"Solo" Faculty: at Colleges, Universities, & Professional Schools: Improving Retention & Reducing Stress

In this eye-opening work based on two decades of consulting in colleges, universities, and professional schools, JoAnn Moody clearly delineates for administrative and faculty leaders the six typical stressors experienced by “solo”/pioneer faculty and post-docs. Academic “solos”—for example, a woman who is one of only a few women in a predominately male academic department, or a minority colleague who is one of only a few under-represented minorities in a majority department or lab---suffer particular stresses and taxes not usually faced by others. Dr. Moody urges academic leaders to act to reduce these stressors, and provides guidance by outlining good practices that have been shown to ameliorate these problems. She also provides problem-based discussion scenarios that can be used in faculty development workshops and leadership retreats to raise the concerns faced by “solo” faculty. The booklet recommends how academic institutions must become proactive in (1) acknowledging the solos’ experience of extra demands and taxes, and (2) creating good practices that might be undertaken by deans, faculty leaders and department chairs. Together, these actions can bolster the solos’ sense of belonging, enhance their professional advancement, and enrich the institution. JoAnn Moody is the author of three additional booklets used nation-wide by colleges, universities, professional schools, and individuals: Rising Above Cognitive Errors: How to Improve Searches, Evaluations, and Decision-Making; Demystifying the Profession: Helping Early-Faculty Succeed; and Mentoring Early-Stage Faculty. She also has written the book, Faculty Diversity: Removing the Barriers, Second Edition (Routledge Press, 2012, 263 pp).