The New Adjunct

• What a Year It Has Been!

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  24 May 2010 /  New Adjunct
  Friends, Adjuncts, lend me your ear!

  As we watch the dust settle on the 2009-2010 academic year, let us take a moment to breathe a collective sigh of relief, as well as reflect. If your experiences have been anything like mine, I can assure that you are tired and reflective. I can honestly say that this has been a both gruelling and fulfilling semester. I have slept in spurts, written and read over 7,000 pages, and questioned my sanity on multiple occasions. Needless to say, it’s all been worth it.

  Before I reflect on lessons learned this academic-year, allow me to clear up a couple of logistical glitches from previous posts. As I announced a few weeks ago, The New Adjunct has merged with the Indianapolis-based organization Adjunct Matters. However, in my excitement of the merger, and decision to wait until the last possible minute to make the announcement and meet my blogging deadline, I have unfortunately misinterpreted some details. These details will be reflected in re-writes of the two entries previous to this one. These misinterpretations should not be a reflection of Adjunct Matters’ professionalism, but rather, my own oversights. My sincerest apologies to the organization that has been so gracioius to welcome the efforts of The New Adjunct.

  The 2009-2010 academic year will be remembered as a personal and professional victory for me. I took on an appointment as the Director of First Year Experience at my institution, as well as advisor positions with two student organizations. This was all in addition to my teaching load. I can honestly say that I have had more successful endeavors this year than ever. I have seen the value in collaborative campus and community events, enjoyed watching students reap the fruits of their labor, and learned some valuable lessons along the way. Writing this blog  (during a year in which powerful pieces of K-12 curricula are being banned in some states, and we watched in horror as a faculty member “shot up” a faculty meeting over tenure) has been of great pleasure, as it has allowed me to hear the voices of those that truly struggle for existence. There are some aspects of the job that we will never agree upon, but one fact remains clear: Adjunct Faculty have a place in the fabric of the postsecondary institution. We just need to weave it in tighter.

  On a personal level, I am one year away from the most amazing accomplishment of my life. Barring tragedy (knock on wood-heck, knock on trees), I am tenatively scheduled to defend my doctoral dissertation in February of 2011, and complete my PhD. in Higher Education Administration and Leadership in May. Many of my colleagues have told me that completion of this degree will surely result in the end of my adjunct duties. As if my time in the military will come to an end. It is odd to think that all the personal and professional things I dream of can be quelled with the completion of a 250 page paper. Stay tuned. If that’s truly the secret to professional dignity, you’ll be the first to know.

  At the end of the day (or year as in this case), here are the pieces of wisdom I take away.

  1. The Doctorate is the key to sitting on a full-time faculty. Fair or not, it is the reality of the academy.

  2. Inclusivity and experience are the two most important things an adjunct can secure. Outside of the obvious qualms (poor pay, too many classes), I have found that what many adjuncts want (and deserve, quite frankly) is to be treated like they are part of the faculty also.

  3. Opportunities are out there. Conferences, seminars, organizations, etc. You can not only make connections with valuable resources, but you can also experience insights that will grow your pedagogy.

  4. There are valuable people on our campuses that have no idea we exist, but are willing to be of service. Find them!

  5. With observations 2, 3, and 4 in mind, take some time to stick around campus after class. It’s the teaching 6-7 classes across 3-4 campuses that keep us from finding these folks. Your campuses are fascinating places with fascinating people. Immerse yourself in your own community.

  That’s all for now. I have had a week to rest and relax, and now it’s time to get back to work. This summer is shaping up to be incredibly busy, and my blogs will be part of that mix. Congrats on another successful year! Take a breather. You deserve it!!!

  Tags: Adjunct Matters, New Adjunct, Paul Porter

• BREAKING NEWS! The New Adjunct Merges with Adjunct Matters

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  05 May 2010 /  New Adjunct, adjunct faculty
  Dear Adjunct Faculty Community,

  It is with great pleasure and hopeful excitement of great things, that I announce the merger of The New Adjunct with the Indianapolis-based organization Adjunct Matters. On the afternoon of April 2nd, representatives of both institutions met up to discuss the idea of a merger, and on the evening of April 20th, the executive board of both organizations approved the collaboration. As part of the merger, I will function as a member of their executive board as a liasion between my institution and the organization.

