Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2441-6257

Date of Graduation

8-15-2020

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

School of Strategic Leadership Studies

Advisor(s)

Benjamin S. Selznick

Robin D. Anderson

Margaret F. Sloan

Abstract

This mixed methods study explored the experiences with, as well as the levels of and predictors of, organizational commitment amongst non-tenure track faculty (NTTF) members. 652 NTTF members from mid-size public comprehensive university with a teaching focus in the SACS COC accrediting region received a confidential electronic survey measuring organizational sense of belonging, dependence on NTTF income, level of underemployment, and engagement with the faculty development center. Control variables included demographic characteristics, length of time in a contingent position, type of appointment (FT or PT), discipline, and possession of a terminal academic degree. The dependent variable was affective organizational commitment measured using the nine-item Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (Commeiras, & Fournier, 2001). The quantitative data (N=200) was analyzed using multiple linear regression, and results of the quantitative strand were used to select participants in qualitative interviews. Both organizational sense of belonging and teaching in a STEM discipline correlated with affective organizational commitment. Data from nine qualitative interviews were analyzed alongside the quantitative results using constant comparative coding. Six themes emerged, including evidence that NTTF members consistently exhibit commitment to student learning and development. University-wide faculty development was found to boost NTTF organizational sense of belonging. Leadership implications are discussed, and specific policy recommendations to better integrate NTTF into the collegium are offered.

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