Analysis of Survey Results
by
Richard Weiss and Clarissa Dirks
Methodology:
1. Each priority entered by any faculty was analyzed for topic area; topic areas were then
defined as categories for analysis and color coded.
2. Each priority was coded into categories and checked by both evaluators; a few
categories were distinct for certain groups (regular versus adjunct faculty). Categorical
responses were randomly sampled to provide context for these categories; this was done
separately for all regular faculty and all adjuncts.
3. The number of responses for each category were totaled and reported as a percentage
of the number of responses coded. This analysis was done for all regular faculty, all
adjuncts and subgroups of these two main groups.
4. For those categories that were represented at high percentages for regular faculty or
adjuncts, narratives were selected to illustrate key issues presented. We found it
impossible to objectively interpret the narratives in a meaningful way.
The order of presentation is based on the group with the largest
number of categories.
296 Priority Responses from all Regular Faculty (N=88)
Quality of Adjuncts
Hiring Practices
Job Security
Transition to F.T.
Job Descriptions
Pay & Benefits
Governance
Respect
Communication
Curriculum & Hiring
Planning
Ensure quality adjunct hires & review process
Maintain current hiring practice w Nat search; limit terms for adjuncts
Reduce adjunct hires or long term contracts
Spousal hires
Pay, Benefits & Prof Dev
Equal/More Governance for Adj
No/Examine Governance for Adj
Respect
Long-term contracts & job security
Transition to full time
Full time Job Descriptions allowing adjuncts to compete
Communication
Curriculum & hiring adj, offerings and resources
Planning & Curriculum
Random Categorical Examples
from
All Regular Faculty
•
•
•
•
Review of adjunct faculty so we know who is doing a good job and who isn't
Competence in field relevant to teaching duty
They undergo the same, or similar, scrutiny that converted faculty go through
Possess the highest educational degree possible in their academic discipline
•
•
•
•
Keep national searches as the mechanism for permanent hires
At no time promise an automatic route to regular status no matter what the record
I believe the search should be "national", and that their experience at Evergreen should weigh in their favor but not determine
hiring
Maintaining a consistent ratio of regular and adjunct lines
•
•
•
•
Stop hiring adjuncts for years with vague hope of permanent hire
Finding ways to increase flexibility within continuing faculty to decrease reliance on adjuncts/visitors
A sense of entitlement by repeating adjunct hires that manifests itself in college and faculty decision-making
End the practice of hiring half time adjunct faculty for more than three years
•
•
•
•
More job security for long-term adjuncts in exchange for more predictability in curriculum
That adjunct faculty have as much job security as possible.
job security/multi-year contracts based upom historic workload
Whenever possible, adjunct faculty should be given multi-year contracts to assure stability.
•
•
•
•
That adjunct faculty who have been here more than 5 years be given a path toward a permanent position.
allow visitors to prove themselves in the curriculum as a possible (but not pro forma) route to more permanent positions
As part of the hiring priorities process, one or two hires designated for long-time visiting faculty, as we have done in the past.
Outstanding, well reviewed adjuncts who have served the college for over 9 years should be allowed to petition to make theirs a
continuing position.
•
Adjunct faculty should automatically progress to the final interview stage of any tenure-track hiring process, for positions they
currently occupy.
They should be able to apply for continuing positions when suitable ones open up
National searches less strictly disciplinary, and prioritize teaching experience so existing visitors stand out
That they are encouraged to apply for regular posts and treated fairly when they do apply.
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•
•
•
•
•
100% pay scale for adjunct faculty
ongoing medical/dental benefits for adjs with multi-year contracts, despite quarterly contract gaps/furloughs
Improve timing of pay periods for adjuncts
•
•
•
•
That they are as involved in governance as they would like.
more full shared governance
equal work load: teaching and governance
That adjunct faculty who are able and interested be encouraged to participate in governance at the college and have a strong voice
in decision making.
•
•
•
•
Too much governance is done by Adjunct Faculty.
Conflict over governance choices for regular continuing faculty - regular faculty should do governance
Minimize reliance on adjunct faculty for governance. AF should not be asked to make long term contributions to Evergreen.
Examine whether all adjuncts should have a full vote in faculty meetings. B/c of the large headcount, adjuncts may have more
impact.
