Un i versities and community colleges bring together persons f rom many disciplines with d i vergent viewpoints. These institutions value the exchange of cre a t i ve ideas and stimulate intellectual conversation. T h e y value re s e a rch and the pro c u rement of grants to support that process. T h e y value service to the institution and to the c o m m u n i t y, and some of these institutions value skillful teaching. Faced with challenges of the 21st century, faculty members are expected to adapt to an i n c reasingly diverse student population, apply new teaching methods, integrate complex technology into their curricula, conduct re s e a rch and pursue scholarly e n d e a vors, engage in service activities, and develop curricula that respond to multifaceted professional issues and academic reform. How are new faculty members pre p a red and supported to pursue these challenges? How are experienced faculty members further deve loped and s u p p o rted? When, how, and from whom do faculty members learn the principles of instructional design or course management? From whom do they learn the rigors of re s e a rch? How do they learn to balance the demands of teaching, re