Overview

In spring 2021, the Provost’s Office conducted a survey of all faculty (excluding the School of Medicine faculty) to gauge the impact on faculty work and well-being during the time period when normal University operations were most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, March 2020 through May 2021. The survey was open between May 27, 2021, through June 30, 2021and was completed by 847 faculty out of 1730 (a 49% response rate). Percentages are only given when the number of faculty in a category who answered a question exceeded a sample size of N = 20. All sample sizes are given when they are less than N = 50.

Below is a summary of findings from the data, followed by an aggregated data summary.¹ The data was disaggregated and analyzed by gender, race/ethnicity, rank, and faculty type [tenured (T), tenure-track (TT), and academic general faculty (AGF)]. School-specific data is not discussed in this report, although it has been shared with respective schools’ leaders.

Most questions were five-point Likert scales. Our analysis aggregates the top two and the bottom two choices; for example, the percentage of faculty who “agreed” and “strongly agreed” are added and reported as one value. We focus on differences in the percentage of faculty in groups reporting results that differ notably from each other or the faculty as a whole.

Not surprisingly, many of our faculty were significantly impacted by the pandemic, primarily in their research (productivity and quality) and in their professional interactions with others (students and colleagues). Fortunately, most faculty felt that the adverse effects will not last more than a year or two. In addition, only a relatively small percentage of faculty members reported a decline in the quality of teaching and service work, a testament of how committed and resilient our faculty have been despite the challenging circumstances. In many areas, there were notable differences between the way that various subgroups of faculty experienced the events between March 2020 and May 2021. We note that women, URM faculty (with a focus on Black and Latinx faculty), and junior faculty were more negatively affected in certain areas.

Summary of Findings

Questions 2 and 3: Please rate how much time you have dedicated to each of these activities since March 2020 compared to the year before. (responses included: much less, less, about the same, more, much more). 

1. Conducting research 
2. Investing in teaching 
3. Engaging in service work at the university 
4. Performing clinical work 
5. Connecting with colleagues 
6. Mentoring students (graduate or undergraduate) 
7. Engaging with students (graduate or undergraduate) 
8. Taking care of loved ones 
9. Engaging in self-care 
10. Connecting with friends and family 
11. Engaging in service to the community 

The survey data reveal notable increases in time demands across various domains, from teaching and service to taking care of loved ones. Among survey respondents, 80% of the faculty reported spending more time on teaching. In addition, almost half spent more time on service (47%), 43% spent more time on mentoring, and 37% spent more time engaging with students. In addition, 66% of faculty experienced greater time demands for taking care of loved ones. Consequently, faculty have had to invest less time in other domains with 58% of faculty reporting spending less time on research and 44% spending less time on self-care. Faculty also spent less time engaging with others and their communities: 70% spent less time connecting with colleagues, 66% spent less time connecting with family and friends, and 55% spent less time engaging in service to the community. 

Most of these patterns were amplified for women. A higher proportion of women than men reported spending less time on research (63% vs. 54%), while women spent more time on service (53% vs. 42%), mentoring students (52% vs. 35%), and engaging with students (45% vs. 30%). Outside of work, a higher proportion of women than men increased their time invested in taking care of their loved ones (72% vs. 61%) and decreased the amount of time engaging in self-care (53% vs. 37%). Women and men reported similarly on other activities: both spent more time on teaching (81% vs. 78%), and less time engaging with the community (56% vs. 55%). 

While all racial/ethnic groups reported spending less time on research and more time on teaching and mentoring, a higher proportion of Black faculty reported spending less time on research (63% [N = 30]) and more time on teaching (90% [N = 29]) and mentoring (52% [N = 29]) than other racial/ethnic groups. A notably higher proportion of Black faculty also reported spending more time engaging with students (60% [N = 30]), compared to the other racial/ethnic groups, which ranged from 36-39%. A higher proportion of Latinx faculty reported spending more time on service (55% [N = 29], compared to 44-48% for other racial/ethnic groups) and less time engaging in self-care (52% [N = 31], compared to between 39-46% for other racial/ethnic groups). 

