Not Making the Grade: How Increased Reliance on Adjunct Faculty Diminishes Excellence, Academic Freedom, and the Search for New Knowledge

Abstract

As higher education adapts to changing circumstances, limiting the number and kind of part-time and adjunct faculty appointments and ensuring humane employment conditions will help sustain and preserve the values and integrity of higher education. Although the needs of the academic community may justify the use of many part-time and adjunct faculty, the terms and conditions of these appointments may disenfranchise and weaken the educational experiences and resources for students. Quite often the terms and conditions of such appointments are inadequate to support responsible teaching or, by extension, a career. This chapter hopes to encourage higher education decision makers to avoid marginalizing as a result of their reliance on part-time and adjunct faculty. The chapter concludes with recommendations for higher education administrators to consider.