1. Higher Ed’s Illusions

18. Theme 2: The Teacher Scholar Model Abstract This essay begins by recognizing that though Cal Poly is teaching-centered institution, scholarship has taken on a greater importance as the mission of the institution has evolved.

19. C URRENT I MPEDIMENTS TO I MPLEMENTING THE T EACHER - S CHOLAR M ODEL Cal Poly faculty members have indicated that lack of time due to workload is the greatest impediment to fully implementing the teacher-scholar model. Tenure-track faculty respondents to the COACHE survey rated their satisfaction for the amount of time they have allocated to conduct research/produce creative work 0.90 points lower on a 0.0-5.0 scale than faculty from all other participating universities.

20. C URRENT I MPEDIMENTS TO I MPLEMENTING THE T EACHER - S CHOLAR M ODEL Some additional evidence corroborates this perception. The 2002 CSU Faculty Workload Report found that 46.3% of Cal Poly respondents received assigned time (time released from teaching) to pursue scholarship, averaging 4.9 weighted teaching units (WTUs).. In order to create more time for scholarly and creative activity, faculty/staff survey respondents slightly preferred hiring lecturers over student teaching assistants as replacements for permanent faculty on release time. About 80% of respondents would agree or strongly agree with the use of discretionary funds to support scholarly activities.

21. W HAT SHOULD BE THE GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS FOR FACULTY AT C AL P OLY REGARDING TEACHING AND SCHOLARSHIP ? Cal Poly must be careful not to hire as if it were a research institution and then support scholarship as if it were a community college. By doing so, we risk creating a generation of disenchanted faculty members who are dissatisfied with their careers.