BARRIERS AND INDUCEMENTS TO GRANT-RELATED ACTIVITY BY NEW-JERSEY-STATE-COLLEGE FACULTY

In this survey of faculty in the eight campus-based state colleges in New Jersey, it was found that less than 20 percent were actively engag ed in grant activities. In fact, nearly half of the faculty respondent s reported that they rarely or never engage in grant development activ ity. Faculty generally desire released time from what they consider to be heavy teaching and advising loads in order to concentrate on grant -related activities. They further want more recognition for their role s as researchers and greater consideration of their grants activity in the promotion and tenure decision process. They reported that heavy t eaching loads, other scholarly and entrepreneurial interests, committe e or other such administrative assignments, and lack of advance warnin g of funding opportunities were frequent obstacles that prevented them from participating in grant-related activities. Despite the finding t hat a substantial percentage of faculty respondents felt that technica l assistance in seeking external sources of funding, preparing proposa ls and budgets, getting the necessary approvals, and dealing with spon sors and campus business staff were important to their grant-related a ctivities, relatively few faculty reported that such assistance in the se areas was frequently provided. Furthermore, senior faculty reported significantly greater provision of technical assistance in these area s, and female professors considered technical assistance in these area s to be of significantly greater importance than did their male collea gues. Eight recommendations are offered to encourage faculty involveme nt in grant-related activities, as well as to remove barriers or obsta cles to such involvement.