This article discusses the demographic profile, employment motivations, and changing roles of virtual faculty who hold part-time appointments. These insights are drawn from a 2006-2007 survey of forty-two part-time faculty working for virtual universities under the purview of the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities for the…

Institutions of higher education have been gradually employing more part-time faculty over the past several decades. Walsh estimates that part-time faculty employment across all types of institutions increased 79 percent from 1981 to 1999. The growth of part-time faculty at community colleges is equally astounding. It is now estimated that 67…

Faculty compensation policy is seen as one means by which an institution influences the faculty to work toward institutional goals. Among the broad criteria for compensation are worth, equity, need, and market measures. Benefits and issues in compensation including differentials in compensation, merit, part-time instruction, etc. are discussed.…

Even at institutions where highly trained, highly motivated, and deeply committed part-timers teach, part-time instruction can adversely affect teaching, the support of students, the general quality of education, and morale in departments.

Colleges and universities have become increasingly reliant on part-time faculty without, in most cases, adequately establishing policies to assess the consequences for student learning. As administrators and faculty confront increasing demands from a variety of constituents, there is often less time for engaging in important dialogue on core…

In this introduction to the papers in this volume, the author argues that the central role of contingent appointees in undergraduate education is beyond dispute, and, yet, the implications for undergraduate learning are very much in dispute. Understanding of this issue and correction of such problems as may exist begin by focusing discussion of…

Phased retirement policies are more or less attractive financially and more or less accommodating of individual differences. They are also implemented in varying ways, variations that especially affect departments and academic programs.

Discussion of the use of part-time faculty looks at college policies and practices influencing hiring of part-timers, problems emerging from part-time appointments, and policy and structural changes needed to increase the effectiveness of part-time faculty. It is concluded that while the problems cannot be resolved to everyone's satisfaction,…

Proposes a framework for examining academic careers and illustrates how it can help categorize findings from various research studies. It then discusses how modifications in graduate education and employment practices may affect different aspects of academic careers, giving particular attention to use of part-time and adjunct faculty. (MSE)

Increasing proportions of science and engineering faculty are in non-tenure-track positions. While part-time and other flexible scheduling options can be beneficial in meeting individual and departmental needs, resulting changes affect faculty careers, students, and the quality of academic research. Recommendations for improving the situation are…

The Northern Virginia Community College's challenge of meeting escalating demands with declining resources has resulted in spiraling increases in part-time faculty hiring. The overarching problem is not the growing number or increasing proportion of adjunct faculty, but institutional neglect of this important faculty group, and its exclusion from…

A case study of a large research university illustrates the increasing use of nontenured faculty. Origins of the expansion are examined, arrangements used to resolve staffing problems are described, and their effectiveness and general consequences for departments are assessed. It is concluded that while short-term negative outcomes can be…

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…

The implications of the policy choices made in setting up a phased retirement system are demonstrated by its variety of outcomes. (Contains 5 tables.)

Issues concerning the increasing use of part-time and adjunct faculty in higher education that must be addressed include the need for research on faculty work, jobs, and careers, and on the institutional setting for part-time employment; faculty career patterns, incentives and disincentives; role of this group in the academic community; and…