A format for isolating key components of the faculty flow process and communicating this information to interested audiences is described, and formal faculty flow models are reviewed. Many rational faculty flow models are based on the Markov-chain analytical framework; however, when funding and enrollments are uncertain, the complexity of faculty composition becomes more difficult to model realistically. It is suggested that the situation at many colleges and universities does not meet the requirements and assumptions of these rational models and that complex institutions are typically governed by a political process, consisting of competing interests. An alternative strategy is proposed that seeks to familiarize the various interests and coalitions of the institution with the trends in faculty turnover and potential causes. The approach utilizes historical data in graphical formats. A graph illustrates that resignations and employment of temporary faculty are declining, while terminations and retirements are about stable at low levels. Historical data can also be used to show how individual faculty members move through faculty ranks. Multiple discriminant analysis is a good approach for handling a large number of variables. (SW)