Importance of Current Professional
Development Programs (Q 28)
Click to view snapshot results of (Q 28)

Next, faculty were asked to indicate how important they believe it is for Purdue to make available four existing professional development programs.

Approximately three quarters of respondents who had an opinion indicated that the Study in a Second Discipline Program (75%), the Teaching for Tomorrow Mentoring Program (78%), the Purdue Research Park (PRP) Gateway Program (69%), and the PRP incubator centers and programs (72%) are important to offer. Between 12% and 28% of respondents indicated that they did not have an opinion regarding these questions. (See Table 20. )

Click on image to view larger. Close image window to return.

Differences by School

In most cases, Education and Library faculty were among the most likely to agree that it is important for Purdue to make these programs available to faculty, while CFS and Management faculty were often among the least likely to agree that these programs are necessary.

Differences by Rank

The proportion of full professors who believe these programs are important to offer is slightly lower in every case (4 to 8 percentage points) than the proportion of associate and assistant professors who believe that these programs are valuable.

Differences by Gender

Females are more likely than males to believe that it is important for Purdue to offer the Study in a Second Discipline Program (85% vs. 72%) and the Teaching for Tomorrow mentoring program (91% vs. 74%). Their responses are very similar concerning the two PRP programs.

Differences by Race

Underrepresented minorities believe most strongly that the Teaching for Tomorrow mentoring program (94% vs. 65% of Asian Americans and 79% of Caucasians), the PRP Gateway Program (94% vs. 72% and 68% respectively), and the PRP incubator centers and programs (92% vs. 71% for the others) are important for Purdue to offer. Three quarters of underrepresented minorities and Caucasians agree that the Study in a Second Discipline program is important, compared to 68% of Asian Americans.