Faculty Commitment to the University: Influences and Issues

What differentiates faculty members who are highly committed to their universities from those who are less committed? In this study, faculty at four universities completed a choice instrument and made narrative statements assessing their commitment to their employing institution. We examined faculty demographics to see if they related to scores on the instrument. Using a commitment index, we defined groups with “high,” “moderate,” and “low” levels of commitment. Four critical issues emerge: autonomy, impersonality, value congruence, and equity.