Faculty Senates: The Last Bastion of Patrician Privilege

by Christopher Cumo Like nearly every college and university, Santa Rosa Junior College in Santa Rosa, California relies on part-time faculty. With 320 full-time faculty, the College employs 1100 part-time faculty, says adjunct professor of political science Michael Ludder. He adds that part-time faculty teach 45 percent of all credit courses and 95 percent of all non-credit courses. This means adjuncts teach the majority of student contact hours. Yet, the Santa Rosa Junior College Academic Senate (the Faculty Senate) does not reflect the number and importance of the college’s part-time faculty. Before 1996, the Senate included no adjuncts. In 1996, full-time faculty opened […]