New survey findings point to a pullback in institutional investment in faculty professional development even as faculty say the need is increasing. The NCFDD’s 2026 State of Faculty Development Survey reports that more than two-thirds of faculty say professional development has grown more important over the past year, while more than 70% say their institutions reduced funding. The report highlights gaps in areas faculty identify as urgent—especially well-being and mentoring. Only about one in 10 respondents report strong institutional investment in those categories. NCFDD characterizes the pattern as a “quiet withdrawal,” linking it to funding instability, shifting enrollment patterns, tighter budgets, the rise of AI, and intensifying debate over degree value. The problem extends across campus, according to the report’s analysis: in periods of disruption, NCFDD argues, effective organizations tend to invest more in people. For higher education, the survey frames reduced faculty development as undermining both instructional capacity and the research mission—particularly when faculty roles are expanding without equivalent support.