School of Education and Human Development. Over the last two decades, higher education has come under attack. At the center of much of the criticism lies the United States professoriate.
Some critics believe that faculty emphasize research at the expense of quality teaching.
Others believe that faculty fail to adequately address today's diverse student body. In either case, understanding the many roles faculty play in the formal and informal life of college and university settings is critical if we are to improve our academic organizations. Hence, understanding faculty socialization is imperative if we are to change our academic settings. The values, beliefs, and attitudes held by faculty reflect their socialization experiences and, in essence, mirror faculty culture. Faculty socialization takes place in two general stages.