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[allye]

I feel like my so-called career has been nose-diving recently and I need to vent.  Has anyone had a similar situation?

I got my doctoral degree (in the arts) two years ago and immediately got a tenure-track job.  Knowing how competitive the field was, my husband and I decided to move across the country leaving our recently-bought house to live in a part of the country that wasn't our first choice.  He left a t-t job to take up a visiting assistant professor job that we were hoping (and were told was likely) would turn into something more permanent.

As you can probably guess, he wasn't hired.  He was miserable there, anyway, and wasn't a good fit for the department.  Luckily, he had been applying for jobs and got a good offer from a SLAC in a part of the country that was much closer to my family.  I wrote to all possible schools in the area and was lucky enough to get a full-time adjunct job (4-4) in my field.  The commute was just over an hour, and there were some rough spots last year, but I got along well with the area coordinator and was just happy to be employed. 

I became pregnant with my second child, who was born in July of this year.  I had discussed with my coordinator the option of teaching only part-time this semester, returning to full-time in the spring.  He supported me enthusiastically.

Our department got a new chair, and as you can probably guess - again - things changed.  I understand we're in the middle of a great recession but I feel that the circumstance of my "maternity leave" (unpaid, of course) has derailed the little career that I had.  The new chair determined the spring schedule by just carrying over the fall schedule without asking for any recommendations from the area supervisor.  I was kept teaching two classes.  Adjuncts teaching full-time include my office mate, a very good teacher but one who only has a master's degree, and the person that I WAS HIRED TO REPLACE because she wasn't following departmental curriculum.  She's been teaching here for 15 years but also only has a masters degree.

I met with the chair only to let her know face-to-face that I was hoping to teach full-time next year if possible.  She said that the chances of that were slim, though there are potentially major curriculum changes underway so who knows what could happen. 

Have I lost my chance at ever having a stable job?  I applied for a couple of t-t jobs recently but I'm not going to move again unless both my husband and I are employed, and his field has many more opportunities than mine.  Truthfully, as an artist I would be happy enough as an adjunct as long as it was a stable position and left me some time to do my artistic work.  But what pisses me off is being passed over for those with lesser qualifications simply because I worked part-time for one semester after having had a child.  I don't think I can claim discrimination because the chair made clear that she is cutting and combining classes for economic reasons.   

Anyway, right now I'm focusing on applying for jobs that make sense for my ambitions and qualifications (just two so far this year), networking in my city and in my field, being professional in my workplace, and hoping something better comes along.  Just thought I'd share my story (maybe it will stop replaying in my head!) 

[hegemony]

It seems to me that your best chances are for both of you to apply widely to jobs, and whichever of you gets an offer should negotiate for a spousal hire for the other.  If the spousal hire is not forthcoming, you don't accept the job and both try the next year.  You would need to stay competitive by publishing or whatever is the equivalent in your field.  Unfortunately you've put yourself at a disadvantage by going from tenure-track to an adjunct position.  A full-time adjunct position won't help your search for a t-t job any more than a part-time will, though of course it brings in more income.  But I'd guess the best route to a t-t job for you is to publish-or-equivalent, and teaching less rather than more may give you the necessary time for that.

[clean]

Schedule a meeting with HR. Im not sure, but usually your job is secure when you go on maternity leave.  You may not have any case at all, but it would be nice to know where they stand.

[msparticularity]

Schedule a meeting with HR. Im not sure, but usually your job is secure when you go on maternity leave.  You may not have any case at all, but it would be nice to know where they stand.

With term contracts (adjunct work), there is no "maternity leave" and thus no protection. Contracts are just issued--or not--on a semester-to-semester basis at the pleasure of the department.

OP, is there any chance that your spouse could negotiate for something for you at his institution? You would probably be treated better, even if it is just adjunct work again.

[adjunctprincipessa]

I'm afraid that you really have no protection here.  A new chair is entitled to reassign part time faculty loads, especially when the other adjunct has more seniority than you.  If the new chair likes the work of the 15 year adjunct, there may be very little you can do to get your old job back, and you should focus on finding positions at other institutions.  Unless you or your husband are a superstar or are very geographically flexible, it may be quite difficult to align two full time faculty positions.

[tenured_feminist]

The only defense here is a good offense. Take the time you'd have spent in the classroom and put it -- ALL of it -- into building your credentials. Research and publish. Use the smaller teaching load to innovate in your classes.

Is your artistic work within reach of being lucrative enough to support you and your children at a minimally comfortable standard of living? If not, get to work on solving your dual-career dilemma in the academy. If your spouse is actually movable, that's great, so make your job search broad and have his follow yours.

Before you figure being a long-term adjunct isn't so bad, spend some time reading the threads on this board. My sense is that, for many, it only works long-term if the adjunct has another primary career, precisely because of the lack of security and respect you note here.

[goldenapple]

Schedule a meeting with HR. Im not sure, but usually your job is secure when you go on maternity leave.  You may not have any case at all, but it would be nice to know where they stand.

