The authors of this article were three tenured and tenure-track faculty members in a teacher preparation program at a small private college in upstate New York. In December 2023, the college announced its closure following the spring, 2024 semester. After the announcement of our small private liberal arts college, we found ourselves redefining and reinventing our careers. Based on this experience of shock, mourning, and rebirth, we have advice to offer colleagues, especially those in teacher education.
It is no secret that enrollment in educator preparation programs nationwide has decreased by one-third to one-half over the last ten years. Simultaneously, costs associated with teacher preparation programs have increased. Accreditation costs, capstone portfolio software, and national and state certification exams have contributed to the enrollment “chill.” Political rhetoric regarding a teacher’s worth, teachers’ qualifications, and perception of the “return on investment” of a college degree have also contributed to lower enrollment numbers. We believe this adverse environment will continue for the foreseeable future.
The confluence of the political, economic, and practical factors is often hidden from faculty during the interview process. The philosophy of shared governance, displaying a college’s financial statements and “health statistics” is usually shrouded in “finance speak” at shared governance meetings. The administration and board of trustees fear the information will reach the press, thus shining a light on small endowments and how tuition-driven small private colleges are faring in today’s competitive climate. That open sharing only makes matters worse for an institution struggling to survive.
Here is our message: Take heed if you are a faculty member in educator preparation. We, the authors of this article, shared the same experience of college closure and loss of employment. However, we saw it through three different lenses: Jenni was an early tenure-track Assistant Professor; Julie was an Assistant Professor applying for rank and tenure; and Terri was a long-tenured Associate Professor who had once served as interim dean. Though viewed differently, we agree that tenure, and the pursuit of it, means little if your institution closes.
Jenni, the early career Assistant Professor, was in her second year of teaching at the institution after leaving an even smaller liberal arts institution which she felt was on shaky financial footing. She had the additional joy and stress of being pregnant with her second child when her new employer announced closure. The college would cease all operations at the close of the spring semester. She was now marked by an unlucky streak of two colleges, two closures. These circumstances had nothing to do with her competency. Jenni coordinated advisory board meetings and acted as the accreditation liaison for her entire department, and her teaching evaluations were strong.
Julie, the mid-career Assistant Professor, submitted her tenure portfolio in October, only to discover that the institution she believed would be her future academic home would no longer exist past the spring semester. The announcement left her in limbo. The board had not approved those recommended for tenure. The college also stated it was not going to vote on those submissions. A dedicated professional, with service hours, a record of scholarship, and stellar teaching evaluations should receive advancement in rank and tenure. Not only was she worthy of such recognition, but the faculty also believed that governance committees should continue their work, and the board should honor commitments to faculty, especially in light of the closure announcement. Julie had to find new employment. The advancement in rank would speak well for her future employment and contract negotiations.
For Terri, the tenured Associate Professor, the announcement came, not as a shock, since many knew the institution had experienced significant financial cutbacks over the years. However, she was looking toward another 5-10 years of dedication to scholarly work and shaping new teachers. She had dedicated 24 years to the institution and thought other institutions would not wish to hire someone who would indeed receive Professor Emeritus status had she retired immediately. She had been department chair, served as interim dean, and successfully led the last accreditation visit for the School of Education.
No matter the lens, each of us experienced a sense of shock, anger, and denial. We were living examples of Kubler-Ross’s stages of death and dying. The announcement came at the end of the fall semester when we gather evidence for accreditation, grade capstone portfolios, and perhaps, mentor student teachers who may have been unsuccessful during their last semester. In teacher preparation programs, the end of a semester is more complicated due to the external accreditation demands. It is always stressful, and knowing we were losing our jobs created more havoc. In addition, the college administration asked faculty to help develop teach-out plans for every current student and review transfer agreements with other institutions that were circling, like vultures, to acquire our students.
Though we cannot fully speak for one another, we agree that the holidays were a blur. The college’s last spring semester was about to start, and we were trying to support one another while performing triage on students. Going to campus was likened to caregiving for someone in hospice. The death was sure to come. We knew the date of the end of life. Simultaneously, we had to prepare for our professional futures.
Our questions at the time were as follows: Will I need to find work in another state? How does losing my job impact tuition exchange? How will we find employment for the following academic year when many searches have closed? Who will hire me, pregnant? Who will hire me at my advanced career stage? Should we re-enter the PK-12 classroom?
Based on this experience, we wish to warn our colleagues in educator preparation at small private institutions nationwide. Having tenure, going up for tenure, and moving early in one’s career to another institution thought to be more stable, spared none of us. So, take our experience as a cautionary tale. The most beneficial action you take now may help you leverage your next position, within or outside teacher preparation.
First, diversify your academic portfolio.
Develop a secondary passion in online pedagogy in teacher preparation, all matters of accreditation, or teacher induction through your state education department. These diversified interests may create new possibilities in state government policy development, technology, or research efforts.
Secondly, get involved in state and local teacher preparation professional organizations.
The meaningful connections you make within those networks provide you with the “inside scoop” on possible job openings, some of which may enable you to stay in your current home. Other colleges and universities surrounding your current institution may have opportunities that do not appear evident during extreme stress.
Finally, let your work and research ethic at your current institution be outstanding.
Should you move to another educator preparation position, your work on college or university governance, your knowledge of accreditation and certification, the record of acting as an involved and innovative club advisor, and strong collaboration with PK-12 partners will serve you well during stressful times. Tenure is nice, but diversified interests, your passion, a record of leadership in state and national professional activities, and a history of a strong work ethic will prove highly beneficial.
In the end, Jenni, the early career faculty member found a position ten miles from her current college in a neighboring private institution that agreed, with state approval, to subsume current programs so students could continue their education uninterrupted. She is currently on a tenure track line and has a beautiful new son. The mid-career Assistant Professor, Julie, received advanced rank and tenure at the closing institution. She is now an Associate Professor under a new contract at a new public comprehensive institution. She relocated approximately 100 miles to be near her new position. The senior faculty member, Terri, was sought out for her knowledge regarding accreditation and certification but was granted Assistant Professor status. She teaches at an entirely online public institution and has started the tenure process again.