The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 38, No. 1 - 18

Kirsten Kennedy

Current RLC faculty did  .  .  . create their own network outside of their department for support, a network described by one faculty member as an unknown entity to the general faculty population: “I think there is an underground culture .”

tant	thing	for	promotion	and	tenure.	We	expect	 all	of	our	faculty	to	have	service.” 	 Faculty	 in	 this	 category	 seemed	 unconcerned	 with	 what	 their	 colleagues	 thought	 of	 their	 participation,	 as	 evidenced	 by	 the	 following	 comments	 from	 current	 RLC	 participants:	 “They	 actually	 know	 virtually	 nothing	 about	it.	I	don’t	broadcast	it;	I	just	do	it	on	my	 own	time”	and	“I	don’t	think	they	are	aware.”	 Another	faculty	member	described	his	inability	to	find	other	faculty	with	whom	to	consult	 during	 his	 decision-making	 process	 on	 engaging	 in	 residential	 learning	 communities:	 “Faculty	 involved	 in	 these	 things	 don’t	 talk	 about	it,	so	it	was	hard	to	find	people	to	ask.”	 Later	 the	 same	 faculty	 member	 revealed,	 “I	 talk	 to	 my	 colleagues	 about	 all	 kinds	 of	 stuff.	 But	I	didn’t	talk	to	my	colleagues	about	this.”	 Current	RLC	faculty	did,	however,	create	their	 own	 network	 outside	 of	 their	 department	 for	 support,	 a	 network	 described	 by	 one	 faculty	 member	as	an	unknown	entity	to	the	general	 faculty	population:	“I	think	there	is	an	underground	culture.”	 	 Uncertain category.	 A	 second	 set	 of	 personal	 agency	 belief	 patterns	 indicated	 faculty	

who	may	or	may	not	continue	their	participation	 in	 RLCs.	 I	 sorted	 4	 (16.7%)	 faculty,	 who	 seemed	 marginally	 satisfied	 with	 their	 RLC	 experience,	 into	 the	 vulnerable	 and	 accepting	 categories	 of	 behavior	 patterns.	 If	 faculty	 in	 this	 uncertain	 set	 begin	 to	 perceive	 their	 departmental	 environments	 as	 less	 supportive,	 they	may	cease	their	participation.	One	faculty	 member	felt	that	his	input	was	not	taken	seriously	(decreasing	capability	beliefs)	by	student	 affairs	 staff:	 “The	 pace	 was	 slower	 than	 I	 expected.	They	haven’t	followed	through	on	ideas,	 not	only	mine,	but	others’.”	A	female	full	professor	described	departmental	support,	or	lack	 thereof,	this	way:	 The department was cautiously supportive I would say. And initially I really did not talk to many of my colleagues here . . . about the fact that I was doing this, mostly out of concern that I wouldn’t be able to manage and their concern about me not getting out my research publications, etc. But I was able to demonstrate in the first year of doing it this was not detracting from my research output. She	believed	that	her	RLC	participation	would	 “fit	 into	 both	 the	 teaching	 and	 the	 service	 component	 of	 the	 way	 we	 have	 our	 tenure	 structure	here.” 	 Discontinuing category.	 The	 third	 set	 of	 personal	 agency	 belief	 patterns	 indicated	 a	 strong	 possibility	 that	 faculty	 currently	 involved	in	their	RLCs	might	leave.	This	is	the	 first	instance	where	faculty	were	sorted	into	a	 mis-matched	 category.	 Three	 (12.5%)	 faculty	 were	 grouped	 into	 the	 discontinuing	 category,	including	one	faculty	member	each	in	the	 discouraged,	hopeless,	and	self-doubting	patterns.	 These	 discontinuing	 faculty	 indicated	 that	 they	 were	 unhappy	 with	 their	 RLC	 ex-

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THE JOURNAL OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY STUDENT HOUSING
The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 38, No. 1

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 38, No. 1
