Don’t Wait for Fall to Find Out How Faculty are Doing
It’s summertime, and faculty are already feeling the heat. Workloads are growing, expectations are shifting, budgets are tightening, and AI is changing the rules in real time. Before the next academic year begins, campus leaders have a critical opportunity to take stock of the faculty experience – not through guesswork, but by listening carefully, looking honestly at the data, and acting on what faculty say they need to do their best work.
July offers campus leaders a valuable moment to reflect, reassess, and prepare. At the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education, we know the academic workplace improves when institutions listen carefully, look honestly at the data, and act on what faculty are saying about the conditions shaping their work, careers, and sense of belonging.
A summer faculty satisfaction health check gives campus leaders a clearer view of where support is needed before the next academic year begins. It helps institutions review what they already know, identify what they still need to understand, and focus action where it will matter most.
Key questions institutions need to be asking during the summer include:
- Are faculty receiving the support they need to respond to changing teaching realities?
- Do professional development opportunities reflect the challenges faculty are facing?
- Are workload and compensation concerns being addressed in ways faculty can see and feel?
- Are leaders hearing from faculty across ranks, disciplines, and identities?
At COACHE, we work with colleges and universities to better understand the academic workplace and the conditions that shape faculty recruitment, development, and retention. That work is especially urgent in 2026, as institutions navigate budget constraints, shifting expectations for teaching and research, and rapid changes in how academic work gets done.
One of the clearest examples is the growing role of artificial intelligence in teaching and learning. AI is changing how students learn, how assignments are designed, how academic integrity is discussed and maintained, and how faculty think about the future of their disciplines. Institutions are moving quickly to respond, but for many faculty members, the AI shift brings new responsibilities to an already demanding role. Learning new tools, rethinking courses, guiding students, and participating in training all require time, support, and clarity. Without those resources, innovation can feel less like an opportunity and more like overload.
AI is only one pressure point. Professional development, workload, compensation, and salary stagnation continue to shape how faculty experience their institutions. When faculty are asked to keep adapting to new expectations without meaningful investment, recognition, or support, satisfaction can erode. Over time, that erosion affects morale more than ever. It can influence engagement, mentoring, collaboration, leadership pathways, and retention.
COACHE partners know that data alone does not create change. But the right data can help institutions move from anecdotes to patterns, from assumptions to evidence, and from broad concern to focused action. Faculty satisfaction data gives leaders a clearer view of where institutions are strong, where pressure is building, and where investment can make the greatest difference.
As campuses prepare for the next academic year, now is the time to listen carefully, assess honestly, and plan intentionally.
To learn more about how COACHE can help your institution prepare for the year ahead, book a call using our Calendly
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