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[rustymuscle]

I'm new to adjuncting and am still trying to feel my way around the politics and scheduling. I teach at two CCs and have been assigned 7 classes each semester. Generally, two classes end up not being filled at the one CC (they schedule me for the max 4) and are cancelled.

For the fall semester I was assigned 7 classes, 4 at the one CC, 3 at another. We are now close to cancellation date and all 4 classes at the one school are no where near miminum and they are sure to be cancelled.

The double whammy is that within the last month I had calls from two other schools asking me to teach one class each. I politely refused because I was scheduled for a full load, leaving the door open for spring.

What I am wondering is how much allegiance do we have to a school where we are scheduled but the classes don't reach minimum? I don't mind 2 classes cancelling, but all four seems extreme...and a killer for my pocket book. If I politely back out of scheduled classes I risk being blacklisted by the school. If I decline new school opportunities I risk blacklisting myself.

I sense the school with the continually cancelled classes takes advantage of new adjuncts by over scheduling and since we are not unionized can get away with it. I also sense that at this institution (like many), adjuncts are about equal to dirty diapers. This may be beside the point, but I guess I mention because of the impact it would have if I approached them.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

RM

[georgiaprof]

If classes are regularly cancelled, I would start backing away from that insitution and start picking up classes at the others. For spring, I would arrange a schedule with the other institutions and then, if you have room in your schedule for more, talk to FlakeyCC.  For this term, I would call the other schools back and let them know that your situation has changed and you will be available - if they haven't started, that is.  They may still have something. 

[womanofproperty]

Yes, for the present, follow the above advice & contact the other schools to let them know you are now available. Maybe you can pick up something.

However, you should also start looking for non-academic work.

OP, I speak as someone who was an adjunct for many years. That experience did eventually help me to obtain a tenure-track position. However, I also continued to do research and publish. And I didn't rely on adjunct teaching to support myself during that period. Neither should you. You need to find another, steady source of income. As you are learning, even signing up to teach 7 classes a term can leave you without income.

I think that you should focus your teaching efforts on the CC that treats you better (in this case, perhaps, the CC where your classes are less likely to be cancelled). Hopefully, this is the institution that is closer to where you live.

If you need to do research and publish in order to be competitive on the market, then get as lucrative a part-time nonacademic job as you can and set aside time for research & writing. Get those publications out.

Otherwise, get a full-time job with benefits and teach part-time. I strongly urge you to teach no more than two classes a term. You might occasionally make an exception to this if you get the opportunity to teach a class that expands your teaching repertoire. (One of the things that made me marketable was having taught many different lower-level and upper-level courses rather than only introductory psychology.) You can also do 1-2 service or other activities a term if they don't require a lot of effort and will look good on your CV.

And start working on plan B (if you haven't already).

[rustymuscle]

Great advice, thank you both. I did follow up with the other schools...nothing for fall but maybe spring.

I'm in my late 50s, I spent an entire lifetime in corporate and have no interest in returning. And they have less interest in "old" people anyway. My goal was FT teaching (see other topics) but I've found generally institutions are hesitant in hiring "old" people for FT positions (shocked me, frankly). Fortunately I live in a metro area so there is an abundance of all kinds of schools. So, my focus was to adjunct teach until I drop dead or they kick me out (I truly love teaching)...but at 5 classes each semester minimum....not 2.

Thank goodness, I don't have to rely on adjuncting to keep me financially healthy. But, what I was looking for in adjunct was more "full time" without the full time, if that makes sense. I like being active and in the classroom.

The other school is very adjunct friendly and the head of the department has offered some great advice for pursuing the adjunct route as the head was once a "roads scholar." They also have offered a variety of courses to teach instead of the one required class in the discipline.

Perhaps something I should add. This one school asked for schedule commitments MONTHS in advance. For example, they asked for Spring 2012 commitments in April of this year. Makes it so, so hard to schedule anything else.

[helpful]

What is a 'roads scholar"?

I am wondering what discipline you are in as I know several people who got tenure track jobs in their late 50s.

[madhatter]

What is a 'roads scholar"?

A truly witty turn of phrase. I like it.

