Waiting to Become: Adjunct Faculty Experiences at Multi-Campus Community Colleges

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

“…Another concern uttered by contingent faculty is the feeling of being marginalized in both their departments and institutions (Bakley & Brodersen, 2018;Jolley, Cross, & Bryant, 2014;Kezar & Sam, 2010;Thirolf & Woods, 2018). These studies demonstrate the work of part-time faculty is at best unappreciated, uncounted, unnoticed, and at worst undervalued.…”

“…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.…”

“…As well as the lack of instructional and technical support, part-time faculty members lack social and collegial support (Bakley & Brodersen, 2018;Jolley, Cross, & Bryant, 2014;Eagan at el., 2015;Kezar & Sam, 2010;Pearlman, 2013;Thirolf & Woods, 2018). They, in fact, endure hostile environments while working in their respective institutions.…”

“…The hostility toward part-time faculty is ascribed to several causes. Abundant numbers of studies have found that the academic social stratification is the most dominant concerned expressed by part-time faculty members (Bakley & Brodersen, 2018;Jolley, Cross, & Bryant, 2014;Eagan at el., 2015;Kezar & Sam, 2010;Pearlman, 2013;Thirolf & Woods, 2018). To elaborate, part-time faculty members are, to varying degrees, considered to be among the lowest in the hierarchy in their respective institution compared to their counterparts, full-time faculty members and administrators.…”

Examining how full-time and part-time faculty make sense of their professional experiences with, and relationships to, each other as faculty members at the same community college

“…Hiring this way treats adjunct faculty as outside contractors who receive lower wages and no employee benefits such as insurance and retirement (Dolan, et al, 2013). Adjunct faculty often feel unvalued due these cost-cutting measures, comparing their professional value to a "Walmart model" (Bakley & Brodersen, 2017). There is a fear among part-time, non-contract faculty that although their hiring is seen as beneficial, in a budget crisis they could and are often the first on the chopping block (Fulton, 2000, p. 40).…”