Best of the Best 2002.qxd

A ttracting professors to a program—and subsequently keeping them—has much to do with the management and teaching philosophy of the department as a whole, and the department head or chair in particular. The gap between attracting the potential professor and keeping him/her can be summed in a few sentences. The departmental philosophy as it relates to mentoring and molding the new faculty member will determine to a great degree the how happy, healthy, productive and satisfied that professor will become. One crucial factor in recruiting and retaining the new faculty member is socialization. The new faculty has left comfortable surroundings, and longs to be accepted professionally and socially. This train of thought is often overlooked (even though it is critical) by the school’s faculty. Perks in the professional setting are highly sought, but remember to include the new faculty member socially. S/he usually knows few people and is surrounded by a new culture. The environment is now different than what this educator has grown accustomed to. Including the new faculty member in social activities is one step closer in retaining your new member. This is truly a retention tool that works successfully in many departments. Each faculty member has individual social interests that result from the present cultural surroundings. Including a new faculty member will put this person at ease and help him/her feel accepted. Being accepted is important in most people’s life according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (Insel and Roth, 2000). Psychologically, the more at ease a new member is, the better performance you may receive at the office. When people are comfortable, they perceive things differently. Do we teach better when comfortable or when stressed? Having the new member socially comfortable will help that person both professionally and socially. This aspect “lines up” with continued on page 2 AMERICAN SOCIETY OF SAFETY ENGINEERS www.asse.org