This report examines the changes, and the potential consequences of those changes, in the employment patterns of American academics, focusing specifically on the use of short-term and temporary instructors by postsecondary institutions. Following a brief introduction, the report describes shifts in hiring patterns of postsecondary institutions,…

Investigates the problems that confront academia and suggests that faculty work has changed so profoundly in recent years that tenure is no longer sufficient and/or necessary. Argues that intellectual freedom and accountability are competing demands that must be met simultaneously. Reviews how tenure exacerbates some current problems. (MJP)