Although the primary audience for this publication is the membership of the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education, individuals and groups outside of the organization do purchase the book. Indeed, we are happy to learn that one or more volumes have been used as texts in graduate-level courses. A primary goal of the editor for To Improve the Academy. Volume 23 is to increase the readership of this important publication by selecting high-quality chapters of wide appeal to academic administrators, faculty developers, full- and part-time faculty, instructional technologists, educational consultants, and institutional researchers.

For certain, a climate of change is the backdrop for all concerns and constituents of higher education in the new century. In Section I: Faculty Development in a Climate of Change, Lion F. Gardiner and Robert M. Diamond, with academic leaders in mind, collaborated on the opening two chapters. Gardiner presents a compelling case for the urgency of change and the societal demands for quality outcomes, prescribing steps for transforming institutions and effectively managing learning. Diamond further describes the elements of a successful change process and suggests that the expanded role of academic support centers is similar to that of an internal change agency. Using compatible theoretical underpinnings, Patricia Dwyer in Chapter 3 describes an institutional process at a small college that evolved into a culture of assessment. In Chapter 4, Connie M. Schroeder gives evidence of the transformational dimensions of the scholarship of teaching and learning through the eyes of SoTL scholars. To complete Section I, Alan C. Frantz and his colleagues (all ACE Fellows), Steven A. Beebe, Virginia S. Horvath, JoAnn Canales, and David E. Swee, describe their findings from a survey of teaching and learning centers. Their report outlines organizational, accountability, assessment, and implementation strategies practiced across the country on college and university campuses.

Section II: Quality of Work Life for Faculty and Faculty Developers is composed of four chapters. To lead this area of inquiry, Kathleen T. Brinko, Sally S. Atkins, and Marian E. Miller present in Chapter 6 the responses to their survey on the quality of work life for faculty development professionals. In Chapter 7, Christine M. Cress and Jennifer L. Hart demonstrate different work life experiences for faculty of color and white faculty by providing qualitative and quantitative data from their systematic study at a large research university. By contrast, Libby Falk Jones describes in Chapter 8 the dialogue process and outcomes of a yearlong study group on teaching as a vocation at a small college. In Chapter 9, Cathie J. Peterson discusses her findings from an investigation of faculty vitality at a large community college.

Section III: Best Practices for Faculty Development provides a wide range of best practices for the development of full- and part-time faculty, as well as graduate students at large universities, small colleges, and community colleges. Former TIA editor Catherine M. Wehlburg demonstrates in Chapter 10 how course and deparrmencal assessment data can be used for faculty development. In Chapter 11, Kathryn M. Plank, Alan Kalish, Stephanie V. Rohdieck, and Kathleen A. Harper discuss their strategies for creating an integrated data system for teaching centers. In Chapter 12, Phyllis Blumberg and Justin Everett describe a successful process for achieving campus consensus on learning-centered teaching. Richard A. Holmgren outlines in Chapter 13 a successful program at his small college that resulted in a culture change that promotes open discussions about teaching and learning. Another unique example of a successful faculty development program is presented by Kim M. Mooney, Traci Fordham, and Valerie D. Lehr in Chapter 14 that promotes engaged classroom dialogue. In Chapter 15, Rona J. Karasik forewarns faculty new to service-learning of some of the challenges and pitfalls and then offers realistic approaches for successful outcomes. Judi Hetrick describes in Chapter 16 the appropriate and inappropriate roles for new faculty to take in campus-wide curricular change. Two authors from a large university, Laurie Bellows and Ellen Weissinger, tell us in Chapter 17 what they have learned about the needs and wants of graduate students who are looking forward to college teaching professions. In Chapter 18, a model for developing part-time faculty at community colleges is presented by Mary Rose Grant. Patricia Hanrahan Valley describes her successful practices in providing for the development needs of part-time faculty in Chapter 19. Nancy Van Note Chism promotes a sound process for teaching awards programs conducted by faculty development centers in Chapter 20.