Assessing the effects of academic staff turnover on institutional performance A case study of Gulu University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between academic staff turnover and institutional performance of Gulu University. The objectives were to; find the relationship between academic staff turnover and teaching, research and publication, and community services respectively. The study was a cross-sectional survey with some qualitative aspects; and used a sample of 132 academics from Gulu University, the faculty deans, academic registrar, and the Deputy Vice Chancellor in-charge of Academic Affairs. The response rate was 83.0%. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and interview guides. Data were analyzed at the univariate level using descriptive statistics which included relative frequencies and the means. Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient was used to relate the study variables at the bi-variate level and regression analyses were used to test the study variables at the multi-variate level. Findings revealed that academic staff turnover had insignificant negative relationships with teaching and community services respectively while it had an insignificant positive relationship with research and publication. Recommendations were that though academic staff turnover had insignificant relationships with teaching, research and publication, and community services in Gulu University; the top management of Gulu University should still put in place mechanisms to counter the effects of academic staff turnover so as to minimize its effects. These recommendations were drawn from the insignificant relationships between academic staff turnover and teaching research and publication; and community services respectively. Further research should be done to resolve the issue of the insignificant relationships between these study variables. The management of Gulu University should also consider strategies to address personal reasons that account for academic staff turnover including; alternative employment opportunities, greener pastures, further studies and voluntary resignations. Institutional related causes of academic staff turnover including poor institutional leadership and lack of proper management, unfavorable institutional policies, poor remuneration and inadequate facilities in Gulu University; need to be urgently mitigated. This study also recommends that further research be conducted on the effect of academic staff turnover on institutional performance of Gulu University so as to ascertain the insignificant relationship between these variables. Further studies on the effect of academic staff turnover on institutional performance of other HEI’s should also be conducted so as to verify these findings.