Similar percentages of tenured, tenure-track, and AGF faculty reported a decrease in the amount of time spent on research. When compared to tenured faculty, more AGF faculty reported increasing teaching time (84%, compared to 74% of tenure-track and 78% of tenured faculty) and fewer tenure-track faculty reported increasing service time (38%, compared to almost 50% for tenured and AFG faculty). With respect to taking care of loved ones, 62% of tenured faculty experienced increasing demands, compared to 68% of AGF faculty and 74% of tenure-track faculty. 

Compared to other faculty ranks, more associate professors (65%) reported spending less time on research. Fewer full professors increased their time spent on mentoring (36%) and engaging with students (28%) compared to other groups. While a majority of all professor ranks reported an increase in taking care of loved ones, the largest difference was between full professors (60%) and assistant professors (74%). 

View Question 2-3 Results Summary

Question 4: When considering each of these activities, rate the quality of your work or experience since March 2020 compared to the year before. (responses included: much lower, lower, about the same, higher, much higher).

1. Teaching 
2. Service 
3. Research 
4. Clinical 
5. Mentoring students 
6. Engaging with students 
7. Engagement with colleagues 
8. Engagement with community 

Considering the three central roles of research, teaching and service, research has experienced the greatest drop in quality, with 53% of faculty reporting decreasing research quality, compared to 33% for teaching and 31% for service. More women than men reported declines in research quality (59% vs. 48%). The quality of teaching decreased most for tenured faculty (44%). Moreover, more full professors reported declines in their self-perceptions of the quality of both teaching (44%) and service (35%) they were able to perform compared to other faculty ranks. 

Overall, 35% of faculty reported declines in their perceptions of the quality of mentoring they were able to provide, as well as a 55% decline in the quality of engaging with students. Black faculty have continued to focus on students during this time; the percentage of Black faculty reporting a reduction in their self-perceived quality of their teaching (20% [N = 30]), mentoring students (21% [N = 29]) or engaging with students (33% [N = 30]) was lower than all other groups. Fewer AFG faculty reported decreases in the quality of their mentoring (28%) and engaging with students (46%) relative to tenured and tenure-track faculty, whereas a higher 

proportion of professors reported a reduction in the quality in both of those domains (43% for mentoring and 61% for engaging with students) compared with other faculty ranks. 

Across all categories, the greatest percentage of faculty who reported decreases in quality were for engaging with colleagues (78%) and engaging with community (71%), with a substantial percentages of all faculty reporting loses in quality in both of those domains. 

View Question 4 Results Summary

Question 5: How have different aspects of your research/creative work been impacted since March 2020 compared to the year before? (responses included: very negatively, negatively, no impact, positively, and very positively).

1. Obtaining resources (e.g., funding, research personnel) 
2. Conducting research (e.g., collecting and analyzing data, creating knowledge) 
3. Disseminating research (e.g., writing, presenting results) 
4. Collaborating on research (e.g., working with colleagues and students) 

When considering each dimension of research productivity, the survey results indicate that more than half of the faculty have been negatively impacted. The most commonly reported negative impact (72%) was in the category of conducting research. This is followed closely by collaborating on research, experienced by 65% of the respondents, and then disseminating research, affecting 63%. Female faculty in general were more negatively impacted than male faculty. Specifically, over 80% of female faculty reported having added difficulties conducting research, compared with 67% of male faculty. 

Among the groups of faculty who responded, the group with the highest percentage of faculty who reported that their research was negatively impacted were Latinx faculty, ranging from 64% [N = 28] for obtaining resources to 75% [N = 28] for conducting research. By contrast, the lowest percentage of faculty reporting negative impact on their research were Black faculty. Thirty-eight percent [N = 26] of Black faculty reported that obtaining resources was negatively impacted, compared with 64% [N = 28] of Latinx faculty. 

