Professional Documents
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Cche 690 Statement Paper
Cche 690 Statement Paper
Pamela Galovich
department is charged with developing an “official report” on the increasing use of part-time
faculty, also called adjuncts, by community colleges. The purpose is to assess the benefits and
(CCSSE), “approximately 2/3 of community college faculty (67%) are hired as part-time,
teaching half to two-thirds of all course sections” (p. 18). In today’s academia, part-time
instructors play a critical role in the academic success of millions of college students across the
U.S.; they challenge our students academically, create enriching learning experiences, and make
classroom; student performance increases when strong connections are built between students
and their peers, faculty, and the broader campus community (CCSSE, 2009, p. 3) Unfortunately,
adjunct faculty are “minimally involved with students beyond the hours they are teaching”
(CCSSE, 2009, p. 18) due to nature of their position. In the following report we examine the
reasons behind the trend, the impact on students if any, and recommendations for its continued
use.
Background
Since the 1980’s student enrollment has soared in post-secondary institutions. “But
instead of increasing proportionately the number of full- time faculty positions needed for
instruction, institutions have increasingly relied on the use of adjunct faculty” (AAUP, 2003, p.
REPORT ON THE CONTINUED USE OF PART-TIME FACULTY 3
172). According to NCES statistics (2018), from fall 1999 to fall 2016, faculty hiring in degree-
increased by 38 percent over this period, while the number of part-time faculty increased by 73
Research attributes the rising use to the many pressures affecting today’s colleges and
universities. Marketplace competition from profit and corporate colleges, shrinking state
budgets, declining support for tenure, and the corporatization of higher education all play key
roles (AERA, 2013; Maxey & Kezar, 2015). To gain a competitive advantage, colleges and
universities are relying more heavily on part-time faculty to save money in instructional
spending.
Benefits
Using adjunct rather than full-time faculty is a strategy to control instruction costs since
they are paid less, and receive few or no benefits. “Part-time instructors earn 64% less per hour
than their tenured or tenure-track counterparts “(Hurlburt, S. and McGarrah, M. 2016, p.4). For
example at Mohave Community College (MCC), the starting annual salary for full-time faculty
is $48,008. Adjuncts, who are compensated per load hour ($725/hr), earn an average of $2,175
for teaching a three credit hour course. Extrapolated to a full course load of six classes,
$13050.00 per year without benefits (Mohave Community College Faculty Schedule 2018-2019)
In addition to controlling instruction costs, adjuncts are often hired “as needed” to meet
practice provides colleges flexibility to add or cancel classes without significant staffing
investment or commitment. For instance, if less than nine students are enrolled in a class, it is
REPORT ON THE CONTINUED USE OF PART-TIME FACULTY 4
cancelled, and MCC will attempt to transfer students to available course openings. The College
is under no obligation to reassign part-time instructional staff to teach other courses (Hurlburt, &
Costs to Students
The above advantages are not without cost. Recent studies have identified informal
interactions with faculty outside the classroom, which “positively influence persistence, college
graduation, and graduate school enrollments” of students, as one of the strongest positive factors
contributing to student learning” (Benjamin, 2002, para. 15). Thus, many believe the over-
(AERA, 2013; CCCSE, 2013; Graham, 2013; Bettinger & Long, 2010; Benjamin, 2002;
Benjamin, 2003; Nutting, 2003). According to a 2013 AERA report on student learning, other
adverse effects include “diminished student graduation and retention rates, decreased transfer
between two-year and four-year institutions, and for first-year students, lower-second semester
retention rates, lower GPA’s , and fewer attempted credit hours” (p. 7).
The practice of paying low wages pressures many adjuncts to financially support
Hurlburt & McGarrah, 2016; Nutting, 2003). “Research suggests that poor working conditions
(e. g. low compensation, no job security) and lack of institutional support (e.g. professional
development and adequate office space) experienced by part-time faculty have inverse, negative
effect on student outcomes” (Maxey & Kezar, 2013, p.565). These outcomes are often
As documented earlier, part-time faculty often struggle financially because of low pay, no
benefits, and unpredictable employment (Bickerstaff & Chavarin, 2018; Kezar & Maxey, 2014;
AERA, 2013; AFT, 2010; Nutting, 2003). Adjuncts also face other challenges.
