What is COACHE?

The Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) is a research-practice partnership based in the Harvard Graduate School of Education. COACHE studies the work lives of faculty with a focus on actionable data to support academic administrators. Studies are conducted in partnership with college and university leaders (both faculty and administrative) with an emphasis on using the data collected to improve the academic workplace.

In line with recommendations from the Commission for the Next Generation of Faculty, Georgia State is using the COACHE survey and improvement process to address multiple indicators of faculty satisfaction to improve recruitment, retention and engagement. This especially includes efforts to improve these factors for underrepresented minority (URM) faculty.

The survey covers the following standard questions, plus a custom set of questions asked for Georgia State’s survey:

Standard

• Nature of Work
• Resources and Support
• Cross-Silo Work and Mentorship
• Tenure and Promotion
• Institutional Leadership
• Shared Governance
• The Department
• Appreciation and Recognition
• Retention and Negotiation

Custom for Georgia State

• Overall satisfaction
• Experience of diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Mentorship
• Consolidation
• Service requirements

This effort is a multi-year improvement process, and you can learn more about the timeline here.

Where are the results?

A results summary is available here. Faculty have access to full quantitative data through iCollege.

How Are We Taking Action?

There is both a university-level action plan to address the findings and needs identified by the survey. Colleges, schools and institutes were also directed to create action plans at their own unit level, addressing the unique needs of each unit. You can learn more about the university level plan here. Our plan is below.

What is Our Plan?

Based on survey results and Town Hall feedback, the committee recommends the following action plan to address areas of concern:

Establish a faculty associate position in the AYSPS Dean’s Office to oversee COACHE plans, mentoring, and DEI

Increase efforts to encourage and reward interdisciplinary work.

• Recommend criteria for inclusion in Unit-level annual review guidelines. Focus on both TT & NTT faculty, as well as other criteria beyond cross-silo work.
• Implement, review and revise annual review guidance based on recommendations from AYS Executive Committee.
• Create a new recognition/ award for cross-silo scholarship; review P&T manuals

Clarify standards and expectations surrounding the T&P process, with particular attention to the concerns of women, faculty of color, and underrepresented faculty, including LGBTQIA+ faculty.

• Devote time at faculty meetings to discuss and address DEI culture at the department level
• Explicitly address promotion and tenure expectations (when appropriate) as well as career trajectories in annual review process and guiding documentation
• Review annual review processes for all units; add face to face meetings with dean, chair and assistant and long-term associate faculty into annual review process.

Improve departmental and college culture supporting promotion to full professor and full clinical professor.

• Work with the office of the Provost to implement the University-level mentoring plan in AYSPS
• Prepare/ revise/update mentoring plans based on guidance from the University and Dean’s office
• Organize panel focused on promotion from Associate to Full Professor 

Support underrepresented faculty in grantsmanship and gaining recognition for scholarly contributions

• Provide funding for 1-2 underrepresented faculty per academic unit for summer grant writing workshop

Will we receive updates about the Andrew Young School action plan progress?

Yes. The Office of the Provost has requested that units update their faculty through their unit-level websites. You will find updates, progress reports, and other relevant information through this website and other communications channels for our [college/school/institute] in the future.

University-level updates are available at the COACHE at Georgia State website here.

Updates and Progress

April 2022 COACHE Update

The University Plan and Additional Information

Get more information about COACHE at Georgia State, including a summary of results, timeline, presentations, university-level updates, and the university plan below, along with a helpful link to the Office of Faculty Affairs.