Among all ranks and types of faculty, tenure track faculty reported the highest impact on their research, with 78% reporting negative impacts conducting research and 76% reporting negative impacts on disseminating their research. 

View Question 5 Results Summary

Questions 6 and 7: Please rate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements regarding your experiences over the past 15 months (i.e. since March 2020): (responses included: strongly disagree, disagree, neither agree nor disagree, agree, strongly agree): 

1. My career has been disrupted 
2. My progress toward tenure/promotion has been negatively impacted c) My research productivity has decreased compared to the year prior to March 2020 
3. My ability to demonstrate effective teaching has decreased compared to the year prior to March 2020 
4. My ability to engage with colleagues has been negatively impacted 
5. My ability to engage students in my discipline has decreased compared to the year prior to March 2020 
6. My mental health has been negatively impacted 
7. I have had added caregiving responsibilities compared to the year prior to March 2020 
8. I have been impacted more negatively than other faculty in my department 
9. In my field, faculty have been impacted disproportionately based on their race/ethnicity 
10. Women in my field have been impacted disproportionately 

This series of questions resulted in the majority of faculty agreeing or strongly agreeing with each statement, such as their careers being disrupted, having additional caregiving responsibilities, and experiencing negative impacts on their mental health. The one exception is that most faculty reported not being personally more negatively impacted than other faculty in their department (20% agreed with statement, while 37% disagreed). The questions that gave rise to the largest difference between the percentage of those who agreed vs. disagreed were the negative impact of faculty’s ability to engage with colleagues as well as students (differences between the percentages of faculty who agreed vs. disagreed of 75% and 65%, respectively). Faculty thus reported being strongly hindered in their ability to engage with colleagues and students. 

There were notable differences between faculty groups: 

• Many assistant professors (over 60%) and tenure-track faculty (over 68%) felt that their careers and/or progress towards promotion had been disrupted compared with all faculty (51%). 
• A majority of all groups reported that their research productivity had been significantly impacted. Over 35% more faculty agreed than disagreed that their research productivity has been negatively impacted, for all faculty groups. 
• All faculty groups had a higher percentage who agreed than disagreed that evidencing effective teaching was hindered except for Black faculty, who mostly disagreed (43% disagreed vs. 27% agreed [N = 30]). This finding is consistent with conclusions drawn above from the data collected for Questions 2-4 indicating that Black faculty remained especially student-focused during this challenging period. 
• The mental health of Latinx (77% [N = 31]), tenure-track (73%), and assistant professors (70%) was also disproportionally negatively impacted by the events of the last 15 months, compared with all faculty who responded to this question (59%). 
• The highest caregiving responsibilities fell on female faculty (71%), Latinx faculty (70% [N = 30]), and junior faculty (over 70%). 
• All groups except for male faculty, White faculty, tenured faculty, and full professors felt that they had been impacted more than other faculty in their departments. 
• Women (42%), Latinx (42% [N = 31]), Black (57%) [N = 30], and junior faculty (over 42%) felt strongly that faculty had been impacted disproportionately based on their race/ethnicity, compared with the average over all faculty of 30%. 
• A large majority of women (82%) agreed that women in their field have been disproportionately impacted. 

View Question 6-7 Results Summary

Question 8: How long into the future do you estimate each of these areas of your experience will be affected by the events of the past 15 months? (responses included: 0 years, 1 year, 2 years, 3-5 years, more than 5 years) 

1. My career 
2. My research productivity 
3. My ability to engage with colleagues 
4. My mental health 
5. My added caregiving responsibilities 

The majority of the faculty reported that they expected that the effects of the past 15 months on their work, broadly defined, would last two years or less. This was especially so for faculty’s ability to engage with colleagues (83%), their mental health (72%), and their caregiving responsibilities (72%). 

