Sport science and physical education professionals in higher education throughout the world seem to face similar matters of consequence as they proceed in their careers. Many new professors find it difficult to balance the dynamic roles of teaching/advising, service and research. Expectations involving the allocation of time invested in each of the above areas need to be clearly articulated by administrators. The expectations placed on professionals are partially a function of the mission of the institution: research universities, community colleges, regional universities, or liberal arts colleges. Faculty expectations will also play a part as well as the role and size of the department. Other factors include teaching campus-wide “service” courses, the number of undergraduate majors, the number of graduate students, and the number of faculty (full and part-time) within the department.

For new faculty, teaching is probably the most time-consuming activity, particularly with the increasing demand for technology infusion into coursework. The initial set-up phase for coursework and ancillary development is approximately three times the amount of traditional preparation (James & Kluka, 2005). Clarity of new faculty teaching loads, the number of classes each term, the number of new course preparations, typical enrollments, types of students (undergraduate, graduate, majors, non-majors) and freedom to develop new courses are extremely important.

Duties relating to teaching also absorb much time out of class. Departmental norms for meeting with students outside of class, the number of office hours per week expected, the number of undergraduate honors theses, master’s theses and doctoral dissertations that will be supervised contribute to time involvement

Higher education institutions that stress research productivity may allow flexibility in teaching loads. If the load is relative light, it may be possible to stack the teaching so that there is a term with no teaching. If there are reductions in the teaching load in the first term, the first year, any two semesters before the tenure decision, or the year before the tenure decision may facilitate successful tenure attainment. It is important to delineate the circumstances involved with a reduced teaching load. Quantitatively based evaluation of teaching must also be considered prior to the onset of the tenure process. It is also helpful if the institution has resources to assist in the improvement of teaching.

Academic advising remains one of the critically under-valued responsibilities of faculty in higher education. This is particularly important for undergraduate students. Their first experiences in higher education are paramount to their success. The advising process is primary in that success. Advising can usurp enormous amounts of time, particularly in the first year when new faculty members must learn the requirements and procedures of their institutions. It is important to find out how much advising is expected as well as the availability of training to be a competent adviser. If doctoral students are part of the advising process, it is important to determine what constitutes a full load.

Service, an often-undervalued component of faculty roles, includes service to the institution (committee work and participation in undergraduate student life), to the public (consulting, public speaking, and outreach), and to the profession (review of scholarly papers and leadership in professional organizations). Each university, within its mission, will determine the level to which service is expected: local, state, national, regional, or international.

The importance of public and professional service to professional identity and scholarship are basic.. Being visible professionally helps make a reputation in the field.

Campus service, on the other hand, does not improve a professional reputation. It is often dismissed and undervalued, because research and teaching usually determine tenure and promotion decisions. The conventional wisdom is that untenured faculty ought to be "protected" from service. Nonetheless, for many people, campus service is important and often enjoyable.

One benefit service brings is the opportunity to meet colleagues; such connections can be personally and professionally enriching. In addition, being regarded in a positive light by colleagues across campus can help when tenure decisions are made. Service also allows faculty members to contribute meaningfully to the life of the college. It takes time, and it is important to determine whether embracing (or avoiding) service responsibilities is supported or punished in the institutional culture. The level of involvement in committees and projects are important as well as the number of campus-wide committee service.

Those faculty who are part of an historically underrepresented group on campus, may be asked for advising and service more frequently than other colleagues. If this is the case, it is important to gain credit or relief (shift in assignments) for agreeing to additional advisement responsibilities.

Most faculty members simultaneously live in two professional communities: the national disciplinary or the professional community and the local campus community. For the most part the national scholarly community judges the success and achievement of its members by the quality (and often the quantity) of the individual’s scholarly or creative output. Rewards and recognitions from professional organizations, job offers, and letters of evaluation for promotion and tenure address the person’s productivity or professional accomplishment. The individual’s accomplishments as a teacher and undergraduate adviser are very seldom or only very lightly recognized in that environment. Therefore, for an individual, especially an untenured faculty member in a research-oriented department, to invest excessively in teaching and advising may harm a promising career. Finding the proper balance for each individual remains an ongoing challenge.

It is important for new faculty to lessen the shock of transition from the research intensive pursuits of a graduate student or post-doctoral study to the balanced academic responsibilities of teaching, research and service of a faculty member, by providing practical guidance and procedures for discharging these responsibilities. It is also helpful for the young faculty member to seek advice on balancing teaching/advising, research, and service from already established faculty members; training and inside information on the department, faculty and university; means for individual recognition and encouragement as well as constructive criticism and informal feedback; knowledge of informal and formal and informal rules for advancement; reduction of stress (psychological and social support).

When there are opportunities for increased commitment, productivity and satisfaction of new faculty, there will likely be a reduction in attrition of new faculty, improved cooperation and cohesiveness for those involved in the program, and improved quality of teaching/advising, research and service.