Culture, colleagues, and leadership: The academic department as a location of faculty experiences in liberal arts colleges

Learning more about the role of the academic department in LACs may improve faculty selection, development, support, and retention. Knowledge based on research about other institution types cannot be assumed to be generalizable to LACs. We know little about departmental contexts of faculty work in liberal arts colleges (LACs). The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to understand the department as an organizational context of faculty work in LACs, relying on the concept of positive organizational behavior. Findings from analysis of interview data from 55 liberal arts faculty members highlight the influence of three areas—culture, colleagues, and leadership.