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[sugaree]

The administrative nature of my department is such that while I am not a Department Chair myself, I am the equivalent to, let's call it, a "divisional head." It's my turn in the rotation and this is my first go-round, so I am in need of advice from some more experienced administrators.

My dept. chair came to speak with me about a problem with an adjunct faculty member in "my division." A reluctant student came to the chair to speak with him about some complaints she and others had with the class being taught by this adjunct. The adjunct is a sabbatical replacement and has been out of the classroom for several years. The class she teaches is a once/week general survey course (which is the first problem, pedagogically speaking, but that can't be helped now). From what I understand, the first part of the class is lecture, then a break, then the students return and there is discussion about assigned readings. As I understand it, the adjunct is letting the class out early - not by a few minutes, but by 45 minutes-1 hour, regularly (as in every week). I have not spoken to this student, as she wishes to remain anonymous (and indicated to the Chair her reluctance to even complain about another professor, but that she and others in the class felt that they "weren't getting their money's worth.") Because of the nature of my chair, our students, and this department, I believe the complaint is genuine and not the whininess of just another snowflake, but now I have to do something and here is where I need advice.

I am going to have a semi-casual meeting with the adjunct to hear how things are going and to offer any suggestions/advice about teaching again after so many years. During this meeting, I need to address the complaint. I don't want to challenge the adjunct's academic freedom to design the course the way she wants, but I also don't want to dismiss the student's complaint or ignore it entirely. But of course, I am not in the classroom (and it would be HIGHLY unusual in my departmental structure to sit in and observe so I can't do that) and I don't know exactly what is happening. Maybe the students aren't doing the reading and there is no point in pushing through? But every week? And isn't it our job, as educators, to draw them out and get students to discuss things, even when not all of them are adequately prepared? And students LOVE to get out of class early, so it takes a lot of frustration to get to a point where a student will complain, so I believe something more extreme is going on here.

So, what advice do you all have about how I might go about this? The way things are set up, addressing this particular situation is my responsibility (at least at this stage) so I'm not looking to hear about how this is the departmental chair's job (again, at this stage, it is not his job and he prefers that I get involved anyway). I am definitely going to find out more about what goes on in the class (I don't accept the student's complaint uncritically, of course) but there's still time to turn the semester around (for both the professor and the students). So, help?!

[shrek]

go observe the class.

[glowdart]

go observe the class.

Not an admin talking here, so fwiw:

I agree, but I do wonder if the prof would let people out early if you're there.  If observations are not normal at your place, then can you find a way to spin it ("I'm a new divisional head -- trying to get a sense of classes")? 

I might find a reason to be in the hallway outside of that class when it is next taught and see what time it lets out. 

At least then you have confirmation of the student's story and can proceed by mentioning what you experienced on that one night, bring up that students have concerns, and then maybe brainstorm ways to fill the time?  I'm sure that by now that some of the students have caught on to the pattern and are not discussing the text in order to get out early.  Might it be possible to undercut some of the tension by noting that the once-a-week format is not ideal for this class but that you all have to work with it, so here are some options for filling time, etc.? 

[sinatra]

No matter how you feel about it, you need to investigate the complaint fully. Even if the complaint turns out to be baseless, the quality of answer you can give to someone (e.g., your chair, a dean, a provost, a board member, etc.) after doing an investigation is light years ahead of the one you give without an investigation. And be sure to document the conversations you have with the contingent faculty member. Not doing that WILL come back to bite you.

[larryc]

Remind the adjunct that seat hours are important to accreditation and that you absolutely, positively need him to respect that. Make him promise you not to let class out early.

[alleyoxenfree]

You are right to be cautious about accepting the student's view uncritically.  The students may be being asked to spend the time working at the library on a research project or work in groups, with the student's group disappearing.  There may be a health problem with the adjunct that is not ongoing but was a one-time thing, and most likely to me is that students who are not doing well often retaliate against professors they see as vulnerable by making a preemptive complaint.

Or the student may be right, but a casual observation couched in "in my new position, I need to do one of these for each person" will let you know.