  According to their website, “The purpose of AdjunctMatters.org is two-fold: to communicate our efforts to a national audience and to serve as a forum to share teaching tips, activities and classroom techniques among adjuncts across the country and across disciplines.” Created in 2009, the organization has worked tirelessly to further discourses concerning the treatment of adjunct faculty at their own institution, and their efforts have resulted in impressive results. A recent article in the Indianapolis Business Journal, highlights the startling realities of part-time faculty in Indianapolis, specifically speaking to the struggles of low-pay and lack of job security. The article goes as far as referring to the job security of an adjunct as less than that of a bartender. Their April 6, 2010 article on insidehighered.com explored their efforts in attempting to secure health care for adjuncts. They have also put together a very telling documentary that further exposes the adjunct faculty experience.

  I must admit, I was a bit apprehensive about how I could be of service to the organization, and what role the vision of The New Adjunct could play. However, after meeting with them, I must say, this is an organization that has not only received a lot of publicity on a local and national level, but are dedicated to helping the entire adjunct. When I created the new adjunct, I wanted to move beyond the typical discourses- lack of pay, no health care, heavy course loads and no professional development or representation. These are issues that are very central to the priorities of Adjunct Matters, and I feel as if our merger allows us to collaborate and contribute a more powerful augmentation to the adjunct cause.

  Here’s what the merger means for The New Adjunct: Essentially, my blogs will take on a slightly different tone. I’ll still talk about the creation and further development of a new organization made for adjuncts, by adjuncts. I will also continue to write about the development of a website (Finally, a webmaster I can trust). Additionally, the efforts of The New Adjunct will now surface on the Adjunct Matters website , and many of the features we envisioned for The New Adjunct will be found on Adjunct Matters. We will continue to spotlight adjunct work nationwide, as well as discuss helpful issues including, how to look for grant money, and begin the process toward the terminal degree.

  The biggest difference is that I don’t have to handle the executive duties by myself. Programs, initiatives, etc. will be shared, and I can assure you, in the meeting I sat through this evening, all of the ideas I have extended through this blog (specifically a research conference for adjunct faculty) have been discussed and will continue to be discussed. We have also discussed the idea of a town-hall style discussion panel to press forth the issues of adjunct faculty to the public, and attempt to establish the advocacy of adjuncts as part of a public ethic. Clearly, the merger didn’t lessen the workload. It just made the voices louder.

  I promise you, this merger was offered after a lot of thought, and I sincerely believe it allows the voices of part-time faculty to ressonate. On behalf of Adjunct Matters, I assure you, we will continue to fight on your behalf.

  Tags: AdjunctMatters.org, Paul Porter, The New Adjunct

• The New Adjunct Spotlights it’s First Adjunct(s) of the Month!

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  20 Apr 2010 /  New Adjunct, adjunct faculty, professional development
  Let me begin by giving much praise to the STUDENT athletes who just participated in the greatest basketball game I’ve ever seen. To the faculty and administration at Butler University and Duke University, I salute you! The 2010 NCAA National Championship game in Men’s Basketball had more Academic All-Americans than competitive ones. AND… The Butler players utilized playing in their home town, to GO TO CLASS ON THE DAY OF THE BIGGEST EVENT IN THE SCHOOL’S HISTORY!!!

  Makes you feel good, doesn’t it?

  With that in mind, I will try my best to be coherent through this blog, as it’s rather late. But we have some exciting news at The New Adjunct. We are pleased to announce our inaugural “Adjunct of the Month” Award, and in the unconventional fashion that goes along with adjuncts, the honor goes to an entire group!

  AdjunctMatters is a national organization dedicated to providing a safe haven for adjuncts to discuss teaching strategies, classroom activities, etc. to help part-time faculty help students. It is a bit different from The New Adjunct, as they are focused more on students, and we are working to extend information on resources to help faculty. Nonetheless, their work is fascinating, and they have worked fervently to not only advance pedagogy, but contribute to the battle to give adjuncts a voice.

