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[Ed Meek]

Until this year I was a member in good standing of "Adjuncts Anonymous." For 15 years I taught in part-time and temporary positions -- usually at two colleges. My evaluations were wonderful. Students often cited my classes as their favorites. My bosses commended my work, but their hands, they told me, were tied. Since I lack a Ph.D., they couldn't hire me. I have an M.A. in English and an M.F.A. in creative writing. Although I publish regularly, I am not famous.

A few years ago it looked as if my luck had changed. I interviewed for a full-time English position at one of the colleges where I taught and somehow made it to the final round. The search committee submitted my name to the dean as their candidate of choice, but I was passed over by the dean for an off-campus candidate with a Ph.D.

The search committee protested the move, so the dean assuaged them and me by appointing me to a temporary position directing a freshman seminar program and teaching classes in the English department. He assured us that this position would become permanent.

The following year, however, the position was cut. The dean promised it would be restored, but it never was. Instead, I was paid a stipend to continue to direct the freshman seminar program and I returned to adjunct status in the English department.

The off-campus candidate who was hired for the full-time position stayed in the job for two years and then went somewhere else. Her position was not filled and her classes were taught by part-timers.

Meanwhile I continued to run the freshman seminar program and teach part time -- every August and January I signed and returned the one-semester contracts I was sent. But then last January, I just couldn't bring myself to do it anymore. I couldn't sign another one-semester contract, so I gave my notice and didn't return.

I spent the spring working on writing projects and applying to high-school teaching positions. I should tell you that before I was a college teacher I was a high-school teacher for a few years and I am certified to teach English in Massachusetts. Last spring I applied for 50 high-school positions. I applied to both public and private schools. I had a half-dozen interviews. I received two offers, both at private schools.

The position I took involves teaching composition and literature; I have five classes that each meet three times a week for 90 minutes. The classes are small with 20 or fewer students. The headmaster who hired me gave me credit for my college teaching experience, and that experience, along with my degrees, put me at the top step of the salary scale.

That means I now make much more than I made before and much more than I ever would have made had I remained on the adjunct track. I can expect a raise each year and I can supplement my income with writing and coaching.

Although teaching full time at a high school is more demanding than teaching part time at a college, if you have the necessary expertise and are an effective college teacher, you'll be effective at the high-school level.

High schools need good teachers. The combination of an aging work force and retirements has created opportunities at the high-school level for people with the ability to teach. If you are tired of being underpaid and undervalued, it might just be time to send your résumé to high schools.

Public high schools require teacher certification, but many will hire you without it and allow you to get certified on the job. Private schools do not require certification. So if you are tired of being taken advantage of by colleges and universities, this year may be a good time to just say no to adjunct teaching at the college level.

[Adjunct Anonymous]

After nine years of teaching two classes at an "art college," my college suddenly decided to change class schedules, without consulting any of the faculty members involved   -- unless being asked a casual question in the bathroom such as, "Would you ever consider a Sunday class?," counts as a legitimate request.

Now I find myself out in the cold because I can't teach on the new schedule they have created. I have another obligation at that time.

Working as an adjunct without benefits, consideration, or even a thank you from the administration stinks. It's unfortunate that educational institutions really regard adjuncts as commodities.

[Anonymous]

Regarding the adjunct situation: I joke with my husband that to become an adjunct all you need is a pulse and a terminal degree.  

Here in northern California, the majority of community-college classes are taught by adjunct faculty members. I was told by a tenured faculty member that going through the process of hiring full-timers is so arduous that it will only happen once in a great while and will take a very long time to complete the process. Money and politics are cited as the biggest problems. At one of the schools where I teach, the last time a full-timer got tenure was in the 70's.

I've been reading all the posts about disillusionment and possible discrimination. I've heard about age discrimination from my colleagues also. It seems they get to the interview stage and can go no further. One even told me that he knew the hiring committee needed to present two candidates to the college president as a matter of protocol. He knew that if he was one of the two, he would be the ringer because of his age. After being rejected so many times by the schools he works for, he no longer applies to full-time openings at these schools because he's tired of being used as a political football.

The best solution for adjunct faculty members seems to be to find a college or university that pays relatively well, appreciates the adjuncts somewhat, and has a better than average student body. If the schools only want warm bodies, at least we can be more picky.

Signed,

"Still angry and disillusioned but learning how to play the game"

[Anon]

Goodness, that was an interesting post. I would certainly like to be an adjunct; however, I have no teaching experience. My expertise has been as an administrator in grants. And, while many administrators go back to the professoriate (usually the ones who already have tenure), that is not one of my fortes. I do hope, however, that others who do teach, take your advice.

I believe an age-old problem (depending upon where one is on the educational ladder) is professors/administrators with tenure. My last university position was eliminated in a so-called restructuring by a new dean, but that college now has four ex-deans on the payroll, including the one who eliminated my position. All are tenured and still making a dean's, or close to a dean's, salary. My ex was a dean. He teaches once a week, is still drawing a dean's salary, and laughs about his status. So I know a little something about the politics/strategies/abuses of tenure.

One can apply this same thinking to the old professors taking up office space during their phased retirements. More power to them; eventually, time will catch us all.

Your advice is good, and I hope that those who are experienced teachers will become adjuncts, temporarily anyway. The whole process of applying for openings, submitting a résumé, interviewing, etc., really is a silly game in many instances. But, that's higher education (and affirmative-action/equal-employment-opportunity procedures) for you.  

Another interesting experience in education is the government-proposal-reviewers' process. How about that one?

Just an old cynic.