•
•
•
•
Collegial respect
Greater recognition and respect -- as well as acknowledgment of power differentials
fairness
Be respectful of the investments and quality work of current and past visitors.
•
•
•
•
Clear communication about contracts, hiring procedures
Setting clear expectations
A discrete data-driven "fact sheet" that provides all of us with exactly where adjuncts are assigned per quarter.
Understanding of temporary nature of the position
•
•
•
•
Integration of the EWS curriculum planning with Oly daytime, reflecting commitment to working/part time students
More regular faculty input in EWS adjunct classes offered
Recognize permanent needs in the curriculum evidence by repeated hires and use those needs as the basis for the limited openings
Adjuncts lines should provide flexibility in the curriculum and be assignable.
•
•
•
•
Making sure that adjunct faculty are notified of which classes they will teach several months before the quarter begins
given opportunities to work with their team (summer institute time) prior to beginning their teaching
paid time to plan curriculum with faculty team
They should have access to resources with as minimal bureaucracy as possible. They are often hired late in the game and must
scramble to be ready
All Regular Faculty in the Daytime Curriculum
184 responses from Regular Faculty
Who Were Never a TESC Adjunct N= 55
(51% were adjuncts elsewhere)
Quality of
Adjuncts
Hiring
Practices
Job
Security
Transition
Job Desc.
Pay & Communication
Benefits Currr. & Hiring
Gov.
Planning
Respect
81 responses from Regular Faculty
Who Were Previously a TESC Adjunct
N= 23
Quality of
Adjuncts
Hiring
Practices
Job
Security
Transition
Job Desc.
Pay & Communication
Benefits Currr. & Hiring
Gov.
Planning
Respect
Ensure quality adjunct hires & review process
Maintain current hiring practice w Nat search; limit terms for adjuncts
Reduce adjunct hires or long term contracts
Spousal hires
Pay, Benefits & Prof Dev
Equal/More Governance for Adj
No/Examine Governance for Adj
Respect
Long-term contracts & job security
Transition to full time
Full time Job Descriptions allowing adjuncts to compete
Communication
Curriculum & hiring adj, offerings and resources
Planning & Curriculum
All Regular Faculty in the Graduate or EWS Curriculum
26 responses from
Regular Faculty –
EWS N = 9
Quality of
Job
Adjuncts Security
Hiring Transition
Practices Job Desc.
Pay &
Benefits
Gov.
Respect
Communication
Currr. & Hiring
Planning
31 responses from
Regular Faculty –
EWS + Grad N = 11
Quality of
Job
Adjuncts Security
Hiring Transition
Practices Job Desc.
Pay &
Benefits
Gov.
Respect
Communication
Currr. & Hiring
Planning
Ensure quality adjunct hires & review process
Maintain current hiring practice w Nat search; limit terms for adjuncts
Reduce adjunct hires or long term contracts
Spousal hires
Pay, Benefits & Prof Dev
Equal/More Governance for Adj
No/Examine Governance for Adj
Respect
Long-term contracts & job security
Transition to full time
Full time Job Descriptions allowing adjuncts to compete
Communication
Curriculum & hiring adj, offerings and resources
Planning & Curriculum
142 Priority Responses from All Adjunct Faculty N=42
Quality of
Adjuncts
Hiring
Practices
Job Security
Transition to F.T.
Job Descriptions
Ensure quality adjunct hires & review process
Reduce adjunct hires or long term contracts
Long-term contracts & job security
Transition to full time
Full time Job Descriptions allowing adjuncts to compete
Pay & Benefits
Governance
Respect
Communication
Curriculum & Hiring
Planning
Pay, Benefits & Prof Dev
Equal/More Governance for Adj
Respect
Communication
Curriculum & hiring adj, offerings and resources
Planning & Curriculum
Eliminate Day Oly & EWS barriers
Random Categorical Examples
from
All Adjunct Faculty
•
•
•
•
Having compatible and exciting teaching partners
Be a constructive member of the whole MES team, including FT and adjunct faculty and staff.
higher standards and protocols for hiring adjuncts comparable to hiring regular faculty so that #1 and #2 can be applied to eiligible
candidates
Assuring consistent quality of instruction
•
•
•
•
Understanding where I fit in at Evergreen as an adjunct member of the faculty - future potential here?
more job security, e.g long term contracts
Job Security. Workload should not be reduced for adjuncts meeting Priorities 1 and 2.
