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[irishdmbf]

This is my first real dilemma since being hired as tt this fall!!
I was hired (among other things) as a course coodinator for a particular large gen ed course which the department chair used to handle but now hasn't the time to teach or to coordinate.  The other instructors on the course are all adjuncts.  Recently I found out that I had to choose the text book for next semester.  I spent some time mulling over the current incumbent and a brand new text that is better for a lot of reasons (although has some notable deficiencies) and went with the new one.

I met with the other instructors today to give them their publisher issued text and extra materials and got berated for changing the text since two and a half months is not enough time to completely redo their materials and that if I could I should try and reverse my decison!!!  These instructors have been teaching the course for a long time and seem to be stuck in their ways.  I told them I would try but I am not sure that this is the best decision for the students. 
Am I being too nice by saying I would go with the more comfortable text??? Or are they just being lazy and get over it??
Please help

[helpful]

They are being lazy. Two and a half months notice is a long time.

Plus, if they are good professors, they don't just use the text! They need to generate their own materials, too.

[larryc]

You have revealed yourself to be a push over and will pay for it dearly in your future dealings with these adjuncts. Sorry if that sounds harsh but there you are. Send a mass email: "Upon further consideration the new text is so superior to the old that I feel it would be irresponsible not to use it. I thank you for your input and hope to continue working with all of you in the new semester."

[irishdmbf]

This is exactly what I thought.  I am being too much of a pushover!!!!  As soon as I had time to think about it I realized that two and a half months is a lot of time to prep a course even with other things going on in ones life!!!!  I also mentioned it to another member of faculty and she said they were just being lazy!!!!
That is why I have made no moves to reverse my decision.  When I made my decison all the chair said was make sure that the instructors get copies of the text. so she wouldn't have been concerned about their feelings either!!!!

[mytiaraisaskew]

Exactly.  I've prepped for classes five days in advance (instructor disappeared at the last minute), and I'm sure that's a fairly common experience.  Two and a half freakin' months is a monster amount of time.  Tell them to suck it up and deal with it, or, to be more politic, use larryc's response.  I must say, I often think to myself, "what would larryc do?"  He's always right!

[malvolio]

No one thinks 2 1/2 months is too short a time for course prep. I believe they are testing you as the "newbie" or even that they are ready to resent any decision you make simply because you are brand new to the school and yet above them in rank and on the TT.

Having said that, there is no reason for you to be mean. Send the email as suggested. But you might outline the reasons why you chose the text and stress why you think it is important. That way, you won't seem arbitrary. And if you frame things in terms of "the students' best interests" they won't be as able to grump back at you.

[ursula]

If they are long-serving adjuncts, and you are a new TT person, then very obviously it's a control issue.  They resent your status and the fact that you have the power to make this decision, and are going to do all they can to exercise control in this situation and, now, in any other.  So I do believe you have indeed been too nice.

[goldengate]

If they are well-paid long-serving adjuncts, it's definitely a control issue.  If they are cobbling together a pittance from multiple unis, it may be less a power play or a laziness issue than a calculation that a new prep will drive their effective hourly compensation rate temporarily below that of a Walmart greeter's.

If the new book is, as you say, significantly better, it's to the students' benefit that you change.  That assumes the adjuncts will do a thorough job of the new prep work, rather than dragging their heels, dumping as much of the burden as they can on you and, if it doesn't work out so well, passively-aggressively laying the blame at your feet.

Are they likely to try this?  Are you in a position to forestall it or avoid damage if it happens?

[deleteplease]

I think the first paragraph of the OP signals a problem in management style. As a new hire, managing people with significantly more experienced than yourself, you should avoid the appearance of unilateral decision making. Why did you select a new text by "mulling it over" on your own rather than consulting with your staff (who will be doing much of the work of teaching the text)? It's natural that irrespective of the merits of the text itself, this procedure is resented. Part of the art of management is steering a group towards consensus rather than imposing decisions on the unwilling -- you will have much better working relationships if you consult with people during any decision-making process which affects them.

