Recent news of the shuttering of the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) at the University of Texas at Austin has garnered a lot of attention, especially because the center has existed for 52 years. Recent research suggests that in 2023, there were 1,209 unique CTLs in the United States, including at a majority of large-enrollment institutions (61 percent). Faculty development is often the core work of CTLs, but they also serve other aims; for instance, most CTLs identify student learning as central to their work (Wright, 2023). The opportunities they provide are particularly important for VITAL faculty (including visiting, instructional, and teaching faculty, adjuncts, lecturers, research and clinical faculty, and others in contingent roles). Learning communities and other sustained professional development programs not only provide opportunities for VITAL faculty to increase instructional effectiveness but also promote their development of institutional knowledge, professional networks, and a sense of belonging (Culver et al., 2025).
How Leaders Shape, Signal, and Build Cultures: A Discussion Guide for Academic Leaders and Their Teams
Among the many desired traits most prized in academic leadership, the ability to shape (or reshape) institutional culture is sometimes overlooked in favor of fiscal acumen, the ability to drive
Lisa Jasinski
May 4, 2026