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[summoner2009]

I was astonished to see, in another thread, someone ask a forumite about their rank as an adjunct--whether adjunct instructor, assistant, or associate professor, because I am serving as an adjunct for the first time, and the department chairman said nothing about rank when I was hired, and I had simply never thought about it.  I have a Ph.D., and have been a Visiting Assistant Professor at another school, so should I expect to have the rank of Assistant Professor as an adjunct?  The fact that I have a doctorate came up as making it likely that I would earn the higher rate of pay for my course, but would rank be an additional factor? And whose responsibility is it to bring the matter of rank up--mine or the chairman's?  Or if "responsibility" makes an ethical matter of something that is more a question of etiquette, would it be gauche of me belatedly to raise the question?

Thank you for any replies.

[pyromania]

Your rank is adjunct.  Unfortunately, that means you are totally disposable and have absolutely no power. 

[neutralname]

Yes, at many schools adjuncts have ranks.  You were probably hired at the entry level rank, although it's possible you are getting paid more than those without a PhD.  Obviously you have a right to know what the school's policies are, so you should ask.  You might be able to get a promotion if you plan to teach there for more than one semester.  

[concordancia]

It depends entirely on your school or department. Your "rank" is whatever your title is. Some institutions define adjuncts as those that are hired on a per course basis and they have no other rank. Some hire visiting professors/ scholars whose rank can go all the way up to full (this is most likely to happen at an R1 for a specialty that for whatever reason is not covered by current faculty). There is a whole range in between here, generally, but not universally, referred to as lecturer --> senior lecturer --> visiting assistant, etc.

[zuzu_]

Most places I've worked do not have ranks for adjuncts.

One place where I worked had ranks. Everyone started as an Adjunct Instructor. After 10 semesters of teaching as an adjunct, one could apply to become an Adjunct Assistant Professor. You submitted a faculty activity report and had someone observe your class. Then, if you were approved for promotion, you got a very small bump in your base per-credit-hour pay. I think you could actually go all the way to associate and full, but thankfully I didn't stick around that long.

The day of my promotion was oddly depressing.

[the_honey_badger]

My father-in-law was a noted professional in his area and was for years an "Adjunct Full Professor of X"---professional schools often have those. I do know of a retired notable in history who relocated and taught one class a year who got the same rank. More often they get (these days) the courtesy title of Visiting Asst/Assoc/Full Prof of X.  It doesn't usually cost the department more esp in "right to work states" those with unions might be different but I've never worked in a wonderland where there is union rep.

In 9 of 10 cases though, adjuncts are lecturers, instructors, or asst profs.

[boolos]

At most colleges & universities, adjunct status is simply hands on your ankles status.  Nothing more, nothing less.

[galactic_hedgehog]

My grad school had an Adjunct Professor who did a special course every year.  He was a retired very senior scientist from industry and was considered an equal with the full profs, at least on a social/informal level.

[polly_mer]

When I have seen rank applied to adjunct positions, the rank was a courtesy for senior people who have full-time jobs elsewhere who agreed to teach a specialty class.  People who were just covering regular sections of low-level classes, regardless of qualifications or other employment, were just labeled adjunct.

[jerseyjay]

I think that this really depends on what school you are at.

I have taught at about a dozen schools. Many just have a position called adjunct, instructor, lecturer, etc.

One school had three ranks: lecturer, senior lecturer, distinguished lecturer. When I was a PhD candidate, I was a lecturer; then, when I got my doctorate they made me senior lecturer. People who had been there years and years were distinguished lecturer. Each level paid a bit more.

Another, large public university, has a union contract and a very elaborate adjunct scale, depending on seniority, experience, and degree. It tends to run parallel to the full-time ranks, i.e., from adjunct lecturer to adjunct full professor.

For what it is worth, on my CV, I list these all under part-time or adjunct teaching, since I don't really think it makes much of a difference.

[john_proctor]

Where I work:

Yes.  We have Adjunct Lecturers and Adjunct Assitant Professors.  AL's don't have an earned, terminal degree (and, for accredidation purposes, have limits on what kinds and what levels of course they can teach).  AAP's have earned degree-in-hand.  They have the same rank and status as a tt AP (though, obviously, they're contingent faculty, so they don't have a general faculty vote, can't serve on university committees, etc.).

Different pay grades, too. 

[svenc]

The phrase "Adjunct Associate Professor" in quotes turns up 176,000 hits in Google, so it is not completely unstandard terminology.

I know of a few institutions that use the phrase "Adjunct" to refer to courtesy appointments that do not necessarily involve any teaching requirements.  So, for example, an Associate (or Full) Professor of Melonballology may also be an Adjunct Associate Professor in a related department at either her own or another institution.

[inthelab]

We have lots of Adjuncts because we have part-timers who teach our med/nursing/dental school courses.  They have ranks.

[zarathustra]

When I have seen rank applied to adjunct positions, the rank was a courtesy for senior people who have full-time jobs elsewhere who agreed to teach a specialty class.  People who were just covering regular sections of low-level classes, regardless of qualifications or other employment, were just labeled adjunct.

An example of this is Boston U's School of Music. My flute professor was a member of the BSO and is full adjunct professor.

[phi_rabbit]

At two of the schools where I have been an adjunct, Adjunct Instructor indicated someone who had not yet earned the Ph.D. (or whatever terminal degree, presumably); someone who had was titled Adjunct Assistant Professor.