[rustymuscle]

"Roads scholar." An adjunct who spends a lot of time on the road traveling between home and schools.

I posted in another topic, I've been told by many professors and department heads (asked off the record in friendly conversations) not to expect too much in getting a FT teaching position at my age unless it's a hard science. A department head told me in an interview for an adjunct position something like, "We normally hire instructors who look like our student population," which for me sums up the climate.

Have sent CVs out, perhaps 100, have heard nothing. I'll still do it, but expect very little. It is what it is.

[concordancia]

"Roads scholar." An adjunct who spends a lot of time on the road traveling between home and schools.

Yeah, umm, no. A Rhodes Scholar is the recipient of highly prestigious scholarship. A road scholar is someone who engages in travel study programs.

A Roads scholar - you made that one up.

[scampster]

"Roads scholar." An adjunct who spends a lot of time on the road traveling between home and schools.

Yeah, umm, no. A Rhodes Scholar is the recipient of highly prestigious scholarship. A road scholar is someone who engages in travel study programs.

A Roads scholar - you made that one up.

Er, I think the play on words was the point.

[concordancia]

"Roads scholar." An adjunct who spends a lot of time on the road traveling between home and schools.

Yeah, umm, no. A Rhodes Scholar is the recipient of highly prestigious scholarship. A road scholar is someone who engages in travel study programs.

A Roads scholar - you made that one up.

Er, I think the play on words was the point.

I dunno, they used it the first time as if ... oh I give up, I think all 6 of you are messing with me.

[rustymuscle]

Someone made it up, but it wasn't me. I think it is a GREAT play on words. Have also heard, "Freeway Flyer" as a term to describe an adjunct.

[womanofproperty]

Thank goodness, I don't have to rely on adjuncting to keep me financially healthy. But, what I was looking for in adjunct was more "full time" without the full time, if that makes sense. I like being active and in the classroom.

The other school is very adjunct friendly and the head of the department has offered some great advice for pursuing the adjunct route as the head was once a "roads scholar." They also have offered a variety of courses to teach instead of the one required class in the discipline.

If finances aren't an issue and you enjoy teaching, I'd focus on the adjunct-friendly school. Branch out and do a little service. Maybe something that gets you more involved with students.

Can you teach courses on the books that are never taught (or don't get taught that often)? I've done this.

This might be less of an option at a CC, but can you develop one or two new courses? I was able to develop a few special-topics courses as an adjunct. A non-tt colleague at one of the schools I've taught at developed one of the department's most unusual (& most popular) courses, which he now teaches every year.

[rustymuscle]

What does it mean, "courses on the books that are never taught?" Also, someone suggested course development, but I didn't think schools would be open to adjuncts doing it....I'll give that one some thought, thanks for it!

[womanofproperty]

What does it mean, "courses on the books that are never taught?" Also, someone suggested course development, but I didn't think schools would be open to adjuncts doing it....I'll give that one some thought, thanks for it!

Check the course catalogue - are there courses listed that never show up on the course schedule?

For instance, looking at art classes on the fall schedule at my local CC, there are lots of "Intro to Art" sections and a gratifying range of other art classes (design, photography, ceramics, etc.). But no sections of the "Art & Gender" course that's listed in the catalogue. Maybe the person who developed that course left, or none of the full-time faculty are interested in teaching it because they're all studio artists.

So they probably don't get to offer that class very often. But the department might be open to letting a qualified adjunct teach it and if enough students signed up for it, it would run.

[georgiaprof]

What does it mean, "courses on the books that are never taught?" Also, someone suggested course development, but I didn't think schools would be open to adjuncts doing it....I'll give that one some thought, thanks for it!

I was going to say exactly what womanofproperty said about classes not being taught.

Course development by adjuncts is not unheard of.  I think that may be a bit more common among small and/or rural schools.  You might look at online classes  - we use loads of adjuncts there for course development.  Also, find someone (department chair or otherwise) who will chat with you and help you to find areas where you can contribute.  If you don't give them the sense that you are only doing this to suck up for a job, then you may have some success with this and it might ultimately lead to a job.

Good luck!