ADJUNCT FACULTY: Valued Resource or Cheap Labor?
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Adjunct faculty in higher education are a critical resource, constituting about 50% of the professoriate and filling instructional gaps. However, they often lack the support and respect they deserve, facing challenges in professional development and collegiality. The materialist critique emphasizes the importance of understanding labor, time allocation, and the value placed on different types of work within institutions. Institutions rely on adjuncts, especially in online courses, due to high demand and staffing shortages, but this practice raises concerns about instructional quality and support for adjuncts. While adjuncts bring diversity and unique motivations, they face issues like compensation, workload, and isolation, highlighting the need for better support and recognition of their contributions.
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| Papers (4) | Insight |
|---|---|
Open access•Journal Article 4 Citations | Online adjunct faculty serve as a cost-effective strategy to fill instructional gaps, but their value as a resource versus cheap labor is a topic needing further research. |
10 Citations | Adjunct faculty in community colleges serve as both a valued resource and cost-effective labor, as discussed in the paper. |
| Adjunct faculty are undervalued as they lack professional support compared to full-time staff. Mentoring programs can bridge this gap, enhancing their role as a valued educational resource. | |
| Adjunct faculty serve as a critical resource in higher education, yet often face challenges of being undervalued and lacking support, raising concerns about their treatment as cheap labor. |
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