A new survey from NCFDD finds institutions are cutting faculty professional development at a time when faculty report it is becoming more important. According to the 2026 State of Faculty Development Survey, more than two-thirds of faculty say professional development grew more important over the past year, but over 70% report reduced institutional funding during the same period. The report points to declines in investment across areas faculty say are most urgent—especially well-being and mentoring, where only about one in 10 report strong institutional investment. The survey frames these cuts as a “quiet withdrawal,” with financial instability, shifting enrollment patterns, and AI-related pressures contributing to austerity decisions. The piece argues that faculty development is a structural input for student success and research capacity, warning that continued retrenchment risks weakening the people systems institutions rely on to educate students and sustain scholarship.