A national survey in 1988 probed the use of flexible staffing and scheduling alternatives in 521 of the largest U.S. corporations. Company executives indicated they expected their companies to decrease their rate of growth of contingent staffing and increase their use of flextime, job sharing, and home-based work. Several specifics stood out…

Data about the temporary faculty at Illinois State University were collected to determine the personal and institutional conditions of temporary employment that may inhibit participation in the full range of faculty activities. A questionnaire was developed and sent to all (984) teaching faculty, institutional records were examined and selected,…

A survey of Association of Research Libraries library members studied their use of temporary librarians, paraprofessionals, and clerical workers. This report of the findings covers advantages and disadvantages of temporary help, extent of their use, and wages and benefits. Recommendations for hiring, training, and evaluation of temporary staff are…

On campuses around the country, part-time and temporary instructors are pushing for power, and many see unions as the most likely way to get results. At issue are salaries, benefits, terms of appointment, etc. (MLW)

Issues in the increased use of temporary appointments for full-time faculty are discussed, including curricular flexibility, compensation policies, productivity, image within the academic community, academic freedom, and accreditation problems. (MSE)

When a large group of nontenured part-time English department faculty were summarily dismissed, a significant segment of the English curriculum was left largely unattended, and other problems arose throughout the institution. (MSE)

With the many layoffs and downsizing of companies during the 1990s, many displaced workers have turned to temporary employment to earn a living while looking for permanent employment. Others have adopted "temping" as a more long-term work style. Although it may not be possible to predict whether an individual will find satisfaction or…

Governing boards are advised to give an "acting" president full authority and responsibility. Conclusions include the following: (1) leadership must be exercised, (2) noncandidates should be appointed, (3) institutional staff must support the acting staff, (4) acting staff must be active and communicative with constituents, and (5)…

Examines reasons for hiring contingent employees or outsourcing vendor services in libraries, as well as disadvantages of contingent employees. Considers the issue of exploitation. Explores the extent to which contingent employees are a part of the organizational structure, and discusses effective management for positive outcomes and ways to…

A survey of a panel of human resource executives who comprised the Olsten Forum on Human Resource Issues and Trends focused on the types of staffing and scheduling strategies being implemented to meet today's business needs. The survey, covering 427 companies, reviewed 2 categories of staffing strategies: contract or flexible staffing, and…

The trend toward extending nontenured faculty members' probationary periods beyond the traditional 6 years, is discussed, along with problems faced by faculty at the time of nonrenewal, implications for academic careers, and the issue of multiple standards for faculty evaluation within an institution. (MSE)

With more mothers in the work force and greater stresses created by competing demands of work and home, nonstandard work arrangements (NSWAs), which include temporary help agency work, on-call work, day labor, contract work, independent contracting, self-employment, and part-time work, have been suggested as a remedy for this conflict. For the…

Nonstandard work arrangements (independent contracting, working for a temporary help agency, contract or on-call work, day labor, self-employment, and regular part-time employment) are growing more common in the United States. In 1995, more than 29 percent of all jobs were in nonstandard work arrangements. A study of these jobs and the…

The study described in this report was undertaken to provide a comprehensive understanding of the magnitude and scope of the present contingent work force and the potential of the contingent work force as a mechanism for assisting minority and female workers to enter into the mainstream work force. The study first examined the literature and body…

A study of interim presidencies at public research universities draws on interviews with 20 former interim presidents concerning their selection, expectations, accommodations, roles, and relationships, and the institutional and personal effects of the interim presidency. Ten suggestions for supporting an interim administrator and facilitating the…