There were, however, significant differences across demographic groups. Women were split as to whether the effects would last less than two years or three or more years, and approximately 10% more men agreed that the effects would no longer be felt in two years, on average, than women. 

There were also significant differences between White and Black faculty. Black faculty reported a much stronger concern (20% [N = 30] vs. 4%) about the ability to connect with colleagues even after three years. 

Assistant professors (37%) and tenure track faculty (41%) showed a great concern that the effects of the last 15 months may influence their careers for more than three years. 

View Question 8 Results Summary

Question 11: Q11 - Please rate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements regarding communication and leadership since March 2020. (responses included: strongly disagree, disagree, neither agree nor disagree, agree, strongly agree). 

1. The communication by the Provost’s Office has been timely 
2. The communication by the Provost’s Office has been effective 
3. The communication by the Provost’s Office has been responsive to my concerns 
4. I have felt appreciated by the Provost this year 
5. The Provost’s Office decision-making has been timely 
6. The Provost’s Office has effectively dealt with the pandemic 
7. Faculty have been given adequate opportunity to participate in decision-making 

Overall, faculty rated the leadership and communication by the Provost’s Office favorably, except for the last question regarding the faculty participation in decision-making, where the faculty were evenly split between positive and negative. Women and men reported similarly on all questions. 

Over 60% of the faculty felt that the communication was effective and timely, over 70% reported they felt the pandemic was dealt with effectively, and over 55% felt that the decision-making was timely. Black faculty did not agree as strongly that the communication was responsive to their concerns (28% [N = 29]), compared with faculty overall (46%). AGF faculty did find the communication by the Provost’s Office responsive to their concerns, especially lecturers (55%). 38% of faculty felt appreciated by the Provost, while 22% did not. Latinx faculty felt the least appreciated, with 33% [N = 30] feeling unappreciated and only 23% feeling appreciated. Fewer Latinx faculty (only 50% [N = 31] compared with 70% for faculty overall) felt that the pandemic was handled effectively. Black faculty felt overwhelmingly left out of decision-making, with only 13% [N = 30] agreeing or strongly agreeing with that statement, compared with 29% of all faculty who answered this question. 

View Question 11 Results Summary

Question 14: Considering ways in which the Provost's Office may assist faculty in advancing their work and career progression next year, please select activities you believe would be most beneficial (select up to 3) 

1. Additional tenure clock stoppages 
2. Merit review being attentive to the impact of events over the past 15 months 
3. Research bridge funding 
4. GRA (Graduate Research Assistant) support 
5. TA (Teaching Assistant) support 
6. Mentoring/coaching 
7. Other (please describe) 

Faculty regarded merit review being attentive to the impact of the events of the past 15 months as the most important way the University can support their research and career progression: 

• 78% of the faculty selected that as being one of the most beneficial things the University could do 
• This was selected most frequently by all groups of faculty (across gender, race/ethnicity, rank, and tenure status) 

The second set of most important supports focused on supporting research activities, including providing research bridge funding and GRA support: 

• 45% of faculty indicated that research bridge funding would be most beneficial, and 41% of faculty selected GRA support 
• These two categories were the second highest on the list of supports for both women and men and all racial groups except Black faculty [N = 29], who selected additional tenure clock stoppages more frequently than these two forms of research-related supports 
• These were also the most frequently selected categories for both tenured and tenure-track faculty, while AGF faculty were more likely to seek TA support (30%) and mentoring/coaching or research bridge funding (both 29%) 
• Tenured, associate, and assistant professors also selected these two as among their highest priority for supports; lecturers also selected research bridge funding, followed by mentoring and coaching; GRA support was least likely to be selected by faculty at the lecturer rank 

Overall, the resources sought by faculty align with rank and tenure status, with faculty who focus on research seeking research support through bridge funding and GRA support, and faculty who focus more on teaching (AGF faculty) emphasizing TA support and mentoring/coaching. 

