Importance of Published Faculty

In many academic positions, there’s the old saying that one has to “publish or perish.” It’s an ideology that might bring prestige to a university, but often distracts faculty from time that would be spent with their students.

However, publication can greatly benefit students when faculty have the opportunity to bring their ideas directly into the classroom. This is especially true when published faculty have esoteric professional insights from their careers.

For example, on Herzing’s Brookfield campus, Dr. Deb Ziebarth recently published an article in the Journal of Religion and Health, titled “Wholistic Healthcare: Evolutionary Conceptual Analysis.”   Within her article she establishes a definition for a holistic approach to healthcare delivery, treatment, and the role healthcare professionals’ play in delivering care. The benefit of Dr. Ziebarth being published is that it allows her to bring her academic research directly to her students, and she can then contextualize her findings within her industry. Her real-world knowledge as a healthcare professional translates into educational value. Her students gain an enriched academic experience that they can carry into their clinicals and careers in nursing.

Herzing University encourages its faculty to publish work that is meaningful and relevant to the applied application of knowledge, thereby strengthening the student’s education experience. Regardless of modality, students are learning from subject-matter experts about topics which they are passionate. This translates into a more relevant and exciting learning environment. When students learn from professionals who have pushed the boundaries of their respective fields, they know that they’re entering the workforce with practical knowledge that can be immediately applied. The more a student is exposed to in the classroom and lab the better prepared they will be for the job market. Even in their interviews with employers, students differentiate themselves by being able to cite real-world examples taught by their professors. Published professors also serve as a practical resource throughout a student's career; and be a strong mentor within their chosen field of study.  Moreover, applying lessons into their professional roles will help them to confidently transition into the workplace and become a contributor on day one.

Publication therefore isn’t merely a tool for university recognition, but also a method by which our faculty is better able to bring practice into the learning environment. Thereby making them more adept educators and their students better prepared for their careers. 

Jarvis Racine is the Campus President of Herzing University’s Brookfield campus and has over 20 years of experience leading organizational change, talent development and process improvement.  Jarvis holds an MBA and a MHRM and is passionate about aligning organizational culture, mission, people and outcomes. In his free time, he enjoys life on the farm with alpacas, chickens and a host of other animals.