For several decades, there has been increasing criticism, first of the tenure track system and now at the rise in adjunct and non-tenure track faculty. Few believe the professoriate is organized in ways to meet institutional missions, deliver educational quality, or meet the goals of student success. The critiques suggest that tenure-track models…

This qualitative study of students in mid- and later-life (MLL; age 40 and older) sought to address the role faculty play in facilitating student success and how institutions support faculty, especially adjunct faculty. Adjunct faculty teach a majority of classes at community colleges but are not provided the same professional development…

This study examined the course success rates among students at a single, associate degree-granting state college based on faculty type and instructional modality. Analyses established the probability of a passing grade based on 1) faculty type at the adjunct and tenure-line levels, 2) instructional modality at the traditional and online course…

There is a growing divide between ongoing and precarious academics in Australia. Precarious academics are often exploited, underpaid, and have little hope of gaining permanency. In this article we offer suggestions to ongoing academics on how to improve the working lives and conditions of precarious colleagues. Our suggestions range from easy and…

As higher education emerges from COVID-19 restrictions, the post-pandemic transitional moment provides Catholic institutions the opportunity to reconsider their reliance on adjuncts in core curricula. As tenure-track positions decline nationwide and universities increasingly source out coursework to temporary or part-time adjuncts and other…

America's public schools are in a crisis. Despite investing more money in K-12 education than most other countries (nearly $15,000 per student annually), educational performance levels are stagnant. One source of the problem is a rigid and deficient process for selecting and employing teachers. Teacher certification laws, intended to ensure good…

Adjunct instructors teach a significant number of the college courses offered across the country. Many adjuncts have no prior teaching experience, but bring valuable professional and practical knowledge to students, particularly those enrolled in pre-professional degree programs. The studio course format presents unique challenges to new…

The increase in use of part-time faculty, commonly referred to as "adjunct," has shifted the academic workforce. Utilization of this populace has increased steadily over the past several years and is anticipated to continue this growth as colleges and universities seek cost-cutting measures in balancing their annual budgets. With this…

Performing failure presents radical opportunities for reimagining the world. Drawing from critical autoethnographic accounts, I utilize performance as a method to examine individual and structural failures in the online classroom from my perspective as a contingent faculty member. I contend that online education structurally compels teachers into…

This article presents new quasi-experimental evidence regarding the effectiveness of teaching-oriented faculty with tenure-track appointment, a model pioneered at the University of California (UC) system. Using data from six cohorts of students at a UC campus, we examine the impact of initial course-taking with three distinct types of…

Ongoing need for adjunct instructor support is a critical aspect for institutions to consider. Through research focused on full-time and part-time faculty job satisfaction, a number of practices for supporting faculty and improving job satisfaction have been suggested. In this article, we present an innovative model of instructor resources and…

Higher education institutions are heavily reliant on part-time adjuncts to teach their students. These part-time adjuncts now account for the majority of faculty in the United States. This qualitative study utilizes a phenomenological approach to explore the essence of the lived experiences of part-time adjuncts who travel to more than one…

Objective: The purpose of this study was to understand what online adjunct faculty value as support services, specifically professional development opportunities, provided by their respective higher education institutions. Method: This qualitative narrative inquiry study centered on exploring perceptions and experiences of online adjunct faculty…

This essay focuses on the communication studies' introductory course -- classes dominated by contingent labor -- to explore contingency within our disciplinary "front porch" (Beebe, S. A. (2013). Message from the president: Our 'front porch'. "Spectra," 49(2), 3. Retrieved from…

Online higher education has rapidly expanded in the United States and displays a great opportunity for growth. Coupled with the growth of e-learning is the need for adjunct faculty to satisfy the need for additional online classes. Despite the importance of online adjunct faculty, little research has been performed to determine their work…