Comments (9)

1. 

   richard.diguette

   It is true that more people should know that most CC students are taught by teachers who get very little support from their institutions. Additionally, the pay is extremely low, causing some adjunct faculty to take on a heavier class load than they can handle. For both reasons, the students suffer.

   2 years ago

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2. 

   shannonstoney

   My institution stopped paying into social security for the part-time faculty. Yet part-time faculty are not eligible for the state teachers' pension either. So part-time faculty don't have any retirement benefits at all.

   2 years ago

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3. 

   robertby07

   Dear Kemah_Wasington: "it's sad how little is known about this subset of community college faculty and how their institutions could best support and encourage PTF productivity." NOT!

   First: "PTF" as you call us is far from under-researched, at least here in California. During any given year, there are approximately 47,000, and growing, PTF employed in the California Community College System (the numbers vary just a bit, depending on need, student enrollment and course offerings at different schools).

   Second: We know that approximately 25% of our number leave teaching in the California Community College System annually.

   Third: The PTF demographic profile is similar to the demographic profile of FTF. The overwhelming number of faculty are White, Male/Female (approximately 80%) with other minorities filling the gap between that percentage and 100%. HR departments at all community colleges have a finger on the pulse of their PT/FTF numbers and ratios. Believe me, college fiscal officers know EXACTLY how much they are paying each PTF, and EXACTLY how much they are costing the college, as opposed to what FTF are paid and how much they cost the college.

   Fourth, on average, PTF are paid an average of 37 cents on the dollar for doing what FTF are paid one dollar. This "income gap" is a tremendous incentive for colleges to continue to recruit and hire PTF as opposed to making the investment in hiring FTF (or so Administrators say) This policy has proved to be "penny-wide and pound-foolish," because operating schools on a strictly business model mitigates against putting student success before "profit," and schools are allowed to make "profits," within reason...ah, but that is another story...So, to return:

   Fifth: Districts are required by law to enroll newly hired (both FTF/PTF) in some sort of retirement plan, although payout mechanisms vary considerably. Districts match individual contributions to the pension fund, although, PTF require much longer to "vest" in the system (typically somewhere between 6-12 years). If a PTF teacher leaves the system before she vests, the retirement system will return ONLY the PTF contribution plus simple interest...while the district's contribution remains in the system to grow and at a compound rate for the benefit of retirees who vest. Now, the interesting thing is that since most PTF do not stick around for more than 7 years, on average, the majority of those who leave will, in all likelihood leave with ONLY their contribution plus simple interest..not fair? But if PTF do not vest, well, more for those who do...I am not sure, but I believe that PTF can now opt to contribute to Social Security rather than PERS.

   So, technically, while we are not without some sort of retirement plan, what we get after working only part time, is not nearly as much as one would receive, were one to vest as a full timer.

   We do know a lot about part time faculty, but to what end? All that information is either ignored, used to justify not paying us wages "at parity" with full time faculty, or to routinely bemoan the fact that in order to keep costs (tuition) low, districts need to continue to extract their pound of flesh from PTF - those least able to give more to the cause.

   Like most other edu-workers, the way to increase PTF productivity is to: 1. Pay parity wages - equal pay for equal work, 2. Allow PTF to legally teach up to a full teaching load, rather than having to cobble together a living by becoming "Road

   Scholars," traveling between and amongst different community college districts.

   In California, we are limited by statute from teaching more than 67% of a full teaching load. One thing that would help immediately is if part time faculty were able to teach at 100% of load.

   Edu-unions are unwilling or unable to de-couple allowing part time faculty to teach 100% load with their contention that doing so would irreparably damage tenure. Unless one de-couples these two notions, PTF will be doomed to remain exploited, underemployed, underpaid and unstable, much to the detriment of our students. These are two separate issues. I repeat: These are two separate issues.

   How Much Longer, Part Timers? RBYoshioka, Ph.D. Santa Maria, CA. 805-937-4880.

   2 years ago

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4. 

   shannonstoney

   Right on, Robert. You're lucky in CA that you at least get the option of some kind of retirement program if you are part time.

   At my community college, the chancellor told me exactly how much the system had saved by opting out of paying into social security for part-time people: $800,000 per year. So you are right that they are very aware of exactly how much they are saving by employing part-time people and by finding as many ways as possible to deny them adequate pay and benefits.

   2 years ago

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5. 

   Community Member

   In the commuity college where I have taught for the last 6 years, there is no class committment from term to term. We have no benefits or continuing Ed. We are not allowed to take a free class even if it is to learn to teach on-line. We are only tolerated if we are young, supportive and willing to teach anything anytime with any notice. Yet, most have excellent education, life experience and have been teaching and refining programs for years with no help or support from the full time staff. Oregon has placed a 2009 HB 2557 which specifically recommends dropping part time faculty. Instead of replacing them with the best of the best and giving them credit for their years of low pay and dedication, younger less experienced teachers are being hired. After being dropped, I was replaced by two rather inexperienced "adjuncts" but they refused to consider me for either position. The Dept chair also took the on-line classes I designed and developed for her own when I put them together on my own time for no pay. And they talk about plagarism. What a joke. They steal from us, abuse us, give us minimum wages $300 per class per month and then drop us if we complain or insist on equal considertion for the same jobs they bring in non experienced teachers to teach.

   ljpt

   2 years ago

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6. 

   matagiriperkins

   It will be impossible to improve educational quality without more respect and better pay for adjuncts or part timers -- In Florida community colleges, we are by far the larger group, affecting more students than full timers. No job security, no benefits, no offices (hence, no office hours), no orientation when we are hired, and no respect for our ideas. I am considerable better educated, more literate, and more experienced than some of the full timers at my school, but I am also 65 years old, and am considering filing an age discrimination claim since I don't even get interviewed for the rare full time jobs any more.

   2 years ago

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7. 

   Community Member

   At my community college part-time faculty are never hired for fulltime positions. Why? Because long-term part-time faculty are better teachers then new fulltime hires and tenured faculty. This is an example of: peers hiring their peers or the bottom of the bucket hiring the bottom of the bucket. This fact is documented in the college course fill-rates, student retention numbers, student success rates, and student evaluations. This information is available on-line at the college website.

   Oops.

   2 years ago

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8. 

   Community Member

   At my community college part-time faculty are never hired for fulltime positions. Why? Because long-term part-time faculty are better teachers then new fulltime hires and tenured faculty. This is an example of: peers hiring their peers or the bottom of the bucket hiring the bottom of the bucket. This fact is documented in the college course fill-rates, student retention numbers, student success rates, and student evaluations. This information is available on-line at the college website.

   Oops.

   2 years ago

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9. 

   gersonsanchez81

   This is very sad because the part-time staff are doing their part in influencing students and helping them better their lives. We need to start paying them what they are worth!

   2 years ago

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