … Read more
Faculty life is often described as a balancing act. Teaching, research, service, and personal responsibilities compete for attention, and the instinct for many academics is to grit their teeth and simply push harder. Late nights, working through weekends, and skipping breaks are treated as badges of honor. The message is clear: if you are strong … Read more