[hegemony]

I don't really understand why there needs to be pussyfooting around here.  I'd personally doubt that the student would be making this up, but it doesn't have to be verified before you say something to the adjunct.  Why can't you say, "We've gotten some student complaints that class is ending up to an hour early.  I'm sure you understand that for accreditation and professional reasons, class needs to run to the end of its scheduled time.  So you will make sure that it does, right?  Great."  Then stop by right 5-10 minutes before the class is scheduled to end once or twice.  If the class is still going, good enough.  If not, that will be a reason to speak to the adjunct more strongly.

[prytania3]

I don't really understand why there needs to be pussyfooting around here.  I'd personally doubt that the student would be making this up, but it doesn't have to be verified before you say something to the adjunct.  Why can't you say, "We've gotten some student complaints that class is ending up to an hour early.  I'm sure you understand that for accreditation and professional reasons, class needs to run to the end of its scheduled time.  So you will make sure that it does, right?  Great."  Then stop by right 5-10 minutes before the class is scheduled to end once or twice.  If the class is still going, good enough.  If not, that will be a reason to speak to the adjunct more strongly.

I agree. And letting a class out an hour early has nothing to do with academic freedom. I'd ask her if she was letting class out that early. She may deny it, but most likely, she won't do it again.

[kedves]

I don't really understand why there needs to be pussyfooting around here.  I'd personally doubt that the student would be making this up, but it doesn't have to be verified before you say something to the adjunct.  Why can't you say, "We've gotten some student complaints that class is ending up to an hour early.  I'm sure you understand that for accreditation and professional reasons, class needs to run to the end of its scheduled time.  So you will make sure that it does, right?  Great."  Then stop by right 5-10 minutes before the class is scheduled to end once or twice.  If the class is still going, good enough.  If not, that will be a reason to speak to the adjunct more strongly.

I agree. And letting a class out an hour early has nothing to do with academic freedom. I'd ask her if she was letting class out that early. She may deny it, but most likely, she won't do it again.

Yes!  I'm at the other end of the ladder, non-TT but not adjunct, so I'll add this.  For fellow adjunct or non-TT full-time lecturers, this kind of thing creates resentment toward department leadership and lowers morale for everyone else who does things the right way.  You really have to act.

[sugaree]

Yes, I know I have to act and I plan to. Thanks everyone for the comments. I think my caution comes from a place of inexperience (in administrative matters of discipline), combined with concern about finding out exactly what's happening since I am not in the class (nor, will I observe. As I pointed out in my OP, classroom observation is so beyond the norm in my department plus, as other have pointed out, if I'm there I doubt there will be any early release hijinks. Moreover, it's a night class so I can't just "hang around" outside near the end of class because there is no reason for me to be on campus at that time except to observe this class).

I don't want to freak out this instructor so that she essentially abandons the class, but I like the idea of a more sympathetic discussion of strategies for success. That, plus pointing out the accreditation issues will, I hope, end at least the issue of short-changing the scheduled time of the weekly class meetings.

I continue to welcome comments/strategies for dealing with this, but thank goodness for the collective wisdom of the fora.

[alleyoxenfree]

Yes, I know I have to act and I plan to. Thanks everyone for the comments. I think my caution comes from a place of inexperience (in administrative matters of discipline), combined with concern about finding out exactly what's happening since I am not in the class (nor, will I observe. As I pointed out in my OP, classroom observation is so beyond the norm in my department plus, as other have pointed out, if I'm there I doubt there will be any early release hijinks. Moreover, it's a night class so I can't just "hang around" outside near the end of class because there is no reason for me to be on campus at that time except to observe this class).

I don't want to freak out this instructor so that she essentially abandons the class, but I like the idea of a more sympathetic discussion of strategies for success. That, plus pointing out the accreditation issues will, I hope, end at least the issue of short-changing the scheduled time of the weekly class meetings.

