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[mmoazen]

The college I worked at had no rank for adjuncts, except the rankof adjunct.  However an adjunct could apply for faculty status, thus keeping the rank of adjunct, but having a voting right and the "opportunity" to serve on committees.

[orangejuls]

I am currently a so-called "Adjunct Assistant Professor."  We have a lot of MAs that work as adjuncts, and the Adjunct Assistant pays more.  If you are working at a uni. that only hires Ph.D.s as adjuncts, this distinction probably doesn't matter as much...except, for me at least, it made me feel better about being an adjunct this year ;)

[mj_romo]

One CC where I am working is considering attaching rank to the title Adjunct - it's becoming a popular thing to do - though it will do nothing more than denote how long the Adjunct has been working for that CC. 

I know that at a few other CCs that have done this, rank is only given to adjuncts on the seniority list (6 or more semester of teaching), and is not given on the basis of academic credentials. 

I think it's just a way for CCs to feel less guilty about the way adjuncts are treated.  They can then say, "we've kept you around for so long that we're now going to call you Adjunct Assistant Professor instead of Adjunct" - but that doesn't make the "adjunct" part go away.

[francie_]

A CC in my region has different ranks and graduated payscale for the adjunct faculty.  The ranks are Instructor, Asst. Prof, Assoc. Prof., Prof., based on semesters of service.  Because I have a Ph.D., I was hired at the rank of Asst. Prof. for the adjunct gig I did there last year.  And in fact, the word adjunct is not appended to the rank, at least according to the hiring contract I got.  Woo hoo!

The adjuncts at this CC have had a union for a while, which no doubt has fought hard for this tiny benefit.  But, I agree with Mj_romo, it's a way to relieve guilt.

[mended_drum]

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.

This has been my experience as well.  Sometimes this also applies to retired professors who come back to teach a course or two when there's no emeritus designation.

[mickeymantle]

Yes, my current CC does this.  For example, after an adjunct instructor has worked here for three years, he or she can go to adjunct assistant professor status.  But besides (miniscule) pay increases, it really doesn't mean anything, except to alleviate guilt for abusing overqualified people.  (I've been there before, if anyone cares.)

[art4all]

In my school, an Adjunct is someone who has a degree and can work the classes and times no one else takes. No rank, you are disposable...you have no say on anything and you should thank your lucky stars if you are called to teach various times...Hopefully you have a full time job and you do this for the love of teaching...meaning you do not need it  and can live well without it...
Nonetheless, most city Colleges run their departments totally dependent on adjunct faculty as they are the face that students most often come in contact with...Adjuncts=Garbage=Recycle??? it is all very sad