Additional tenure track stoppages were also considered important and were selected by approximately one-third of the faculty. Tenure clock stoppages were particularly important for Black faculty and tenure-track faculty. 

View Question 14 Results Summary

Question 15: Considering ways in which the Provost's Office may assist faculty in addressing work-life balance next year, please select activities you believe would be most beneficial (select up to 3) 

1. Additional caregiving subsidies 
2. More availability of university childcare spots 
3. Flexibility in effort distribution 
4. Flexible work schedule 
5. Part-time options 
6. Availability of part-time or full-time leave 
7. Counseling resources for faculty 
8. Work-life balance coaching 
9. Provost's Office guidelines regarding weekend work/use of email outside of work hours 
10. Other (please describe) 

Over one-third of the faculty chose Flexible work schedule (47%), Flexibility in effort distribution (39%), and Additional caregiving subsidies (34%) as one of their three choices. Conversely, less than one-fifth of the faculty selected Counseling resources for faculty (19%), Part-time options (13%), and Work-life balance coaching (11%). The other proposed activities landed in the middle overall. 

Notably, the majority of our Black faculty (60% [N = 30]), AGF (55%), female faculty (53%), and Latinx faculty (53% [N = 30]) selected Flexible work schedule as their top priority by a wide margin. Male faculty (34%), tenured faculty (37%), and full professors (38%) chose more childcare spots as their second most-selected choice. 

In the “other” category, many faculty members commented on their desire for higher compensation and a more manageable workload. 

View Question 15 Results Summary

Steps Taken and Planned

In response to the events of the past 15 months, the University has already taken several steps to improve faculty work, engagement and productivity, and plans to do more as described below: 

• The Provost has asked the deans to account for the consequences of COVID-19 on faculty work in their annual performance reviews and promotion reviews; these consequences may include, for example, presentations that could not be delivered, travel abroad course offerings that had to be cancelled, and data collection efforts that had to be delayed. The deans have agreed to do so. The Provost is aware of the effects the pandemic has had on faculty work and is committed to ensuring a fair and equitable promotion and tenure process. 
• The Provost continues to approve tenure-clock extensions beyond the automatic COVID-related extension for cases where research or teaching productivity has been delayed or reduced by more than a year in total impact. Clock extensions can be requested through the chair or dean. 
• The University has put together a working group of staff and faculty members called the Family Support Collab to look at additional childcare benefits and options. We have also developed the Parent and Guardian Connection Tool to help families connect with others to brainstorm childcare solutions. 
• We remind faculty that the University offers various part-time and full-time leave options that can be used for professional or personal reasons. Alternatively, AGF might be able to negotiate with their School the possibility of working part-time. 
• The Provost has asked the deans to allow as much flexibility in faculty work schedules as possible and to work with their faculty on alternative effort distributions when necessary. Faculty are encouraged to talk with their chairs or deans when they need alternative arrangements. 
• The Provost’s Office is enhancing the Faculty Guides program, which used to be restricted to the College, to assist academic faculty members across the entire University. We are currently training two faculty guides who will be available to help faculty members navigate professional issues and life changes, and identify related information regarding institutional policy. In addition to individual consultations, they will provide yearly workshops on leave options, planning for retirement, and wellness, among others. 
• The Office of Faculty Development offers many development opportunities, including workshops on Cultivating Your Network of Mentors and Sponsors; the next one is Nov 17, 2021. We provide all faculty with a free membership to the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity and sponsor some faculty to attend their Faculty Success Program. 
• In the summer of 2021, the University instituted a salary merit increase of 5%, on average, to recognize faculty and staff for their excellent work and dedication to the institution. 
• The VPR’s office has established agreements with some of the Schools to offer interim support to help faculty bridge funding gaps; one example is given here. Some Schools have developed independent programs of bridge funding. Faculty are encouraged to contact their dean’s office about such support. The Provost and VPR are committed to exploring other ways of helping faculty reboot their research.