Benefits of Adjunct Faculty Members



What are the Benefits and Drawbacks to Part-time Faculty Members at Community Colleges?

Holly Peck

Ball State University

Introduction

The percent of adjunct faculty members at community colleges has steadily increased over the years (Jaeger, 2008; Wilson, 2010). In 1969, part-time faculty made up 27% of all faculty members at community colleges (Jaeger, 2008). This number increased to 52% in 1987 and to 70% in 2008. This growing reliance on part-time faculty members demands a need to understand the experience of this position and the effects these faculty members have on students.

The question of what are the benefits and downfalls of part-time faculty members at community colleges is in need of consideration. Researchers have identified benefits and drawbacks to having such a high number of part-time faculty members at community colleges. Benefits such as having experienced professionals instruct students and saving money are seen (Green, 2007; Levin, 2007; Wallin, 2004). Drawbacks such as teaching methods, a lack of integration and connection, low satisfaction levels, and negative effects on student persistence rates are also linked to part-time faculty members (Adamowicz, 2007; Eagan, 2007; Eagan & Jaeger, 2009; Green, 2007; Jaeger, 2008; Jaeger & Eagan, 2009; Lei, 2007; Leslie & Gappa, 2002; Sandford, Blecher, & Frisbee, 2007; Wallin, 2004; Wilson, 2010). Conflicting research findings are also noted and needs for future research are identified (Eagan, 2007).

Benefits of Adjunct Faculty Member

Benefits have been found in hiring part-time faculty members at community colleges (Green, 2007; Levin, 2007; Wallin, 2004). Having experienced professionals instructing courses at community colleges is viewed as a valuable addition to the institution (Green, 2007; Wallin, 2004). Also, budgeting and hiring needs of the community college can be positively affected by adjunct faculty members (Green, 2007; Levin, 2007).

Experienced Professionals

Adjunct faculty members are in a unique position because they typically have a good amount of experience working in the real world (Green, 2007; Wallin, 2004). They are able to bring their knowledge of a career field to the classroom and provide students with examples and information from the real working world. For example, in choosing a faculty member to instruct a fire administration course, a community college administrator may reach out to the fire chief in the community to ask him or her to teach the course. This gives the students valuable insight into the career area that a full-time faculty, who may be many years removed from the actual profession, would not be able to provide as effectively in a class.

Experienced professionals may also bring more energy and enthusiasm into the classroom (Wallin, 2004). When a part-time faculty member is instructing a course based on his or her career field, that instructor may be more involved and dedicated to the class content. Enthusiasm in the classroom may come from having a passion and love for the career field, discussing real world experiences, and providing interesting examples for students.

Another benefit of having experienced professionals from the community become adjunct faculty members is it connects the college to the community (Green, 2007; Wallin, 2004). An instructor who works in the community will most likely have more connections with businesses to help set students up with internships during their collegiate experience and with employment after graduation. The connection will also benefit the college in keeping a positive reputation with community members and building relationships with local businesses.

Economic and Hiring Buffers

From the perspective of community college administrators, adjunct faculty members are beneficial to have when there are budgeting issues, decreases in financial support, and changes in the enrollment of students (Green, 2007; Levin, 2007). Adjunct faculty members are not paid as highly as full-time faculty members; therefore they are a cheaper route for community colleges to take in obtaining instructors for courses when there are fiscal constraints. In addition, when there is a decrease in enrollment of students, adjunct faculty are looked at as a first cut instead of eliminating full-time faculty (Green, 2007). Likewise, adjunct faculty members are used to take on an abundance of enrolled students in specific courses. So, instead of adding a bigger load to full-time faculty in that course, an adjunct faculty member will take on the workload. These uses of part-time faculty members assist community colleges in adjusting to change (Green, 2007; Levin, 2007).

