Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Politics of Dissertation Advising: How Early Career Women Faculty Negotiate Access and Participation

  • Published:
Innovative Higher Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Dissertation committees are complex social arenas that underscore expertise, image, and peer relationships—all of which affect professional identity and advancement. This study presents a sampling of how early career women faculty members learn about and negotiate their participation on dissertation committees. Research questions focused on participants’ concerns about the social and political aspects of participation viz à viz peer relationships and faculty rewards. We analyzed interview data using both holistic and constant comparative methods, resulting in a working model of active participation across three domains: knowledge, access, and membership. We also identified developmental trends of dissertation committee engagement across the early career.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. This study was approved by the Human Subjects Review Board representing the participants’ university.

References

  • Aguirre, A. (2000). Women and minority faculty in the academic workplace: Recruitment, retention, and academic culture. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, 27(6). Washington, DC: The George Washington University, School of Education and Human Development.

  • Alex-Assensoh, Y. (2003). Race in the academy: Moving beyond diversity and toward the incorporation of faculty of color in predominantly white colleges and universities. Journal of Black Studies, 34(1), 5–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Austin, A. E. (2002). Preparing the next generation of faculty: Graduate school as socialization to the academic career. The Journal of Higher Education, 73(1), 94–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Austin, A. E. (2003). Creating a bridge to the future: Preparing new faculty to face changing expectations in a shifting context. The Review of Higher Education, 26(2), 119–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Austin, A. E., & McDaniels, M. (2006). Preparing the professoriate of the future: Graduate student socialization for faculty roles. In J. C. Smart (Ed.), Higher education: Handbook of theory and research, 21 (pp. 397–456). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baez, B. (2000). Race-related service and faculty of color: Conceptualizing critical agency in academe. The Journal of Higher Education, 39(3), 363–391.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, B. J., & Austin, A. E. (2009). The role of doctoral advisors: A look at advising from the advisor’s perspective. Innovative Higher Education, 33(5), 297–315.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benjamin, E. (1998). Disparities in the salaries and appointments of academic women and men Washington, DC: American Association of University Professors. Retrieved May 3, 2010, from http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/issues/women/menwomenpay.htm

  • Bradley, C., Hill, N. R., & Leinbaugh, T. (2005). Female counselor educators: Encouraging and discouraging factors in academia. Journal of Counseling and Development, 83(3), 374–380.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charmaz, K. (2006). Constructing grounded theory: A practical guide through qualitative analysis. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (1990). Grounded theory research: Procedures, canons, and evaluative criteria. Qualitative Sociology, 13(1), 3–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, H. A. (2005). Mommy tracking single women in academia when they are not mommies. Women’s Studies International Forum, 28(2–3), 222–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flyvbjerg, B. (2006). Five misunderstandings about case-study research. Qualitative Inquiry, 12(2), 219–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grant, C. M., & Simmons, J. C. (2008). Narratives on experiences of African-American women in the academy: Conceptualizing effective mentoring relationships of doctoral student and faculty. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 21(5), 501–517.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halpern, D. F. (2008). Nurturing careers in psychology: Combining work and family. Educational Psychology Review, 20(1), 57–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • COACHE (Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education) (2008). COACHE Tenure-Track Faculty Job Satisfaction Survey. Retrieved May 3, 2010, from http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic436591.files/COACHE_HighlightsReport2008.pdf

  • Johnson-Bailey, J. (2001). Sistahs in college: Making a way out of no way. Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnsrud, L. K. (1993). Women and minority faculty experiences: Defining and responding to diverse realities. In J. Gainen, & R. Boice (Eds.), Building a diverse faculty (pp. 3–16). New Directions for Teaching and Learning, No. 53. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

  • Katz, S. J. (2008). WEBS: Practicing faculty mentorship. Bioscience, 58(1), 15–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keith-Spiegel, P., Whitley, B. E., Jr., Balogh, D. W., Perkins, D. V., & Wittig, A. F. (2002). The ethics of teaching: A casebook (2nd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laden, B. V., & Hagedorn, L. S. (2000). Job satisfaction among faculty of color in academe: Individual survivors or institutional transformers. In L. S. Hagedorn (Ed.), What contributes to job satisfaction among faculty and staff (pp. 57–66). New Directions for Institutional Research, No. 105. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.

  • Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mason, M. A., & Goulden, M. (2004). Do babies matter (Part II)? Closing the baby gap. Academe, 90(6), 3–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moody, J. (2004). Supporting women and minority faculty. Academe, 90(1), 47–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ng, R. (1997). A woman out of control: Deconstructing sexism and racism in the university. In J. Glazer-Raymo, B. Townsend, & B. Ropers-Huilman (Eds.), Women in higher education: A feminist perspective (pp. 360–370). Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olsen, D., Maple, S. A., & Stage, F. K. (1995). Women and minority faculty job satisfaction: Professional role interests, professional satisfactions, and institutional fit. The Journal of Higher Education, 33(3), 267–293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Padilla, A. M. (1994). Ethnic minority scholars, research, and mentoring: Current and future issues. Educational Researcher, 23(4), 24–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative evaluation and research methods (3rd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perna, L. W. (2005). Sex differences in faculty tenure and promotion: The contribution of family ties. Research in Higher Education, 46(3), 277–307.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pole, C. J., Sprokkereef, A., Burgess, R. G., & Lakin, E. (1997). Supervision of doctoral students in the natural sciences: Expectations and experiences. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 22(1), 49–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rankin, S. R. (2005). Campus climates for sexual minorities. In & R. L. Sanlo (Ed.), Gender identity and sexual orientation: Research, policy, and personal (pp. 17–23). New Directions for Student Services: No. 111. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

