Faculty Development Focused Opinion Pieces
Take a Cue from Industry: Invest in Your Mid-career Faculty By Vicki L Baker
For decades, the industry has appreciated the importance of developing their talent, particularly those in mid-career. Such investments ensure a strong pipeline of future leaders ready to support the organization. In this article, Vicki argues for the need for institutional leaders to take cues from industry to create more robust, innovative programming geared towards mid-career faculty, the future leaders of our higher education institutions.
How Colleges Can Better Help Faculty During the Pandemic By Vicki L Baker
College and university leaders, faculty, and staff were forced to respond and adapt to a changing academy as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. A great deal of those energies were focused on the student experience and related student services. While critically important, faculty members are also in need of support to manage this transition. The article outlines recommendations that extend beyond access to training and resources to support the shift to online learning, and include opportunities for social and emotional support as well as peer-to-peer learning.
Now's Not the Time to Cut Faculty Development Funds By Vicki L Baker
The COVID-19 Global Pandemic created challenges across the academy and tough decisions needed to be made about resources. One area impacted was faculty development and related funding, particularly cuts to these funds. In this piece, Vicki argues that the opposite should be happening. That in fact, now more than ever faculty need developmental resources to respond to the changing nature of their roles. Four suggestions are offered to re-envision faculty development funds.
Leading with Yes: Reframing Saying No at Mid-Career by Aimee LaPointe Terosky and Vicki L Baker
Mid-career faculty, at all institutional types, are especially vulnerable to rising demands as they find themselves in leadership or academic administrative roles with limited training. In our careers, we have been encouraged to “learn to say no” which we believe is important. However, we argue that there is a need for mid-career faculty to be more strategic about saying yes to the things that matter most. In this article, we offer strategies to be intentional about ways mid-career faculty engage in their work, and to lead with yes.
Revolutionizing Promotion to Full Professor by Sydney Freeman and Vicki L Baker
Focused on advancement to full professor policies and practices, the authors urge institutional leaders and those tasked with faculty development and career advancement responsibilities to move beyond a focus on faculty agency as the primary determinant to faculty success and advancement. Article outlines a long-term strategy to increase faculty and student satisfaction and outcomes that includes the specific actions focused on institutional advancement processes.
The Department Chair Triumvirate
Vicki L. Baker shares case studies that shed light on new ways department chairs need to operate in terms of leadership, management, and personnel.
Women Faculty Focused
Women Faculty Focused
It’s Time for Academic Re-Entry – Three Post-Pandemic Career Tips for Women By Vicki L Baker
As women faculty prepare to return to the academy in person, questions and challenges abound about how to deliver a high quality educational experience, manage the workload, continue to support personal roles and responsibilities (e.g., motherhood, elder care), and maintain some level of wellness. In this piece, Vicki offers three key lessons she’s taken from the pandemic period to share with her fellow women faculty peers to support their own planning.
3 Tips for Women Faculty to Get Through #WFH, #socialdistancing, and #stayingwell By Vicki L Baker
Women faculty were challenged during the pandemic, particularly those women who were responsible for child-care and/or elder care with limited to no resources to manage the load. Many of us were working remotely full time, supporting our childrens’ virtual learning, and trying to maintain some semblance of wellness. Informed by the strategies she employed during this challenging time in work and life, Vicki offers advice and recommendations to support her fellow academic women peers.
Other
Reimagining Community Engagement for a Post-COVID World By Vicki L Baker
The importance of strong college/university-community partnerships is clear. Yet, those partnerships were challenged as a result of the pandemic. Those lessons have signaled the need for expanded views about how, and in what ways, community engagement must be re-envisioned in order to meet the needs of a democratic society in the 21st century—a society in which citizens are engaged and active in its co-creation. Article proposes four lessons learned that can support enhanced college/university-community partnerships across the academy.