Drawbacks to Adjunct Faculty Members

Drawbacks to hiring part-time faculty members can also be seen in the literature (Adamowicz, 2007; Eagan, 2007; Eagan & Jaeger, 2009; Green, 2007; Jaeger, 2008; Jaeger & Eagan, 2009; Lei, 2007; Leslie & Gappa, 2002; Sandford, Blecher, & Frisbee, 2007; Wallin, 2004; Wilson, 2010). Teaching methods of adjunct faculty members have been found to be less effective compared to full-time faculty members (Lei, 2007; Leslie & Gappa, 2002; Sandford et al., 2007; Wallin, 2004; Wilson, 2010). A lack of integration and connection to the institution has also been found to be a downfall of adjunct faculty (Adamowicz, 2007; Eagan, 2007; Eagan & Jaeger, 2009; Green, 2007; Jaeger, 2008). The satisfaction level of part-time faculty members is also low because of the heavy workload, low compensation and benefits, and disconnect at the college (Green, 2007; Wallin, 2004). In addition, all of these downfalls have a negative effect on student persistence at community colleges (Adamowicz, 2007; Eagan & Jaeger, 2009; Jaeger & Eagan, 2009).

Teaching Methods

Instructional methods of part-time faculty members have been found to need to improvement (Lei, 2007; Leslie & Gappa, 2002; Sandford et al., 2007; Wallin, 2004; Wilson, 2010). One main cause for this lack of teaching effectiveness is because of the sheer amount of time a part-time faculty member typically has to prepare for a course (Wallin, 2004). These faculty are usually hired on late notice and do not have the time to properly prepare a syllabus and think through their strategy to teach a course. They are many times relying on their own knowledge because they are not aware of as many textbooks and do not have time to search them out.

A sense of insecurity about “breaking the mold” (p. 66) can also lead to the use of more conventional teaching methods (Leslie & Gappa, 2002). Wilson (2010) elaborates on this idea by explaining the benefits of academic freedom in instructing a course. Faculty members are given the right to discuss controversial topics and decide what and how to teach in their classroom. Full-time faculty members have the luxury of more job security and find it easier to venture into innovative teaching methods and controversial topics within their courses. On the other hand, part-time faculty do not have sound job security and often times view it as an employment risk to go too far beyond what is considered conventional. If they step over a line with a controversial topic or teaching methods, they could risk losing their job.

“Student complaints can indeed prove damaging to an instructor’s academic career, says Mike Van Meter, an untenured instructor of English at Central Oregon Community College in Bend. He says some adjuncts don’t challenge students because they fear negative student evaluations and resulting loss of the courses they teach.” para 18

This lack of risk-taking in innovative teaching methods has led to part-time faculty members relying heavily on lecture as their main method of instructing (Lei, 2007). Full-time faculty members incorporate PowerPoint presentations, labs, discussion, and online teaching into their courses more regularly. Lectures can be effective in providing information and can lead to effective class discussions and projects, however, the sole use of lecture is not as effective as pairing it with other forms of instructions such as group activities, presentations, videos, and other resources. In addition, part-time faculty members tend to lack in the use of online instruction (Akroyd, Jaeger, Jackowski, & Jones, 2004; Jackowski & Akroyd, 2010; Sandford et al., 2007). Much of this is because many do not have access to the Internet because they do not have offices on campuses. This leads to an ineffective connection to students who may not be able to make it onto campus for courses. A way to incorporate varying forms of instruction must be found for part-time faculty members so they can be more effective instructors.

Lack of Integration and Connection

Research has shown a trend for low institutional integration and student connection of part-time faculty at community colleges (Adamowicz, 2007; Eagan, 2007; Eagan & Jaeger, 2009; Green, 2007; Jaeger, 2008). Adamowicz (2007) used the term “adjunct trap” (para 3) to describe the experience of part-time faculty. These faculty members are busy trying to balance being an instructor for courses with other jobs and personal life situations. Therefore, many do not have time to attend any institutional meetings and miss out on having a voice in departmental decisions, which may lead to a lack of integration into the institution.

