Communicating Support: Examining Perceived Organizational Support among Faculty Members with Differing Appointment Types

Culver, K. C.; Young, Ryan L.; Barnhardt, Cassie L.

doi:10.1007/s10755-020-09503-z

Cited by 14 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…However, time availability and persistent commitment is a barrier to creating and sustaining these social connections. Exacerbating these challenges is the increasingly adjunct staffing model, where the transient nature of their employment and exclusion from many engagements hinders a community building atmosphere (Culver et al, 2020 ). The confluence of these issues results in higher education increasingly becoming plagued with community building issues (Thelin, 2001 ).…”

Section: Conceptual Background and Review Of Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Establishing and sustaining supportive communities at colleges and universities became more problematic due to working from home, a lack of casual social interactions on campus, and additional work and home related pandemic responsibilities. Faulty perceptions of organizational support during the pandemic have been an environment that combines research productivity with healthy work-life harmony (Culver et al, 2020 ). Due to challenges imposed by the pandemic (e.g., increased responsibilities, financial instability, and lingering inequalities), community building continues to be challenging in the current environment of the persistent pandemic.…”

Section: Conceptual Background and Review Of Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

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Research and Scholarship During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Wicked Problem

et al. 2022

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This study focuses on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on research and scholarship at a research university in the United States. Building on studies in higher education policy, we conceptualized the COVID-19 pandemic as a ‘wicked problem’ that is complex, nonlinear, unique, and requiring urgent solutions. Wicked problems highlight pre-existing struggles, and therefore, recent challenges in higher education inform the methods and the findings of this study. Qualitative and quantitative survey data from 408 faculty, staff, and students explicate the reasons for reduced research output and adaptations made for increased or sustained productivity, health, and wellness that influenced research activities. The analysis showed that most respondents experienced reduced productivity mostly due to increased work responsibilities, limited access to research fields, and inadequate resources. Despite self-reported reduced productivity, participants from the University we studied experienced increases in funding during the pandemic. Thus, the findings also reported on the adaptations for sustained or increased productivity. These included new research pursuits, participation in conference and learning opportunities across geographic regions, and purchase of computer equipment/accessories for home offices. A small percentage of respondents mentioned improved health and well-being; however, many linked reduced research activities to health and well-being issues such as anxiety and fear about the pandemic and being overwhelmed due to work and home-life expectations. Knowledge of the challenges and opportunities presented within the first year of the pandemic can provide a basis for solutions to wicked problems higher education may face in the future.

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Section: Conceptual Background and Review Of Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Conceptual Background and Review Of Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Research and Scholarship During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Wicked Problem

et al. 2022

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“…Additionally, Ryan (2017) found that part-time faculty members were likely to perceive a sense of belonging when their relational needs were being met. Culver et al (2020) found that part-time faculty members were less likely than full-time faculty, to feel supported by the organization. However, their perceptions of being valued by the college were positively influenced by perceived organizational support.…”

mentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Yet, in more recent years, research has begun examining the interpersonal experiences and integration of part-time faculty into the campus culture (e.g. Culver et al, 2020; Ryan, 2017; Vicente, 2017). In a qualitative study focused on gaining a rich perspective of contingent faculty, Vicente (2017) uncovered that contingent faculty expressed a lack of acknowledgement and relationships with their tenure-track counterparts, though the number of full-time and part-time contingent faculty participants was not clear.…”

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confidence: 99%

I am not worthy: How interpersonal experiences influence perceived value and worth of full- and part-time faculty

Batiste

Benson

Garcia

2021

Management in Education

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Positive interpersonal relationships between college administration and faculty are necessary as they contribute to organizational climate measures, such as a sense of belonging and perceived organizational worth. Furthermore, such relationships may combat against faculty cynicism. Interpersonal experiences are particularly relevant in a post-coronavirus disease 2019 workplace in which interactions with colleagues are infrequent. Little is known about the effects of interpersonal experiences on part-time faculty specifically, as compared with full-time faculty. This study investigates teamwork experiences and interpersonal constraints as predictors of the attitudes and perceptions of full- and part-time faculty at a four-year public teaching college in the southwestern United States. After controlling for years working at the college, teamwork was a consistent predictor of higher sense of belonging, perceived organizational worth, and lower cynicism among full- and part-time faculty. Furthermore, the presence of negative coworker relationships was a significant predictor of lower sense of belonging and perceived organizational worth among full-time faculty. Inadequate help or lack of contact with co-workers was not a significant predictor of faculty attitudes and perceptions. The results of this study suggest the need for fostering teamwork and positive relationships among full- and part-time faculty in a meaningful and systemic manner within institutions of higher education. Additionally, this study provides support for institutionalizing a team-based approach to working among all faculty to foster perceived belonging and worth, while limiting cynicism.

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“…Academic couples make up over a third of the U.S. professoriate (Schiebinger et al., 2008), but face challenges in finding academic positions in the same location and may be at high risk for departure (Sallee & Lewis, 2020). Given dire warnings that higher education may face an exodus of its professional workforce (Ellis, 2021), understanding how academic couples experience organizational support is therefore consequential for faculty morale and engagement (McClure & Hicklin‐Fryar, 2022) as well as retention (Culver et al., 2020). Furthermore, women are more likely to be in an academic couple (Schiebinger et al., 2008; Zhang & Kmec, 2018), have experienced greater pandemic work‐life stress (Deryugina et al., 2021), and are more likely to leave academia for work‐life related reasons (Mason et al., 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“You can't hide your children anywhere”: Perceptions of organizational support for work‐life during the pandemic among academic couples who parent

Culpepper

Blake

2022

New Drctns Hghr Edu

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The COVID‐19 pandemic has refocused higher education on issues of work‐life conflict among faculty members with children. This study draws from interviews with 13 heterosexual couples (26 participants) who were employed as faculty members and who cared for at least one child during the pandemic. Using the theory of perceived organizational support, we considered how institutional actions shaped the extent to which academic couples who parent felt supported in managing pandemic‐related work‐life conflict. We found centralized mechanisms for sharing concerns, innovative childcare resources, and flexibility and transparent communication enhanced participants' sense of organizational support, while inaction and unsystematic institutional responses undermined perceptions of organizational support. Our findings are consistent with past work on the relationship between organizational policies and resources and perceptions of organizational support, but also suggest alternative strategies for institutions that want to enhance perceived and real support for academic couples who parent.

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Communicating Support: Examining Perceived Organizational Support among Faculty Members with Differing Appointment Types

Cited by 14 publications

References 28 publications

Research and Scholarship During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Wicked Problem

Research and Scholarship During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Wicked Problem

I am not worthy: How interpersonal experiences influence perceived value and worth of full- and part-time faculty

“You can't hide your children anywhere”: Perceptions of organizational support for work‐life during the pandemic among academic couples who parent

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