Damage control: apologize for not consulting with them, pleading the excuse of a tight deadline, and suggest that they try the new text for one term, and midway through the term, hold a meeting to discuss how the text is working.  For future decisions, a good process is:

- send out an e-maikl saying that bookstore orders need to be in soon
- mention that there are a few new texts out which "we" (the plural is important) might want to consider for the course
- ask for volunteers to form a textbook committee
- have the committee (of which you are chair ex officio) make a recommendation
- circulate the recommendation via e-mail and ask for comment
- make a decision (by e-vote or at the next course meeting)

It's a bit slower, but the quality of the decision will be better (isn't there a chance that one of the staff may know of other books which should be considered? has information about the students or text you don't know?) --
and also, if people buy into the decision, they will do a better job of teaching the text (think of what might happen in evals if all your instructors undermine the textbook).

Also, dismissing the input of staff who have been doing something for longer than you have as "stuck in their ways" sounds arrogant. Are you saying that all their experience is worthless, and that you are so much smarter than they are that you can walk in and in a few months know more about the course and students than people who have been teaching the course for years? If not, then why not consult rather than command?

This is my first real dilemma since being hired as tt this fall!!
I was hired (among other things) as a course coodinator for a particular large gen ed course which the department chair used to handle but now hasn't the time to teach or to coordinate.  The other instructors on the course are all adjuncts.  Recently I found out that I had to choose the text book for next semester.  I spent some time mulling over the current incumbent and a brand new text that is better for a lot of reasons (although has some notable deficiencies) and went with the new one.

I met with the other instructors today to give them their publisher issued text and extra materials and got berated for changing the text since two and a half months is not enough time to completely redo their materials and that if I could I should try and reverse my decison!!!  These instructors have been teaching the course for a long time and seem to be stuck in their ways.  I told them I would try but I am not sure that this is the best decision for the students. 
Am I being too nice by saying I would go with the more comfortable text??? Or are they just being lazy and get over it??
Please help

[oldfullprof]

I'm w' Larry.  Adjuncts don't make the rules.  It's that simple.

[london1]

Exactly.  I've prepped for classes five days in advance (instructor disappeared at the last minute), and I'm sure that's a fairly common experience.  Two and a half freakin' months is a monster amount of time.  Tell them to suck it up and deal with it, or, to be more politic, use larryc's response.  I must say, I often think to myself, "what would larryc do?"  He's always right!

I think I will create "What would larryc do?" bracelets for the forum.  This should be an excellent side business for me!

[august_leo]

I think Medan's recommendation could be useful in some situations, but in this I kind of agree that it's just not their call/decision.

[georgia_guy]

Two and a half months is long enough to build a house. They are just being lazy. If they cannot modify what they currently are doing to fit with the new text in that time, they probably should not be teaching.

[gearjones]

Despite what appears to be the minority position, meden has given outstanding advice -- advice that will be useful beyond this specific situation.  As for the status of adjuncts, yes they do stand lower on the chain of command.  I would argue, though, that if there's so little respect for the adjuncts actually doing the teaching that they don't merit consultation and some form of input on primary class materials, then they probably shouldn't be teaching the classes.  I'm not suggesting that adjuncts should be given the final decision, or that the "time costs" of prepping a new text aren't a significant (if not necessarily admirable) reason behind their resistance.  But do keep in mind that these people are not TA's.  They are experienced professionals nearly always very committed to what they do.  Treating them with a certain amount of respect in the decision making process will likely encourage their best efforts on behalf of the students and the department.  As the manager, you certainly have the authority to decide things unilaterally, and sometimes that may be necessary, but good managers keep in mind those ultimate goals and adopt processes that help facilitate them.

[daniel_von_flanagan]

If my department changed a text I had to teach from without consulting me, I would deem it an infringement on my academic freedom, and revolt.  However, I am a tenured professor in a department where decisions on texts for common courses are made with extensive faculty input.  Temporary instructors, however, have no voice in this, nor should they - textbook choice  reflects the philosophy of a faculty, and (flame suit on) temporary instructors/visiting faculty/adjuncts/etc are not part of the faculty. - DvF