In addition, many part-time faculty members teach evening classes and are running from course to course (Green, 2007). This leaves little time to interact with other faculty members, full-time and part-time. Having a lack of interaction with colleagues has led to a feeling of disconnect at community colleges. Eagan (2007) also points out that a lack of office space is another area that can lead to a feeling of institutional disconnect. To sum up the need for more integration of part-time faculty members, Adamowicz (2007) stated, “They’re experienced, dedicated, and overworked, and they make up the majority of your colleagues at any given community college. Give them a place at the table, for the sake of the whole institution” (para 1).

Additionally, part-time faculty members are often times disconnected from students (Eagan & Jaeger, 2009; Jaeger, 2008). Students respond positively to individual interactions with faculty members (Eagan & Jaeger, 2009). This makes the availability and connection of part-time faculty all more important because without the one-on-one interaction, students are less likely to have a positive educational experience. Research has shown the benefits of student-faculty interaction (Jaeger, 2008). These positive outcomes can include “increased cognitive and affective development, improved academic performance, increased likelihood to persisting, and increased overall satisfaction with the college experience” (para 5). A downfall of the increase in part-time faculty members is the risk of lessening the benefits students can gain from having healthy student-faculty interactions.

Satisfaction Level

Workload, compensation, benefits, and a feeling of disconnect from the institution were factors found to effect the level of satisfaction in part-time faculty members (Green, 2007; Wallin, 2004). Many adjunct faculty members teach equal to or more than the workload of a full-time faculty member (Green, 2007). Therefore, it is argued that they are doing the same job and deserve the same pay. It becomes even more dissatisfying for part-time faculty members who also have the same education level and years of experience as full-time faculty members, yet they are still receiving less compensation. Wallin (2004) points out that one must still consider the fact that full-time faculty are required to also serve on departmental committees, hold office hours, advise students, and have a certain amount of teaching experience. Nevertheless, adjunct faculty members are still dissatisfied with the lack of compensation reflecting their workload (Green, 2007; Wallin, 2004). The lack of benefits offered to part-time faculty members are another source of discontent. Many adjunct faculty members at community colleges are not offered any benefits (Wallin, 2004). The lack of benefits for the same workload as full-time faculty members often times lead adjunct faculty members to feel unappreciated by the institution (Green, 2007). As previously discussed, the lack of interaction with colleagues and students and constant running around to classes with no office to go to also leads to dissatisfaction and a feeling of disconnect to the college. All of these issues are prominent in most community colleges and are main causes for dissatisfaction from adjunct faculty members.

Effects on Student Persistence

The lack of interaction between part-time faculty members and students and dissatisfaction with compensation have been found to lead to lower persistence of students at community colleges (Adamowicz, 2007; Eagan & Jaeger, 2009; Jaeger & Eagan, 2009). The more one-on-one interaction students receive with faculty members, the more likely they are to persist in college (Eagan & Jaeger, 2009). Because part-time faculty members are receiving heavy workload with low compensation, resulting in work dissatisfaction, they feel even less of an incentive to put time and effort into making individual contacts with students (Adamowicz, 2007). This may lead to students, who need additional encouragement in college, believing they have little support and guidance in their education (Jaeger & Eagan, 2009). When these students do not receive the motivation and support they need to persist, graduation rates suffer.

As previously discussed, meeting budget needs is a benefit of hiring adjunct faculty members (Green, 2007; Levin, 2007). However, if the community college is receiving funding based on graduation rates, hiring more adjunct faculty members is a counterproductive action (Adamowicz, 2007). This needs to be an area of attention for community colleges (Adamowicz, 2007; Jaeger & Eagan, 2009). If community colleges want to hire adjunct faculty members to assist in their budgeting needs, they also need to ensure these faculty members are satisfied in their positions. Otherwise, student graduation rates will suffer, which could in turn negatively affect the budget.

Needs for Future Research

Contrary to much of what the research says, it has also been found that part-time faculty members are more satisfied with their jobs compared to full-time faculty (Eagan, 2007). Eagan also noted that teaching methods of part-time and full-time faculty members are the same. If there are differences, it is because the method best fits the course content. These findings suggest a need for future research. Future research should include a more thorough approach to investigating the level of satisfaction in part-time faculty members and what causes the satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Also, the teaching methods of part-time faculty members should be further researched to incorporate the different needs of content areas. Studies on these areas could assist in providing more thorough information about part-time faculty members.

