Stability and Change in Determinants of Academic Career Advancement

This article reports a replication of an earlier study (Dunkin, 1991) of determinants of career advancement. New lecturers arriving at the University in 1985 and 1986 were the subjects. The aspects of their careers studied were their initial status as tenured or tenurable, the time taken to receive tenure, retention within the University and time taken to receive promotion to Senior Lecturer. Potential determinants included academic qualifications, teaching experience, previous employment in the University, publication record, gender, age, and the market force rating of the field of specialisation. In some respects findings were similar to those of the earlier study, but there was evidence that the University's equity program was taking effect. However, market forces had come to play a much stronger part in career advancement.