The work identity of full‐time non‐tenure‐track faculty at a four year research university

In a 2010 report, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) found that full‐time non‐tenure track faculty (NTTF) made up two‐thirds of all faculty appointments in higher education. Specifically, NTTF appointments constituted 800,000 out of the 1.3 million faculty hires (AFT, 2010). The rise in NTTF changes the structure of the faculty in higher education, creating a two‐tired system between tenure and non‐tenure. Few research studies have investigated the impact of this changing structure. ❧ This study sought to understand the professional and work identity of full time NTTF by asking the question: How does the department where a full time NTTF works, shape their work identity at a four year research university? A qualitative study using narrative analysis was used to interview 19 full‐time NTTF at one private research institution across 7 different departments and programs regarding their experience as a NTTF. Genevieve Shaker’s (2008) model regarding the experience of full time NTTF in in a single discipline (English) was used to analyze the data. While all elements of Shaker’s model were found in this study, two additional elements could be added to her model including the importance of relationships and creating or building a niche. ❧ While full‐time NTTF do not have a distinct professional and work identity, this study does shed light on the positive and negative factors that shape full‐time NTTF identity. As a result of this study’s findings, there are factors that higher education and institutions of higher education should consider with the growing number of NTTF on campuses today. Most importantly, institutions and departments can learn from this study to create environments that positively support NTTF and their professional and work identity. These include: valuing the role of teaching that NTTF bring, creating professional development for all faculty, ensuring that chairs are knowledge about NTTF and their needs and policies, and working to create a more common streamlined experience for NTTF across institutions. These areas appear to have the most impact as institutions and departments create the context in which these NTTF not only work, but look to, when reflecting on their professional and work identity.