Collegial
The importance of collegiality should not be overlooked. A significant portion of a faculty
member’s time is invested in service to the department, college, university, community, and
academic profession. Furthermore, the portion of one’s time devoted to service increases over their
academic career. Being a good colleague includes providing comments and support to others
regarding their research and teaching. It is not enough to just attend research conferences and
research workshops; a good colleague is prepared to provide suggestions for improvements to the
research being presented. On the other hand, when presenting a research paper, a good colleague
accepts critical feedback in a constructive manner. As a presenter, it is a good idea to take notes or
have a friend take notes regarding helpful comments made during the presentation for later
reference. Also, encourage others in their research by sharing ideas, papers, data sets, and research
skills with your colleagues. Finally, be dependable in meeting deadlines. If you volunteer to
review a paper, complete it on time. Remember, another colleague is anxiously waiting for the
reply. The same advice relates to co-authored papers. Complete your contribution of the paper in
a timely manner and avoid co-authors that consistently miss established deadlines.