The Enculturation of New Faculty in Higher Education: A Comparative Investigation of Three Academic Departments. AIR 1995 Annual Forum Paper.

A four-stage model was tested to examine the processes by which new faculty became members of three academic departments within a higher education institution. Attention was directed to the ways in which different academic subcultures select and socialize new faculty and the degree to which identity and role orientation are carried over, or adjusted, by new faculty. The four stages of the conceptual model involved: the pre-arrival stage, including the individual's pre-dispositions before entering a new setting; the encounter stage, including an individual's preconceptions formed during recruitment and selection; the adaptation stage, including the external socialization processes and the initiate's identification with the organization; and the commitment stage, including the extent to which the norms and values of the local culture are assimilated by new organization members. Survey and interviews completed by current faculty were used to assess institutional culture, perceptions regarding the subcultures, and the work climate in the three departments. New faculty completed a portion of the survey specifying the relative importance of various academic tasks. The model accurately delineated the process factors involved in the entry period and predicted two enculturation responses. For each stage, theoretical propositions are identified, along with process dimensions and developmental tasks. (Contains 21 references.) (SW)