March 3rd 2008

Podcast Interview Series: Interview #2

Listen to my blog entry here.

Kip Lornell and Libby Smigel make a great couple. They're not romantically involved, but they have the give and take and spark of two people committed to an important relationship. Kip and Libby worked together to organize the part-time faculty at George Washington University. To hear them talk about their work together on the union organizing committee was a delight. Both are incredibly well-spoken and thoughtful individuals. They didn't get flustered when I asked pointed questions, nor did they refrain from discussing what the difficulties were in getting their colleagues to keep up the battle for recognition of the SEIU local. GW college administrators fought for eight years to keep about 1000 part-time faculty from organizing. I can only imagine how much money university officials spent on legal fees.

The AdjunctNation.com Podcast Interview Series is shaping up to be a great new addition to the AdjunctNation.com website. In March, I am scheduled to interview Doug Lederman, editor of Inside Higher Ed and John Pawlowski, president of the new part-time faculty union at Pace University, in New York. I am also going to talk to author Marc Bousquet about his book How The University Works: Higher Education and the Low-Wage Nation.

If you missed AdjunctNation.com Podcast Interview #1 with Dr. Peter Brown, click here to listen to the 20 minute interview about full-timer Dr. Peter D. G. Brown and his work to bring equity to the 8,000 part-time faculty represented by the AFT in New York. My interview with Kip Lornell and Libby Smigel will be available in a week or so. When it is available, it will be announced in the e-Advocate email newsletter, as well as the AdjunctNation.com Family Newsletter.

On a completely different note. If you are the competitive type (what faculty member isn't just a bit competitive at heart, I ask you?), visit our HangProf and Pop Quiz pages. There, you will see a listing of the names of the faculty who have solved the most HangProf words, and gotten the most high scores on the Pop Quizzes. How can you get your name in lights, so to speak? First, join the AdjunctNation.com Family here, if you've not already registered on the site. Then, login using the "Manage my Account" link, and play HangProf and take the Pop Quizzes. When you have won enough to be included in the Top Ten List, you will be prompted to enter your name. If you're feeling shy, pick something clever! I want to thank my son, Lane, for the idea to add the Top Ten lists to the website's games pages. Lane is a fifth grader, and plays a mean game of HangProf.

In the meantime, I hope to see your name on our Top Ten Lists! No pressure, mind you. Just a little friendly challenge!

Posted By Patricia L. at 8:00 AM

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