Conclusion

With the steady increase in dependency of part-time faculty members at community colleges, there is a growing need to gain knowledge about these faculty members and the affects they have on students (Jaeger, 2008; Wilson, 2010). From the literature found on these faculty members, the drawbacks seem to far outweigh the benefits. The benefits include having experienced professionals instruct courses and hiring part-time faculty compared to full-time faculty saves money (Green, 2007; Levin, 2007; Wallin, 2004). The drawbacks, including a lack of teaching experience, integration into the institution, and job satisfaction, lead to lower graduation rates of students (Adamowicz, 2007; Eagan, 2007; Eagan & Jaeger, 2009; Green, 2007; Jaeger, 2008; Jaeger & Eagan, 2009; Lei, 2007; Leslie & Gappa, 2002; Sandford, Blecher, & Frisbee, 2007; Wallin, 2004; Wilson, 2010). This is counterproductive to the benefit of saving money with part-time faculty members. In addition, there has been conflicting data describing part-time faculty as more satisfied and at the same level of teaching experience as full-time faculty (Eagan, 2007). Therefore, more research needs to be done to truly understand the effects adjunct faculty members have on students. Community college administrators need to discover how to increase the teaching methods, integration, and satisfaction of part-time faculty members, so they may have a more positive impact on students in the future.

References

Adamowicz, C. (2007). On adjunct labor and community colleges. Academe, 93(6), 24-27. Retrieved from EJ781476&site=ehost-live

Akroyd, D., Jaeger, A., Jackowski, M., & Jones, L. C. (2004). Internet access and use of the web for instruction: A national study of full-time and part-time community college faculty. Community College Review, 32, 40-51. Retrieved from login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ751677&site=ehost-live

Eagan, M. K., & Jaeger, A. J. (2009a). Effects of exposure to part-time faculty on community college transfer. Research in Higher Education, 50, 168-188. doi: 10.1007/s11162-008-9113-8

Eagan, M. K., & Jaeger, A. J. (2009b). Unintended consequences: Examining the effect of part-time faculty members on associate’s degree completion. Community College Review, 36, 167-194. Retrieved from EJ823184&site=ehost-live

Eagan, K. (2007). A national picture of part-time community college faculty: Changing trends in demographics and employment characteristics. New Directions for Community Colleges, 140, 5-14. doi: 10.1002/cc299

Green, D. W. (2007). Adjunct faculty and the continuing quest for quality. New Directions for Community Colleges, 140, 29-39. doi: 10.1002/cc.302

Jackowski, M. B., & Akroyd, D. (2010). Technology usage among community college faculty. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 34, 624-644. doi: 10.1080/10668920701831530

Jaeger, A. J. (2008). Contingent faculty and student outcomes. Academe, 96(6), 42-43. Retrieved from

Lei, S. A. (2007). Teaching practices of instructors in two community college in a western state. Education, 128, 148-160. Retrieved from true&db=eric&AN=EJ790157&site=ehost-live

Leslie, D. W., & Gappa, J. M. (2002). Part-time faculty: Competent and committed. New Directions for Community Colleges, 118, 59-68. Retrieved from . login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ652540&site=ehost-live

Levin, J. S. (2007). Multiple judgments: Institutional context and part-time faculty. New Directions for Community Colleges, 140, 15-20. doi: 10.1002/cc.300

Sandford, B. A., Belcher, G. G., & Frisbee, R. L. (2007). A national assessment of perceived instructional needs for professional development of part-time technical and occupational education faculty in the community colleges in the U.S. Journal of Career and Technical Education, 23, 97-108 Retrieved from db=eric&AN=EJ901313&site=ehost-live

Wallin, D. L. (2004). Valuing professional colleagues: Adjunct faculty in community and technical colleges. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 28, 373-391. doi: 10.1080/10668920490424087

Wilson, D. M. (2010). The casulaties of the twenty-first century community college. Academe, 96(3), 12-18. Retrieved from eric&AN=EJ895373&site=ehost-live

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