The effects of reliance on part-time faculty in higher education have been much discussed of late. Most observers now agree that the increasing reliance on contingent academic labor has worrisome consequences for both students and faculty. The authors recently attempted to provide needed analysis of what drives the current reliance on part-time…

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the Great Recession began in December 2007 and ended in June 2009. With a duration of eighteen months, this recession was almost double the length of the average post-World War II economic downturn. Although the worst recession since the Great Depression is now technically over, this analysis…

The practice of hiring part time faculty at many colleges and universities and the discriminatory treatment they often receive in salary, tenure, and other employment conditions are described. (RM)

A study was conducted to examine compensation packages and staff development provisions at Johnson County Community College (JCCC), Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC), and Penn Valley Community College (PVCC). Interviews were conducted at each school with the administrators responsible for compensation and staff development and were…

Examines the employment of part-time faculty at private junior colleges in terms of numbers and full-/part-time ratios; expectations with respect to teaching load, student advisement, faculty meeting attendance, committee service, and evaluation; characteristics (e.g., formal education, teaching experience, sources, subject areas, additional…

Over the last generation, the instructional staffing system in American higher education has experienced a significant reduction in the proportion of jobs for full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty members and a dramatic growth in fixed-term full- and part-time instructional jobs without tenure. About 70 percent of the people teaching in…

This article discusses employment of part-time faculty at the community college level, including historical reasons for their current status, alternatives to this status, and specific steps to change it.

The importance of appropriate compensation and employment security for college faculty is discussed, in light of the declining purchasing power and wages for teachers and the erosion of benefits and pension prospects. From 1970 to 1985, the national average faculty salary, adjusted for inflation, fell 15.1%. Regardless of personal commitments and…

The ethics and economics of supplemental teaching are discussed by a dean of continuing education. It is suggested that the provision of opportunities to faculty that take them away from their primary responsibilities is a minor aspect of the ethical problem. Continuing education overload compensation is generally low, and there are many people…

Six major areas of part-time college faculty employment practices are discussed that illustrate how current practice can be detrimental to part-time faculty performance. Attention is directed to appointment, support services, communication with peers, participation in governance, compensation, and job security. The following areas that require…

Data from studies of nonstandard work arrangements for managers, professionals, and college faculty suggest that the experiences of academics in such jobs are similar to those of other professionals as to job quality and worker preferences. Workers in nonstandard work are generally paid less, are less likely to receive health insurance or pension…

Issues arising from the increasing use of part-time college faculty as an institutional cost-management strategy are discussed, including implications for faculty joining unions, tenure, governance and administrative hierarchy, faculty workload, quality of education, and public confidence in higher education. The trend is seen as ultimately…

Employment rights of part-time faculty and legal and collective bargaining issues are discussed, with attention to tenure rights and job security, due process, and equal treatment. The part-time faculty contract may provide some employment continuity by incorporating seniority provisions, access to fractional tenure, and other protective clauses.…

Problems faced by part-time faculty members are identified, and suggestions to avoid mistreatment of these teachers are offered. Disadvantages of part-time teaching include the lack of equitable pay and benefits. Since most institutions have a standard pay rate for part-timers, it is suggested that teaching excellence be recognized by creating…

Ways in which colleges can meet the needs of part-time faculty are suggested, based upon the experiences of community colleges. Recommendations concern basic needs, orientation, and staff development and evaluation. Advice for institutions includes: establish a salary scale for part-time faculty equal to that for full-time faculty teaching…