I continue to welcome comments/strategies for dealing with this, but thank goodness for the collective wisdom of the fora.

sugaree, one thing I've noticed many places is that there are no regular channels of communication outside of faculty meetings.  I stand by my comment that investigation needs to happen before anything is "said" to a single individual, remembering that you said that this is an anonymous accusation, conveyed second hand!  Your actions are still disciplinary, and if you speak only to this person on the basis of something as vague and thin as that, I think it is a problem.  You may also wind up alienating a good adjunct that you would like to keep.  In my supervisory roles, I would never had spoken to an employee on the basis of a whispering campaign of anonymous complaints; if people have a serious, adult objection, they can be a serious adult and convey that.  Something smells here and it is worth being careful.  Imagine how this would look if it blew up: "So, Dr. Sugaree, even though you had no proof, and even though you didn't even know the name of the person complaining, you assumed the accusation to be true and as a consequence, you singled out this instructor and warned them....."

However, one alternative - especially since you are new, so the timing is good - would be to institute a weekly email that goes to all faculty, with a few items of business.  Make sure the adjunct's email is working by exchanging some prior pleasantry, then email everyone and include the mention of the need for a full class meeting time, couched in the helpful language of accreditation.  Then tell the person in contact with the student complaining that if there are future problems, they should come directly to you.

[hegemony]

As you know, I'm of the opposite opinion of alleyoxenfree -- it seems to me that if the goal is to make sure that class extends for the full time (rather than to discipline the adjunct, put something on her file, or the like), there's nothing wrong with mentioning it to the adjunct.  And to my mind there's nothing wrong with stopping by the end of the class just because you're checking to make sure that class is ending at the right time.  If everything's fine, then no harm, no foul, right?  And if class is ending unacceptably early, then you know it.  At times I've done things "wrong" (for instance, once I didn't know there was a minimum writing requirement for a class I taught, and I assigned too few papers) and I appreciated the heads-up from the chair.  It doesn't have to be a hostile encounter.  But I totally agree that this can be an important matter of morale for other faculty members (and students).  In the past when it's been noticed that other faculty are dodging their responsibilities -- for instance one who canceled classes five Fridays in a row, just for recreational purposes -- it engendered a lot of hostility and distrust of the authorities who turned a blind eye.  The fact that it's an anonymous report doesn't concern me.  It's easy enough to check up on.  If you know any of the students in the class, just ask them.

[alleyoxenfree]

I wouldn't characterize this as opposite - I too would take the tack of checking up on the class, and I'd invent a reason to be in the building at that hour if I was even spotted. 

Where we vary, it seems, is that I would still handle it in a broad way first, with a general "reminder" to all faculty, because the student is unwilling to actually come forward.  I have seen some bad things go down in colleagues' careers, usually female students badmouthing female teachers who they thought should be more motherly and less inclined to give a fair (bad) grade, and this is a classic way that girls retaliate - by starting an anonymous whispering campaign.  So I would proceed with caution on that element alone.

[hegemony]

Yes, fortunately this is a clear-cut thing that's easy to check up on -- much less problematic than accusations like "she's not helpful" or "there's favoritism."

[msparticularity]

However, one alternative - especially since you are new, so the timing is good - would be to institute a weekly email that goes to all faculty, with a few items of business.  Make sure the adjunct's email is working by exchanging some prior pleasantry, then email everyone and include the mention of the need for a full class meeting time, couched in the helpful language of accreditation.  Then tell the person in contact with the student complaining that if there are future problems, they should come directly to you.

I know this sounds appealing, since it shares basic information and concerns with everyone in evenhanded and nonjudgmental way. I can tell you from personal experience in a couple of departments with chairs who made a habit of this, though, that can be a cause for considerable grumbling and resentment among those who are doing exactly what they are supposed to. This is especially so when the guilty parties just ignore these admonishments--as they always seem to.

I have some sympathy with the adjunct, since night classes that go until late are a royal pain to teach; despite having signed up for them, students are resentful and resistant, and tend to whine when one teaches for the entire allotted time. Your adjunct may be trying to keep the students happy, in the hopes of more work.