Adjuncts in Social Work Programs: Good Practice or Unethical?

Instructional Practices of Part-Time Faculty at Two-Year Institutions: Observations and Implications

“…The causes of these obstacles are attributed to unsupportive and sometimes counterproductive institutional policies and practices. It has been documented that contingent faculty, to varying degrees, are enduring poor working conditions, lacking technical, professional, social, and financial supports from their respective institutions (Bakley & Brodersen, 2018;Christensen, 2008; Center for Community College Student Engagement, 2014; Coalition on the Academic Workforce, 2012; Eagan, 2007;Eagan, Jaeger, & Grantham, 2015;Jolley, Cross, & Bryant, 2014;Kezar & Maxey, 2012;Kezar & Sam, 2010;Pearlman, 2013;Thirolf, 2012;Wagoner et al, 2004). Meanwhile, those faculty members are expected to carry out their teaching loads at high standards of performance comparable to their full-time faculty members who receive sufficient technical, professional, financial, and social supports.…”

“…An abundant number of studies has documented that contingent faculty members are hired by their respective institutions in the last minute, ranging from one to three weeks before the beginning of the academic semester (Christensen, 2008;Kezar & Maxey, 2012;Kezar & Sam, 2010;Pearlman, 2013). Therefore, part-time faculty members endure the inflexibility of class scheduling and encounter numerous difficulties like the inflexibility of time to commute smoothly between campuses for those who teach at multiple institutions, and the unavailability of sufficient time for updating their courses and preparing themselves adequately (Baldwin & Wawrzynski, 2011;Christensen, 2008;Jolley, Cross, & Bryant, 2014;Pearlman, 2013;Kezar & Sam, 2010;Umbach, 2007). Specifically, after reviewing numerous institutional policies and practices, Kezar and Maxey (2012) pinpoint the fact that part-time faculty members are more likely to teach many classes in inconvenient time like in the evening and weekend than their full-time faculty counterparts.…”

“…Another obstacle experienced by part-time faculty is the lack of the basic infrastructure tools and materials that are essential to facilitate the performance of those faculty members. A considerable number of studies has found that part-time faculty members, teaching at four and two-year institutions, do not possess computer, email, copier and printer, mailbox, and most importantly, office space, and if they have it, they are more likely to share the space with unreasonable number of other contingent faculty members (Christensen, 2008;Center for Community College Student Engagement, 2014;Jolley, Cross, & Bryant, 2014;Eagan at el., 2015;Kezar & Maxey, 2012;Kezar & Sam, 2010;Pearlman, 2013). Kezar and Maxey (2012) state that those faculty members have no access to the library at their respective institutions.…”

“…Most importantly, contingent faculty members lack orientation programs that might be beneficial in terms of introducing those faculty members to their institutions and departments as well as informing them about the institutional and departmental cultures, missions, and objectives. In addition, part-time faculty members are excluded from workshops and professional trainings, have no access to funding resources to attend conferences, and obtain no professional evaluation (Christensen, 2008;Jolley, Cross, & Bryant, 2014;Kezar & Maxey, 2012;Kezar & Sam, 2010;Pearlman, 2013;Center for Community College Student Engagement, 2014). It is evident that part-time faculty members are not being provided with the necessary equipment and supplies in order to effectively carry out their professional duties (e.g., teaching).…”

“…Agreeing with this finding, Eagan (2007), after reviewing a considerable number of studies, concludes that community colleges hire part-time faculty in order to keep the operation of their programs, to maintain their tuitions at affordable cost, and to accommodate the shrinking funds appropriated by federal and state governments. Moreover, the hiring of part-time faculty allows community colleges more flexibilities in terms of class scheduling because part-time faculty members are more likely to teach during the weekend and evening time, teach undesirable courses due to the lack of autonomy, and assume more teaching load than their counterparts, full-time faculty members (Benjamin, 2015;for Community College Student Engagement, 2014;Christensen, 2008;Eagan, 2007;Frye, 2018;Kezar & Sam, 2010;Pearlman, 2013). Further, the flexibility accrued to community colleges when hiring part-time faculty is also demonstrated either in the establishment of new programs or the abolition of old ones.…”