Author's Foreword

Taken together, the three inter-related papers in this booklet present numerous insights and "tricks of the [professorial] trade" derived from: my consulting work since 1988 with hundreds of early-stage and senior faculty, administrators, post-doctoral scholars, and graduate students at professional schools, colleges, and universities; key studies by superb experts; and my own early experience as a college professor and higher education administrator. I have attempted to present all this succinctly and clearly (having given up on wittily).

The aims of the papers are to:

v Demystify certain parts of academic careers that typically bewilder not only early-stage faculty (tenure-track, adjunct, clinical, visiting, research, term, physician/faculty, and others) but also post-doctoral scholars, medical residents, and advanced graduate students considering academic careers.

v Coach early-stage as well as future faculty in concrete ways to increase the likelihood of success and enjoyment in their profession. Caveats, precautions, and Practice Scenarios are included.

v Spotlight and tell the truth about the special burdens and taxing dynamics often imposed on non-majority faculty (especially if they are “one of a few” or the “only solo”) in majority settings. The burdens and taxes are usually related to the non-majority person's gender, ethnicity, sexual preference, social class, religion, and/or race (race is a social construction which can have at times significant positive or negative ramifications for a person, as we well know).

v Prompt and practice senior faculty, department chairs, deans, provosts, and campus presidents so they grasp in detail the stresses and confusions experienced by less advanced majority and non-majority faculty and then, based on their new understanding, they take pro-active steps to reduce those confusions and stressors.

I strongly believe self-help actions by early-stagers are necessary but not sufficient. Also essential are effective steps from power-holders at colleges, universities, and professional schools—steps that will boost the job satisfaction and various achievements of their faculty colleagues.

Contents: Three Papers

Pointers for Tenure-Track, Adjunct, & Other Faculty and for their Department Chairs, Deans, and Senior Mentors

Junior Faculty: Job Stressors and How to Cope with Them

An Action List for Department Chairs, Senior Faculty, Deans, Mentors, Provosts, and Campus Presidents

Discussion Scenarios—Practice for All Readers
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Comments about "Demystifying the Profession":
“We obtain bulk orders of this excellent booklet, to share and discuss with various faculty groups and to use in retreats for chairs and directors.” Debra Walker King, Associate Provost of Faculty Development; Professor of English, University of Florida.

“A comprehensive perspective of junior faculty experiences that every graduate dean will want to reference --and include as vital literature for current department chairs, continuing and new faculty as well as graduate students.” Donald Cole, Associate Dean of the Graduate School; Associate Professor of Mathematics, University of Mississippi.

“I applaud your outstanding consulting and writings which are helping academia become more hospitable and culturally diverse.” Sarah Willie-LeBreton, Associate Professor of Sociology, Swarthmore College.

To order “Demystifying the Profession” ($9 each but $8 each for orders over 25), please follow directions at www.DiversityonCampus.com. You can write to me: joann.moody@earthlink.net.