Make Faculty Writing Support Easier to Find (opinion)

"Faculty writing has never been more crucial. In an era of heightened competition for grants, promotion pressures and demands for public engagement, writing is the vehicle through which faculty share their expertise, secure funding and advance their careers. Research shows that successful academic writers aren't necessarily better writers-they're better- supported writers. They have systems, communities and resources that support their productivity and help sustain engagement with writing as their needs change across their roles, responsibilities and careers."

"Support for faculty writing on campus is often decentralized or may vary from year to year, making it difficult to find or accessible only to those with the advantage of an informed mentor. Support for faculty writing might be offered in any number of campus locations: centers for teaching and learning, provosts' offices, offices for faculty advancement, writing centers or academic support centers, research centers for grant writing, graduate student support centers, or individual departments."

Faculty face increasing pressure to publish, secure grants, gain promotions, and engage the public, making writing central to career advancement. Successful academic writers rely on systems, communities, and institutional resources that sustain productivity and adapt across roles and career stages. Many faculty are uncertain where to find support because campus resources are often decentralized, inconsistent, or accessible only through informed mentors. Support can appear across many units—teaching and learning centers, provosts' offices, faculty development, writing centers, research grant units, graduate support, or departments—or through external memberships offering webinars and programs. Stigma and assumptions about innate ability can inhibit centralized responses.

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