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[gekko]

Not hard to get an Ivy program to do this? Why on earth would they? They're getting relatively inexpensive labor and the ability to focus on topics in their specialty. If someone who is in pursuit of a graduate program is too stupid or lazy to research the opportunities in the field they're entering, they get exactly what they deserve.

I'm in Benton's camp that academic positions will eventually be vanity jobs for trust funders or those with spousal support, which is nearly the case now. I also don't find this to be a problem. The lack of enough deconstructionists in the future is way down the list of my priorities behind any number of other things. (Nurses, for example, many of which we import from other countries, with significantly negative results to those left behind.)

I know some of you will counter with "But Gekko, if only those with spousal or parental support pursue critical theory, sociology, fields with 'interdisciplinary,' 'studies,' or 'interdisciplinary studies' in the title, these fields will acquire a skewed view point biased toward the class of their participants." Gee, good thing this hasn't happened yet! I don't really see a big downside.  

[southerntransplant]

I know some of you will counter with "But Gekko, if only those with spousal or parental support pursue critical theory, sociology, fields with 'interdisciplinary,' 'studies,' or 'interdisciplinary studies' in the title, these fields will acquire a skewed view point biased toward the class of their participants."

I was going to counter with "What about STEM fields?" but you seemed to be having a good time on your soapbox...

[educator1]

I have seen documents written by college administrators that say it would be acceptable to them in some instances to use unpaid instructors.

This appears to be shocking to you. What is wrong, in some instances, for individuals with qualifications and experiences teaching without pay? It happens regularly in some fields!

[retrenchment]

I have seen documents written by college administrators that say it would be acceptable to them in some instances to use unpaid instructors.

This appears to be shocking to you. What is wrong, in some instances, for individuals with qualifications and experiences teaching without pay? It happens regularly in some fields!

I'm surprised.

[southerntransplant]

I have seen documents written by college administrators that say it would be acceptable to them in some instances to use unpaid instructors.

This appears to be shocking to you. What is wrong, in some instances, for individuals with qualifications and experiences teaching without pay? It happens regularly in some fields!

I'm surprised.

We have a couple of adjuncts in our department. One is retired and has made a ton of money at his consulting business, and returns his salary to the department because he just loves to teach. I know that this is different than having a department directive advocating the use of free labor (this adjunct returns his salary every month, so according to the tenets of the state he is getting paid) but he is teaching for free.

Someone else in one of my grad institutions who is considered a giant on the consulting side in my field made an even funkier ton of money in his business, and not only returned his salary to the department but his social security check to the government, and also taught for free. (He wasn't very good, but it's the thought that counts.)

[retrenchment]

Someone else in one of my grad institutions who is considered a giant on the consulting side in my field made an even funkier ton of money in his business, and not only returned his salary to the department but his social security check to the government, and also taught for free. (He wasn't very good, but it's the thought that counts.)

I would say giving money to colleges or scholarships is everyone's right, but I would prefer they leave the teaching to the professionals.

[southerntransplant]

Someone else in one of my grad institutions who is considered a giant on the consulting side in my field made an even funkier ton of money in his business, and not only returned his salary to the department but his social security check to the government, and also taught for free. (He wasn't very good, but it's the thought that counts.)

I would say giving money to colleges or scholarships is everyone's right, but I would prefer they leave the teaching to the professionals.

While he wasn't good, there were several FT faculty at that institution who were several orders of magnitude worse. He was also able to describe the applicability (or lack thereof) of theory in the consulting environment very well - which none of the FT faculty at this institution would have been able to do. That alone made him an invaluable resource for those more interested in the consulting end of my field.

[educator1]

I would say giving money to colleges or scholarships is everyone's right, but I would prefer they leave the teaching to the professionals.

That sounds as self-serving as a business consulting company criticizing SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives).
I assume that you use the word professional only to mean getting paid. I would guess that many (if not most) faculty (either TT or non-TT) have had little or no professional training in pedagogy.

[fast_and_bulbous]

I have seen documents written by college administrators that say it would be acceptable to them in some instances to use unpaid instructors.

This appears to be shocking to you. What is wrong, in some instances, for individuals with qualifications and experiences teaching without pay? It happens regularly in some fields!

We have a temp faculty who has stated he is willing to work for free. He teaches because he loves it, having retired from a TT position at another school. However, working for free is not allowed where I work. I believe it is violates either state labor laws or our contract. Thankfully he continues to work at least part time and they continue to pay him.

[retrenchment]

Obviously you are talking about the lower end of adjuncting, which in my opinion was never intended to be something that someone would make a career out of. 

This is like saying when I sell you a tuna sandwich I don't intend for you to give it to your cat.

[shamu]

What is wrong, in some instances, for individuals with qualifications and experiences teaching without pay? It happens regularly in some fields!

Nothing. In fact, as EVERYONE in academia in the US knows, while you are doing your PhD, you work for little pay, and you do it for YEARS. If the reference is to paying one's dues, I certainly feel like I have paid mine. Academia is a business like any other.

For what it's worth, even to this day, I do some "free teaching". I cannot speak for every professor, but I and my colleagues work very hard, and none of us are overpaid. In fact, in my interactions with people in my area in the business side think we are nuts for working so hard for less compensation. We do it because we love it.

[retrenchment]

What is wrong, in some instances, for individuals with qualifications and experiences teaching without pay? It happens regularly in some fields!

Nothing. In fact, as EVERYONE in academia in the US knows, while you are doing your PhD, you work for little pay, and you do it for YEARS. If the reference is to paying one's dues, I certainly feel like I have paid mine. Academia is a business like any other.

No I think the reference is to charity work. Which it would be, provided it is teaching of the caliber that is needed or acceptable.

[eddyman]

Obviously you are talking about the lower end of adjuncting, which in my opinion was never intended to be something that someone would make a career out of. 

This is like saying when I sell you a tuna sandwich I don't intend for you to give it to your cat.

Did it take you this long to read my post or to come up with a witty response?

[retrenchment]

I have seen documents written by college administrators that say it would be acceptable to them in some instances to use unpaid instructors.

This appears to be shocking to you. What is wrong, in some instances, for individuals with qualifications and experiences teaching without pay? It happens regularly in some fields!

I finally have a better answer than "I'm surprised." I'm feeling like an esteemed member of the forum since my opinion about what should happen is so important. Anyone can give money to anyone. It's a legal right. What does it matter what retrenchment thinks of it? I'm not the right person to ask. I can't imagine having the urge.
But I will answer. I think if someone is in the position where he has an adjunct job, and doesn't need the money, and is looking for a way to do good, he should continue at the job, and work to unionize. He takes a risk of being fired, but he is the logical one to do it.
If he wants to give money to the college as well, he is not at cross purposes with himself.

[gsawpenny]

It strikes me that if you want to thin the PhD herd, especially in the humanities, you do not need to shutter departments as recommended by parispundit.  Rather, you need to stop funding graduate students.  In short, if you want it, pay for it. I imagine this would lead to a quick and effective reduction of excess PhDs out there.