When it comes to the quality of the college student experience, it is important for faculty to have expertise in their chosen field and a solid pedagogical approach. However, and perhaps more surprising, the degree to which faculty members are engaged with their work and their institution both emotionally and psychologically can have a dramatic effect on their students’ experience.
A recent study from Gallup found that engaged employees are assets to their organizations. They’re less likely to leave their institution, represent lower healthcare costs for their college or university, are absent less frequently and are more likely to recommend their institution as a great place to work. Gallup has an engagement database with more than 100,000 faculty and staff interviews, which it tapped to study the relationship between faculty engagement and their colleges and universities.
Gallup recently partnered with a private not-for-profit institution and conducted engagement surveys among both faculty and staff. It also interviewed currently enrolled graduate students across disciplines and used administrative information to connect faculty members’ data to the students they taught. The resulting information enabled Gallup to evaluate the relationship between faculty engagement and student experience and measured students’ likelihood to recommend their program to peers.
Gallup used the survey results to categorize students as program promoters, passives or detractors based on their response to a question used to calculate their net promoter score. Students who rated their likelihood to recommend as a zero to 6 were program detractors, students who answered with a 7 or 8 were passives and students who responded with a 9 or 10 were promoters. Correlating the results to the faculty data revealed that program promoters were taught by faculty with significantly higher engagement levels than those whose students were passives or detractors.
Universities can improve faculty engagement in several ways.
- Provide materials and equipment professors need to do their jobs well.
- Convey appreciation and let faculty members know they’re value and cared for.
- Encourage and facilitate connections between faculty members and their leaders and colleagues.
Improving faculty engagement is a worthwhile goal on its own. But institutions that can boost engagement that leads to a better student experience can improve outcomes and lead to growth, financial stability and increased enrollment.