New Faculty Professional Development: Planning an Ideal Program,
Henryk Marcinkiewicz and Terry Doyle: New Forums Press, 2004.
Reviewed by Ed Nuhfer, Director-Center for Teaching and Learning, Idaho State University

This book outlines the principles for a year-long program for incoming faculty employees. For any person or institution that has little experience in this realm and is trying to launch such a program from scratch, this book offers a lot for the short time invested in reading it. One of the primary values of tapping into others' experience is the consideration of things that we don't think of ourselves, and I found particular value in considering lists of items that new faculty need to know in Chapter 5.

The authors include some advocacy, such as on pages 17 and 18, which seems to favor a mandate for certification or licensing in college teaching as now exists in K-12. My reactions were: "Given this difference in qualifications, where is the evidence that American high schools are actually getting better learning gains and producing better advances than are American colleges and universities?" and "When we compare high schools and colleges on an international basis, which are generating the most respect, and why?" I totally agree that there is no teaching at any level that cannot be improved by supportive training and reflective application. I am just not convinced that the mentality currently in K-12 certification and licensing really is responsible for producing competent graduates. At least, I would like to see advocacy supported by some data.

If the publisher furnishes an updated edition, I recommend a few changes. The first is a caution that an ideal development model honestly prepares faculty for their institution, with its current signature emphases. If that signature is "research," it is an ethical responsibility to prepare faculty to survive in that institution, or to help individuals consider whether another campus, where the emphasis of substance (not mere image) is student learning, which provides a possible better match to a faculty member's personal aspirations. The generic presentation of the authors could be improved by tapping into experiences of model institutions and providing a few case study examples. I would like to see expanded detail on design of the new faculty orientation—the initial half-day to one-week programs that start off the year-long program that is the focus of this book. Like the importance of the first day of class, the initial program conveys messages and expectations that can help or hinder any longer term effort. There are some trivial issues that might improve with editorial polish, such as the twelve facts on pp. 5-7 that carry importance of emotion as a seemingly redundant entry in items 4 and 12.

Despite these suggestions, the book fills a void in a dearth of information available on this important service. The writers are astute, experienced, and I rate this fine little book as a "must read" for any individual responsible for design and implementation of a development program for faculty new to one's institutions.