The current use of part-time faculty and issues regarding this practice are addressed. Attention is directed to the demographic and employment characteristics of part-time faculty, the policies and practices that colleges follow for part-time employment, and legal and other constraints influencing the way they are used. Some institutional efforts to improve the status and use of part-time faculty are described, and policy implications are examined. After presenting national data on part-time faculty, information is provided on: the distribution of part-timers, a taxonomy of part-time faculty, and career aspirations and work history of a sample of part-timers. Four constraints on colleges and universities that affect the employment of part-time faculty are: legal decisions, collective bargaining agreements, state funding formulas, and standards established by accrediting agencies. Consideration is also given to institutional policies and practices affecting recruitment, job assignments and workload, support services, communication with peers and participation in governance, compensation and fringe benefits, and job security. The evaluation and development of part-time faculty at two-year colleges are also addressed. (SW)