  • Reybold, L. E. (2003a). Pathways to the professorate: The development of faculty identity in education. Innovative Higher Education, 27(4), 235–252.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reybold, L. E. (2003–2004). Faculty socialization and the emergence of research ethos in education. Perspectives: The New York Journal of Adult Learning, 2(1), 18–32.

  • Reybold, L. E. (2005). Surrendering the dream: Early career conflict and faculty dissatisfaction thresholds. Journal of Career Development, 32(2), 107–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reybold, L. E. (2008). The social and political structuring of faculty ethicality in education. Innovative Higher Education, 32(5), 279–295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reybold, L. E. (2009). Faculty ethics: Ideal principles with practical applications. Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 36(375–381).

    Google Scholar 

  • Reybold, L. E., & Alamia, J. J. (2008). Academic transitions in education: A developmental perspective of women faculty experiences. Journal of Career Development, 35(2), 107–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reybold, L. E., & Corda, K. W. (2011). Faculty identity and the “lesser role”: Service to the academy. Journal of the Professoriate, 5(1), 121–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ropers-Huilman, B. (2000). Aren’t you satisfied yet? Women faculty member’s interpretations of their academic work. In L. S. Hagedorn (Ed.), What contributes to job satisfaction among faculty and staff (pp. 21–32). New Directions for Institutional Research, No. 105. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

  • Salazar, C. F., Herring, R. D., Cameron, S. C., & Niblen, A. S. (2004). Experiences of counselor educators of color in academe. Journal of Professional Counseling: Practice, Theory, & Research, 32(2), 42–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saldaña, J. (2009). The coding manual for qualitative researchers. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Samble, J. N. (2008). Female faculty: Challenges and choices in the United States and beyond. In N. V. N. Chism (Ed.), Faculty at the margins (pp. 55–62). New Directions for Higher Education: No. 143. Special issue. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

  • Tierney, W. G., & Bensimon, E. M. (1996). Promotion and tenure: Community and socialization in academe. New York, NY: State University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tierney, W. G., & Rhoads, R. A. (1993). Faculty socialization as a cultural process: A mirror of institutional commitment. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 93–6. Washington, DC: The George Washington University, School of Education and Human Development.

  • Tierney, W. G., & Rhoads, R. A. (1994). Faculty socialization as a cultural process: A mirror of institutional commitment. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 93–6. Washington, DC: The George Washington University, School of Education and Human Development.

  • Turner, C. S. V., & Meyer, S. L., Jr. (2000). Faculty of color in academe: Bittersweet success. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vilkinas, T. (2008). An exploratory study of the supervision of Ph.D./research students’ theses. Innovative Higher Education, 32(5), 297–311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward, K. (2003). Faculty service roles and the scholarship of engagement. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, 29(5), 51–63. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED480469)

  • Ward, K., & Wolf-Wendel, L. (2004). Academic motherhood: Managing complex roles in research universities. The Review of Higher Education, 27(2), 233–257.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weidman, J. C., Twale, D. J., & Stein, E. L. (2001). Socialization of graduate students in higher education: A perilous passage? ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 28-3. Washington, DC: The George Washington University, School of Education and Human Development

  • Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • West, M. S., & Curtis, J. W. (2006). AAUP faculty gender equity indicators 2006. Washington, DC: American Association of University Professors.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Qualitative Research and Higher Education, George Mason University, MSN 6D2, Fairfax, Virginia, 22030, USA

    L. Earle Reybold

  2. George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA

    S. David Brazer & Lynne Schrum

  3. University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA

    Kirsten W. Corda

Authors
  1. L. Earle Reybold
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. David Brazer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lynne Schrum
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kirsten W. Corda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to L. Earle Reybold.

Additional information

L. Earle Reybold

is Associate Professor of Research Methods at George Mason University. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia; her research interests include faculty identity and epistemology, academic culture, and qualitative research methods. ereybold@gmu.edu

S. David Brazer

is Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Education Leadership Program at George Mason University. He earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University; his research interests include educational decision making, professional learning communities’ use of evidence, and the effects of preparing leadership candidates to lead school improvement projects.

Lynne Schrum

is Professor and Coordinator of Elementary Education at George Mason University. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Oregon. Her research interests include teacher preparation, integration of technology into education, and educational research methods.

Kirsten W. Corda

is Program Manager at The University of Texas at San Antonio and is currently a doctoral candidate at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Her research interests include community nutrition and nutrition education.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Reybold, L.E., Brazer, S.D., Schrum, L. et al. The Politics of Dissertation Advising: How Early Career Women Faculty Negotiate Access and Participation. Innov High Educ 37, 227–242 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-011-9200-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-011-9200-1

Key words

Search

Navigation