With term contracts (adjunct work), there is no "maternity leave" and thus no protection. Contracts are just issued--or not--on a semester-to-semester basis at the pleasure of the department.

At my institution, that is not uniformly the case. First, we distinguish between full-time adjuncts with year-long contracts and part-time adjuncts who are hired for a semester. Those who have been teaching full-time in the system for 6 years are eligible for a variety of benefits, including parental leave. This may not apply to the op, but the I just wanted to point out that the world of contract employees varies quite a bit and it is worth finding out the details.

[prytania3]

If you are an artist, produce art that is noteworthy. Then you get a job.

[new_bus_prof]

The new chair determined the spring schedule by just carrying over the fall schedule without asking for any recommendations from the area supervisor.  I was kept teaching two classes.  Adjuncts teaching full-time include my office mate, a very good teacher but one who only has a master's degree, and the person that I WAS HIRED TO REPLACE because she wasn't following departmental curriculum.  She's been teaching here for 15 years but also only has a masters degree.

I met with the chair only to let her know face-to-face that I was hoping to teach full-time next year if possible.  She said that the chances of that were slim, though there are potentially major curriculum changes underway so who knows what could happen. 

Based on this part of the story alone, I would be asking myself...
- Course Prep: What is she teaching? Can I teach that class? Is there something else I can teach for the department?
- Teaching Evals: What are her evals? Are mine comparable? How do my evals compare to the rest of the department?
- Cost: How many classes for FT benefits? Is this a benefit preventing measure? Comparable salary?
- Qualifications: What are the qualifications the department wants in the people who teach this class?
- Curriculum Changes: Where do you "fit" after the shuffle? How do you help align yourself to be a better fit?
- Availability: What time slots are the classes? Can you teach when they want you too?

[allye]

Thanks so much for all of your responses.  I think most of the suggestions are things that I already knew/am trying to do. 

I'm on a semester contract, so no official leave of any kind.  The "maternity" leave was just an unpaid arrangement between the area coordinator and me that I would teach two classes this semester and then return to four in the spring.  I understand that the chair can rearrange and pull classes at will.  However, since I was hired specifically because a colleague wasn't following the departmental curriculum, I wasn't expecting for her to be given "my" classes.   The chair just looked at the schedule and followed the status quo.  I have since spoken to the chair and have let her know that I am definitely interested in working full-time in the future if possible.  My peer evaluations have been great and my student evaluations generally good except for one disastrous class (topic for another forum).  I've gotten grants and completed creative work (my form of research) while employed here.  There is a chance of a special purpose line in my area opening up sometime in the future, and I'm trying to position myself to be the obvious candidate if that time comes, especially since I'm the only adjunct in my area with a doctorate.

My husband did try to get me a job at his school, but with no other offers at the time he couldn't bargain too hard.  I remain hopeful that something will work out there in the future.  But they recently let go almost all of their term employees due to the economic crisis.  At the very least, I'm hoping they will feel the need to rehire in the future.  He has been applying widely to other jobs that might be able to accommodate me - if he gets an offer he can try to negotiate either where we are or in the other place.  I've also been applying, though of course, with nothing to lose I imagine it would be harder to get him a job as well. 

How does one support oneself as an artist?  Individual commissions - would take several in a year to compensate for the lack of a full-time job.  Government or private grants - as a Fulbright scholar I know how competitive they are and again it would take several per year.  Corporate sponsorship - usually applies to artistic institutions, not individuals.  I enjoy teaching and find that the interaction is a good balance for the sometimes lonely creative process.  Moreover, the financial compensation, however low, allows me to pay for childcare, travel, software, and other things that help my longer-term career goals.  I studied with MacArthur grant and Pulitzer prize winning artists and none of them had any intention of giving up their day jobs.  Even those artist friends of mine who eschewed teaching usually primarily support themselves with some other grunt labor.  So I don't expect the day that I can quit my day job to come for a while yet. 

Thanks again and I'll keep you posted.

[betsbillabong]

Hi there,

I'm also a Ph.D. in the arts. I recently picked up this book and though some parts of it are elementary, it looks like there are some good ideas in it. It might be worth a read. Good luck!

http://www.artistcareerguide.com/

[allye]

Thanks for all the comments.  A mid-stream update:  The state's economy is in the tank and I might very well not get rehired next year anyway.  We're expecting radical reductions in adjunct positions.  There's a possibility for a special purpose line in my area next year, but right now the funding situation looks dire and there are some political games being played (in which I'm doing my best to stay neutral) so I'm not counting on anything.  At least I feel less a victim of sexism and more one of a crappy economy, which puts me in very good company.

I'm applying to a second masters program locally in a related field (basketweaving tech) and think it will enhance my resume.  There's a chance of a teaching or research assistantship.  If I'm actually rehired where I am, I can still take classes part-time. 

I'll keep updating.  It gives me a sense of direction.

[compdoc]

In a CC the ability to teach multiple disciplines is helpful, but each department hires their own people.

Have you thought of looking outside academia?

It stinks to be trying to get/keep work in this economy. I'm glad you are able to see that it is not personal.