The National Landscape of Faculty Attitudes Toward Professionalization

Modern Language Association & University of California Humanities Research Institute

September 15, 4:30—6:15 PM

This afternoon session will be an opportunity to learn the results of our informal faculty survey, which provides insight into the perspective of individual faculty members. What are the prevailing faculty and departmental attitudes toward professionalization? What barriers hinder graduate student professionalization? Where is there resistance to professionalization efforts?

With a variety of stakeholder participants at the table—including deans, faculty, graduate students, humanities centers, department chairs, and others—we will take the opportunity to gauge faculty participation, identify successful models for faculty engagement, and engage with some of the challenges expressed by institute participants. Participants will be asked to reflect on their experience collecting these survey responses and identify key themes or topics for further discussion.