Faculty in the Middle Years: Illuminating an Overlooked Phase of Academic Life

Initial findings from this exploratory study indicate significant questions, such as: why does the focus of faculty work appear to shift and, in later career? How do the administrative and leadership roles often assumed by midlife and mid-career faculty affect other dimensions of faculty work? Is the level of work satisfaction of mid-career faculty a function of the job demands or of life assessment and career questioning? What roles do institutional context and disciplinary field play in the experiences and perceptions of the middle years of the academic life cycle?