Mix of Military and Civilian Faculty at the United States Air Force Academy: Finding a Sustainable Balance for Enduring Success.

摘要

Since civilians were formally incorporated onto the faculty at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) in the early 1990s, there has been continued debate over the best mix of military and civilian faculty needed to achieve the Academy s mission. Furthermore, the Air Force currently faces difficulty in meeting USAFA faculty requirements for officers with advanced academic degrees, often resulting in understaffed departments. Funding for temporary faculty to fill these positions is also declining. This report documents research designed to address these issues by examining how potential changes to the current academic faculty composition would affect five areas of importance to USAFA s mission and to the broader U.S. Air Force: (1) cadets officership development, (2) cadets academic development, (3) cost, (4) staffing challenges, and (5) officer career development. The report then makes recommendations for a faculty composition that best balances these key factors and is sustainable into the future.