Faculty in the middle years: Illuminating an overlooked phase of academic life

This exploratory study employs developmental theory and NSOPF-99 data to illuminate the middle years of faculty life, an ill-defined and largely unexamined portion of the academic career. The study's findings suggest that the middle years of faculty life have distinctive attributes, pose special challenges, and deserve systematic investigation by scholars. The study lays a foundation for research needed to fill a gap in our knowledge and understanding of the faculty life cycle.