A paradigm shift in the use of faculty appointment types is occurring in academia. Using National Study of Postsecondary Faculty data, this study examines the influence of appointment type on faculty productivity--research and education--and commitment at Research and Doctoral institutions. All full-time faculty and a subset based on experience…

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of the use of contingent faculty on undergraduate education. This study presents three research questions: (1) To what degree do contingent faculty members engage students in good practices less frequently than their tenured and tenure-track counterparts?; (2) What effect does the proportion of…

At the post-secondary level, 38% of teaching is done by adjunct faculty. How did the profession become so divided? The answer goes beyond the academic profession because full-time positions are getting splintered into part-time ones all over the United States, but nevertheless academics make themselves particularly vulnerable because of their…

Part-time instructors make up an increasingly large percentage of college faculty. In English departments, part-time instructors take on the least prestigious and most demanding work--the teaching of writing--for low wages and without job security or professional recognition. This unfair treatment stems from the belief that the study and teaching…

This study focused on what tenured faculty at a school of education presently do and what they could do to enhance the instructional effectiveness of nontenured faculty. Nontenured instructors and assistant professors (N=142) were asked to respond to open-ended statements on the subject. Responses from 47 nontenured faculty members (33%) indicated…

Faculty appointment and tenure practices at 12 liberal arts colleges of the Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA) were studied, as part of a federally funded project dealing with junior faculty. On the average, about 40 percent of the colleges' faculty were untenured, a proportion close to the national average. This percentage had not changed…

The American Association of University Professors statement concerns policies and practices that open senior academic appointments to persons with reduced workloads and salaries without loss of status. (MSE)

Discusses the issue of hiring part-time faculty to teach college English courses. Describes how the English department at Pennsylvania State University was forced to deal with this problem. (MM)

Litigation by nontenured teachers in contract nonrenewal disputes usually involves claims of violation of speech, liberty, contractual, or privacy rights. School boards should be certain that the cause for nonrenewal of a probationary teacher's contract is not in violation of a protected right. (MLF)

This collection of papers addresses nine key areas of faculty employment: academic freedom; probationary periods; the definition and locus of tenure; faculty ranks and titles; promotion policies; post-tenure review; dismissal for cause and lesser sanctions; financial exigency and program discontinuance; and employment provisions at institutions…

Attracting high quality faculty and keeping young faculty in good spirits, satisfied in their work, and optimistic about their future are discussed. Emphasis is on attracting and keeping the best qualified women and minority candidates. The problems of two-career couples and joint appointments are outlined. (MLW)

The McLendon decision compelled the state legislature to provide unprecedented procedural protection to untenured faculty in dismissal processes. The institutions can take precautionary measures in hiring faculty, but it is questionable whether many faculty will risk litigation in any case. (MSE)

Provides an annotated bibliography of current ERIC literature on community college adjunct faculty. Suggests that adjunct faculty will continue to play an important role in community colleges, with 53.4% of public 2-year college faculty currently teaching part-time. Indicates that colleges have increased their support services for adjunct faculty.…

The trend toward hiring of part-time faculty, most evident at two-year colleges, angers many faculty groups. Critics contend the practice exploits part-time teachers to help colleges balance their budgets, erodes educational quality, and threatens tenure. These faculty are also most likely to be laid off during retrenchment. (MSE)

Offers advice to prospective faculty concerning the questions they should ask about tenure and promotion procedures when they interview for a position. Strategies to enhance the likelihood of earning tenure and promotion include saving data to compile a vita, gathering student evaluations, publishing articles, scheduling time for research, and…