“Last-minute course assignments and an inability to plan beyond the current semester
have implications for instructors in terms of organization, confidence and preparation at the
beginning of the term, and the ability to make term-by-term course refinements” (Bickerstaff &
Chavarín, 2018, p.4.) Adjuncts also play limited roles in other areas of traditional faculty
Many adjuncts report feeling disconnected from their departments and colleges, with
limited awareness of campus initiatives (Bickerstaff & Chavarin, 2018; Maxey & Kezar, 2015;
Nutting, 2003). Lacking knowledge of academic support and resources for their students is a
common frustration (Banjoko, 2017; Graham, 2013; Nutting, 2003). Interactions with colleagues
are infrequent, especially if the instructor teaches online, and there are scarce opportunities for
professional development and incentives (Bickerstaff & Chavarin, 2018; Maxey & Kezar, 2015;
Obstacles
However according to Maxey and Kezar’s 2015 study, efforts to improve academic
hiring practices face many challenges including “diverse interests, a lack of cooperation, or a
multiplicity of views” (p. 579). Stakeholders include unions (“maintain traditional roles”),
governing broads and administrators (“modify tenure practices”), accreditation and national
organizations leader (“flexible workforce model”), and state/system leaders and national
associations of community colleges (“redefine or unbundle faculty roles”) (p. 580-581). The
diverse priorities and interests make it extremely difficult for all participants to work
There are other conditions that impede change. “The expense of converting part-time
positions to full-time, and extending health care and retirement benefits to all” (Maxey & Kezar,
2015, p. 581) , is a huge financial challenge. And finally, mistrust between major groups
(administration and faculty), failure to acknowledge poor working conditions, and a worsening
power imbalance (Maxey & Kezar, 2015) are all contributors to gridlock.
Recommendations
Because the practice of hiring part-time faculty is so entrenched in the higher education
sector, as well as complex, it requires a multifaceted approach toward a common goal. Campus
communities throughout the country are implementing new policies and practices to improve
salary and pay schedules, health and retirement benefits, office space, professional development
opportunities, and access to resources, support and compensation are recommended practices
(Banjoko, 2017; Eagan, Jaeger, & Grantham, 2015; AERA, 2013; Roney & Ulerick, 2013).
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Policy changes include inclusion of adjuncts in campus activities, mentorship, and shared
governance models (Bickerstaff & Chavarin, 2018; Banjoko, 2017; Eagan, Jaeger, & Grantham,
Kezar, Maxey, and Eaton (2013) suggest efforts to improve require all stakeholders focus
persistently on what matters most – student success. Colleges then can determine what changes
need to be made “to most powerfully promote that improvement” (Banjoko, 2017, p. 7). The
American Association of University Professors (2003) endorses using a “pathway” for part-time
faculty that includes the hiring process, orientation, professional development, evaluation,
incentives, and integration into the college community and the student success agenda, created
Roney and Ulerick (2013) maintain we know how and why students succeed, and the
importance of their engaging with faculty. “Colleges need to create spaces and situations where
such opportunities can occur” (para. 22). An institutional roadmap toward improving conditions
for majority of instructors will help higher education improve student outcomes, and more
None of the above ideas are unique or innovative, but they are relevant. If institutional
goals are to create the necessary conditions and/or environment for student success, why are we
doing students a disservice by providing poor working conditions and minimal support for the
individuals that teach them? The report ends with a statement from Maxey and Kezar’s 2015
Students are short-changed when they have teachers who cannot commit the appropriate
time to all aspects of teaching including availability to students beyond specified official
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office hours...Courses are being taught by scholars who are paid less than a living wage
and have no medical insurance. These arrangements benefit neither the students, nor the
References
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http://www.aera.net/Education-Research/Issues-and-Initiatives/Faculty-Issues/Non-Tenure-
Track-Faculty
https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/aa_partimefaculty0310.pdf.
Banjoko, A. (2017). Part-time faculty full-time commitment: Enhancing inclusion and support.
content/uploads/DU_2017_1_06_Banjoko.pdf
https://www.aacu.org/publications-research/periodicals/how-over-reliance-contingent-
appointments-diminishes-faculty
Benjamin, E. (2003). Reappraisal and Implications for policy and research. New Directions for
Bettinger E. & Long B. T. (2010). Does cheaper mean better? The impact of using adjunct
instructors on student outcomes, The Review of Economics and Statistics, 92(3), 598-613.
https://doi.org/10.1162/REST_a_00014
Bickerstaff, S. & Chavarín, O. (2018). Understanding the needs of part-time faculty at six
https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/attachments/understanding-part-time-faculty-
community-colleges.pdf
Engagement.
(CCCSE) Center for Community College Student Engagement. (2013). A matter of degrees:
student engagement. Austin, TX: The University of Texas at Austin, Community College
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Graham, R. (2013). The effects of contingency on student success and the professoriate. Peer
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Kezar A., Maxey D., & Eaton J. (2014). An examination of the changing faculty: Ensuring
institutional quality and achieving desired student learning outcomes. The Delphi Project on
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Maxey, D. & Kezar, A. (2015). Revealing opportunities and obstacles for changing non-tenure-
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Mohave Community College Faculty Schedule 2018-2019. (n.d.). Mohave Community College.
NCES (the National Center for Education Statistics). (2018). Characteristics of postsecondary
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Nutting, M. (2003). Part-time faculty: Why should we care? New Directions for Higher
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