Campbell awarded N.C. Collaboratory grant to study K-12 teacher retention
Campbell University is one of three independent universities in the state to be awarded a grant from the North Carolina Collaboratory as part of the N.C. Research and Recovery effort.
Prof. Dr. Laura Lunsford, Expert on Talent Development, Mentoring, and Leadership, Shares Her Insights on Successful Mentoring and Mentoring Programs
You are an expert and a researcher in talent development, mentoring, and leadership. Would you please tell us a little bit about your areas of expertise and your current research focus?
Reimagining Community Engagement for a Post-COVID World By Vicki L Baker
The importance of strong college/university-community partnerships is clear. Yet, those partnerships were challenged as a result of the pandemic. Those lessons have signaled the need for expanded views about how, and in what ways, community engagement must be re-envisioned in order to meet the needs of a democratic society in the 21st century—a society in which citizens are engaged and active in its co-creation. Article proposes four lessons learned that can support enhanced college/university-community partnerships across the academy.
Campbell awarded N.C. Collaboratory grant to study K-12 teacher retention
Campbell University is one of three independent universities in the state to be awarded a grant from the North Carolina Collaboratory as part of the N.C. Research and Recovery effort.
Lunsford to address ‘destructive leadership’ at ILA Conference in Vancouver
Dr. Laura Lunsford, a national authority on leadership and mentorship, will deliver an address on “destructive leadership” at the International Leadership Association conference in Vancouver, Canada, on Oct. 13.
HOPE COLLEGE TO HOST FELLOW IN ACE LEADERSHIP-DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Hope College will serve as the host site during the spring semester for Dr. Vicki Baker of the Albion College faculty, who is one of only 36 college or university faculty or staff members from around the country chosen to participate in leadership development as a 2023-24 American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow.
CIOLook names Vicki L. Baker one of its “Visionary Leaders in Education”
Baker, who appears on the cover of the current publication, told CIOLook: “Throughout my academic and professional journey, I am someone who learns by doing. So, it’s likely not surprising I employ this approach with my students.”
Mid-Career Faculty the Focus of Dr. Vicki Baker’s Latest Book
Dr. Vicki Baker’s sixth book in five years further solidifies her standing as a nationally recognized expert in the unique issues faced by mid-career faculty in higher education.
Albion College’s Baker Named American Council on Education Fellow
Vicki Baker, professor of economics and management at Albion College, is considered an expert on helping faculty members figure out what’s next in their careers. When she is not teaching, she devotes much of her time helping others find their career advancement and leadership opportunities. She has written several books about the topic.
Dr. Vicki Baker Selected As Top Professor Of The Year By IAOTP
Dr. Vicki Baker, E. Maynard Aris Endowed Professor in Economics and Management and Chair of Economics and Management, was recently selected as "Top Professor of the Year" by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP). With nearly two decades of experience and over 100 peer-reviewed written pieces, its no wonder Dr. Baker was selected as a special honoree for this prestigious distinction.
Colleges must develop policies and Vicki L. Baker.
Now that the pandemic seems much more in our rear-view mirror, many observers assume that the low morale, disenchantment and burnout that fueled the “Great Resignation” among people who work on college campuses are pretty much in the past, as well.
Dr. Laura Lunsford Named to International Mentoring Association Consultants Directory
Wilmington, NC — Lead Mentor Develop LLC proudly announces that co-founder Dr. Laura Lunsford has been selected for inclusion in the International Mentoring Association (IMA) Consultants' Directory —an exclusive listing of vetted professionals recognized for their deep expertise in mentoring.
Dr. Vicki L. Baker Serves as Panelist and Workshop Facilitator at 2025 Michigan Career Educator & Employer Alliance (MCEEA) Annual Meeting
Okemos, MI — June 2025 — Dr. Vicki L. Baker served as a panelist and workshop facilitator at the Michigan Career Educator & Employer Alliance (MCEEA) Annual Meeting held in Muskegon, Michigan.