Longer term contracts and job stabilty for long-term visitors
•
•
•
•
Pathway to regular faculty status for long-term visitors who do excellent work serving the college and students
Possible conversion to permanent faculty
conversion of long-time adjuncts to regular status, those who began teaching here before 2000-2001 and have 30 plus quarters of
.5 time or more
Adjunct faculty that have been brought back to teach for more than 5 years should be HIRED
•
•
•
•
Being excluded from insurance benefits, no matter how long I have served the college
No investment opportunities for retirement
equitable pay vis a vis regular faculty
Receiving 7 paychecks per quarter
•
•
•
•
Adjuncts should be an honored and fully supported part of the Evergreen community.
Institutional recognition for our expertise and contribution to the college's curriculum and cultural diversity
more accurate use of the word adjunct (as opposed to using it as an umbrella term to refer to full time and part-time) faculty
consciousness/awareness raising among regular faculty
•
•
•
•
Transparency in awarding MYCs, comparable to the level of transparency in regular faculty conversion
Online orientation covering key aspects of adjuncts' roles, responsibilites, expectations, and timeline would be nice
Clear lines of communication with more experienced non-adjunct faculty, to prevent isolation.
Clear expectations should be established for both the college and adjuncts regarding communication, academic standards and
support.
•
•
•
•
Year long programs that change mental models
keep language class sizes alive, when smaller in Winter and Spring quarters, no last minute cancellations due to smaller class sizes
Access to on-campus space, resources, technology
Identifying "holes" in the curriculum regularly filled by adjuncts and making those a hiring priority
•
•
•
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Providing adequate prep time for programs that are offered on the fly by deans
Advance notice of teaching appointments (a.k.a. long term contracts) --- crucial given Evergreen's emphasis on team-teaching
Adjuncts should be included in academic plannning.
Paid meeting time for adjunct faculty with continuing faculty to strategize for their programs
•
•
•
eliminate DayTime/EWS division
part time teaching opportunities in Oly day
Opportunities to occasionally teach full-time, daytime programs
All Adjunct Faculty in Day Only or Many Areas of the TESC Curriculum
18 responses from
Adjunct Faculty Day
Oly Only N= 5
Quality of
Adjuncts
Hiring
Practices
Job
Security
Transition
Job Desc.
57 responses
from Adjunct
Faculty Day Oly +
Other
N= 15
Pay &
Benefits
Gov.
Respect
Communication
Currr. & Hiring
Planning
Ensure quality adjunct hires & review process
Reduce adjunct hires or long term contracts
Long-term contracts & job security
Transition to full time
Full time Job Descriptions allowing adjuncts to compete
Quality of
Job
Adjuncts Security
Hiring
Transition
Practices Job Desc.
Pay &
Benefits
Gov.
Respect
Communication
Currr. & Hiring
Planning
Pay, Benefits & Prof Dev
Equal/More Governance for Adj
Respect
Communication
Curriculum & hiring adj, offerings and resources
Planning & Curriculum
Eliminate Day Oly & EWS barriers
All Adjunct Faculty in the EWS or Graduate Curriculum
51 responses from
Adjunct Faculty EWS +
Grad
N= 17
Quality of
Job
Adjuncts Security
Hiring Transition
Practices Job Desc.
Pay &
Benefits
Gov.
Respect
15 responses from Adjunct Faculty
Grad Only
N= 5
Communication
Currr. & Hiring
Planning
Ensure quality adjunct hires & review process
Reduce adjunct hires or long term contracts
Long-term contracts & job security
Transition to full time
Full time Job Descriptions allowing adjuncts to compete
Quality of
Adjuncts
Hiring
Practices
Job
Security
Transition
Job Desc.
Pay & Communication
Benefits Currr. & Hiring
Gov.
Planning
Respect
Pay, Benefits & Prof Dev
Equal/More Governance for Adj
Respect
Communication
Curriculum & hiring adj, offerings and resources
Planning & Curriculum
Eliminate Day Oly & EWS barriers