A new report from the American Association of University Professors examines the role — or lack thereof — college accreditors have played in the debate over adjunct professors.

The report, “Looking the Other Way? Accreditation Standards and Part-Time Faculty,” appears in the March-April issue of the association’s magazine, Academe. It says that although accreditors have taken stands on issues that include academic freedom, diversity, and distance learning, they have been “largely silent” about the increasing use of adjuncts in higher eduction.

“One might expect them to be in the vanguard of the debate over part-time faculty. They are not,” says the report, echoing an article that appeared in The Chronicle in 1997.

Since then, a few accreditors have added statements dealing with how part-time faculty members are evaluated and supported. However, the report says, “there is little evidence” that accreditors take action when colleges don’t comply with those standards.

The report, prepared by the AAUP’s Committee on Contingent Faculty, was one of three in the new issue of Academe. The other two outline the case for faculty members to participate in the accreditation process and give information on how to do so. —Audrey Williams June