Unit Administrators’ Perceived Importance of Faculty Outcomes,and Potential Effect on Productivity

Abstract

Faculty members invest resources concomitant with their perceptions of the core values, role, and mission of their institutions. Administrators’ perceptions of importance help to establish expectations for faculty performance. We examine what unit administrators consider important relative to a variety of faculty efforts. We compare administrators’ perceptions to faculty publication of scientific, refereed journal articles and raise provocative issues for thought and discussion. Ninety-three unit administrators provided information about their perceptions of importance of outcomes and descriptors about their textiles and clothing programs. Administrators differed in perceptions of importance of various indicators of faculty members’ productivity. These perceptions included four areas of agenda: research; professional; creative and university service; and service agendas. Unit administrators placed publication in scientific, refereed journals at the highest level of importance, yet the average quantity of faculty publications did not reflect that importance. Introducing realities of expectations of the work of the faculty as determined by the institution’s core values, role, and mission are critical to the future of textiles and clothing in higher education.