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Leaving the Institution or Leaving the Academy? Analyzing the Factors that Faculty Weigh in Actual Departure Decisions

Author

Listed:
  • Damani K. White-Lewis

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • KerryAnn O’Meara

    (University of Maryland)

  • Kiernan Mathews

    (University of Chicago)

  • Nicholas Havey

    (First Book)

Abstract

Although research has revealed many factors that predict faculty turnover, the literature is often limited by using intent to leave as a proxy for actual turnover, and further by consolidating faculty who leave institutions with faculty who leave the occupation. We resolve these limitations and advance the faculty mobility literature by studying faculty who actually left their higher education institution for both academic and non-academic jobs. Drawing on a survey of 773 departing faculty respondents, we employed structural topic modeling and logistic regression to understand whether or not academic and non-academic leavers had statistically different reasons for leaving. Structural topic modeling revealed 12 dominant reasons why faculty leave, but none of these reasons were unique to those who left academia. Regression results show that gender, tenure status, and salary increase were significant drivers of leaving the academic profession. We provide implications for future studies of faculty departure and for faculty retention.

Suggested Citation

  • Damani K. White-Lewis & KerryAnn O’Meara & Kiernan Mathews & Nicholas Havey, 2023. "Leaving the Institution or Leaving the Academy? Analyzing the Factors that Faculty Weigh in Actual Departure Decisions," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 64(3), pages 473-494, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:reihed:v:64:y:2023:i:3:d:10.1007_s11162-022-09712-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s11162-022-09712-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Grimmer, Justin, 2010. "A Bayesian Hierarchical Topic Model for Political Texts: Measuring Expressed Agendas in Senate Press Releases," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(1), pages 1-35, January.
    2. Cheryl J. Daly & Jay R. Dee, 2006. "Greener Pastures: Faculty Turnover Intent in Urban Public Universities," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 77(5), pages 776-803, September.
    3. M. Kevin Eagan & Audrey J. Jaeger & Ashley Grantham, 2015. "Supporting the Academic Majority: Policies and Practices Related to Part-Time Faculty's Job Satisfaction," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 86(3), pages 448-483, May.
    4. Margaret E. Roberts & Brandon M. Stewart & Dustin Tingley & Christopher Lucas & Jetson Leder‐Luis & Shana Kushner Gadarian & Bethany Albertson & David G. Rand, 2014. "Structural Topic Models for Open‐Ended Survey Responses," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 58(4), pages 1064-1082, October.
    5. Ehrenberg, Ronald & Kasper, Hirschel & Rees, Daniel, 1991. "Faculty turnover at American colleges and universities: Analyses of AAUP data," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 99-110, June.
    6. Grimmer, Justin & Stewart, Brandon M., 2013. "Text as Data: The Promise and Pitfalls of Automatic Content Analysis Methods for Political Texts," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(3), pages 267-297, July.
    7. Linda K. Johnsrud & Vicki J. Rosser, 2002. "Faculty Members' Morale and Their Intention to Leave," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 73(4), pages 518-542, July.
    8. KerryAnn O'Meara & Andrew Lounder & Corbin M. Campbell, 2014. "To Heaven or Hell: Sensemaking about Why Faculty Leave," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 85(5), pages 603-632, September.
    9. Vicki J. Rosser & Barbara K. Townsend, 2006. "Determining Public 2-Year College Faculty's Intent to Leave: An Empirical Model," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 77(1), pages 124-147, January.
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