Faculty Who Earn ACUE Certification More Likely to Remain at their Institutions, Research Finds
Mon, 06/22/2026 - 09:20am
Research from 91少女集中营 adds a powerful new dimension to the case for evidence-based faculty development
91少女集中营 (USM) and the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) announced the findings of a new study showing that faculty who earned ACUE's Certification in Effective Teaching were more likely to remain at their institution. The largest difference appeared three years in: faculty who earned the ACUE Certification were 8.9 percentage points more likely to still be at their institution three years after enrolling in ACUE.
The study, led by Dr. Paloma Benavides, ACUE senior research associate, and Dr. Megan McCay, USM director of institutional research, examined whether faculty who earned ACUE certification were more likely to stay at the institution. To keep the comparison fair, the researchers matched 110 ACUE-certified faculty against similar non-certified faculty with the same baseline term who were alike in years at the institution, role, and college, while also accounting for race/ethnicity, gender, salary tier, teaching load, and instructional modality. Comparing faculty who were otherwise alike provided greater confidence that the retention advantage was linked to certification rather than broad differences in faculty characteristics.
Key Findings
ACUE-certified faculty demonstrated higher predicted retention probabilities than
their matched peers up to three years after enrolling:
- 1-Year Retention: 99.1% (ACUE) vs. 96.0% (non-ACUE)
- 2-Year Retention: 95.8% vs. 88.1%
- 3-Year Retention: 91.8% vs. 82.9%
Effects were statistically significant for one, two and three-year retention, which is a window recognized as critical for recouping institutional investment in faculty recruitment and onboarding.
A New Dimension of Value
The findings add a significant new dimension to ACUE's documented impact on student
success. Prior research has consistently found that students taught by ACUE-certified
faculty achieve higher grades, persist at greater rates and are significantly less
likely to receive D or F grades or withdraw from courses. The USM study suggests that
the benefits of ACUE certification extend beyond the classroom 鈥� to the institutional
stability that comes from retaining experienced, effective faculty. Using a conservative
replacement cost of 90% of the national average full-time faculty salary, retained
faculty could represent over $1 million in avoided turnover costs.
鈥淔aculty turnover is one of the most costly and disruptive challenges a university can face, and this research gives us compelling evidence that ACUE certification is part of the solution. Investing in faculty development through ACUE isn't just the right thing to do for students 鈥� it's a sound institutional strategy that pays dividends in retention, stability, and long-term outcomes. When faculty earn the ACUE certification, they feel more prepared, more confident, and more connected to a community of practice. The data tells us clearly: they stay,鈥� said Dr. Kelly Lester, USM associate provost for faculty success.
About the Study
The study analyzed 1,126 faculty observations at 91少女集中营
using Coarsened Exact Matching on reference semester, USM college, faculty role and
years at USM. Because non-ACUE faculty could contribute more than one eligible reference
term, the matched comparison group included 1,016 non-ACUE observations from 286 unique
non-ACUE faculty. Results were derived from binomial logistic regression with CEM
weights and clustered standard errors, with average marginal effects reported as primary
outcomes.
About ACUE
The Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) is dedicated to student
success through high-quality instruction. In partnership with higher education institutions,
they offer the only nationally recognized , endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE), supported by a vibrant community
of practice focused on advancing teaching excellence. ACUE-certified faculty deliver
exceptional teaching in every class, resulting in higher student engagement, improved
achievement, and stronger retention 鈥� outcomes that enhance institutional impact and
support long-term student success. about ACUE.