  Founded in 2009, by the Associate Faculty Advisory Board at Indiana University, Purdue University-Indianapolis (IUPUI) the organization has gone to work quickly and effectively. The organization has arranged “sit-down” conversations with university administration, and have recently produced completed a compelling documentary entitled, Part-time Faculty. Full-time Impact,that can be found on their facebook page by clicking here. Their most recent effort is the April 2010 Adjunct Faculty “Teach-In” at , a four-day effort in which part-time faculty will voluntarily suspend their course curricula to engage in discourses surrounding adjuncts. The intiative comes in light of failed efforts to negotiate a  health-care plan with the university; however, the discussions planned during the teach-in will extend far beyond. Topics such as lack of sufficent pay and contracts, as well as scarcity of fee remission for those seeking to continue education will also highlight dialogues.

  As The New Adjunct continues to develop, we would like to applaude the efforts of AdjunctMatters, and I employ you to take time to view their webpage, and see some of the salient work they continue to do. In light of their efforts, I would like to extend to the organization, space on The New Adjunct to talk about their efforts, and use our page as an outlet to further their advocacy of adjunct-faculty efforts, and continue to extend their viewership. I can never stress enough how important it is for us all to work together, and this organization is certainly one you will all want to associate yourselves with.

  Congratulations to AdjunctMatters!

  If you are interested in being spotlighted next month, feel free to pass along details to paul@thenewadjunct.com. I encourage you all to contact me and let me know all the great things you’re doing, on top of working so selfishly to sculpt student minds in a manner that make us all as proud as the kids in the NCAA Basketball National Final did this evening. With a little teamwork, we can begin to create “One Shining Moment” of our own.

  Tags: AdjunctMatters, Paul Porter, The New Adjunct

• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to a Web page: The Perils and Potentialities of The New Adjunct

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  24 Mar 2010 /  New Adjunct, adjunct faculty, professional development
  I have returned from the NASPA conference, and strangely, I have money in my bank account. I guess that’s what a steady diet of peanut butter and a shared hotel room will do for ya (wink).

  In all seriousness, I had a wonderful time. I made a couple of contacts, met some wonderful scholars and participated in some great discussions. I came back with great ideas to bring back to my bosses, which they always appreciate. However, when I returned to work on our little online project, I found that the list of instructions I left my webmaster were not completed. Thus, the lack of glorious blog to announce the official launch.

  It’s coming…I promise.

  I also noticed a lack of response to the homework I assigned you all in my last entry. So let me ask again,

  I’m looking to compile a list of resources that will be helpful to adjunct faculty in terms professional development opportunities- grant dollars, conference call for papers, publication opportunities, etc. It is my hope that we can begin to build a directory of options for all adjuncts to begin building their resumes. So once again, I employ you, share these resources. Let’s work together to help each other out. That’s what The New Adjunct is all about.

  Another idea that I’ve been running through my head comes from a fabulous comment from a reader of my previous entry. I hope this reader doesn’t mind me sharing their comments. In response to my essay on the plight of the adjunct at a national conference, a reader wrote,

  I have been an adjunct online teacher for over 12 years and have wanted to attend conferences yet have not been able to do so for many of the same reasons you stated. I believe a low cost self-created conference for the adjunct would be a great experience providing opportunites to share and compare, as well as a learning environment. These could be locally driven and sponsored by a small conference cost.

  What an incredible idea! To you, my faithful reader, I have started inquiring about a way to make this a reality. Here’s my idea, let me know what you think:

  A conference specific to adjunct faculty issues that would take place in the next 12-18 months. The conference would put out a call for original research and analyses, as well as developing some learning caucuses. It wouldn’t be much, but certainly worth considering. Oh, I should also mention that the conference would be relatively cost effective- a modest registration fee; thus leaving you with only the cost of travel, lodging and food.

  Here’s your additional homework assignment: tell me your thoughts on this potentiality. Is it something you would seek out? Would an adjunct faculty conference be worthwhile to you, and is it something you would pass along to your adjunct faculty colleagues? Your opinions matter exponentially.

  First Lady Michelle Obama once remarked, “Making your mark on the world is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. But it’s not. It takes patience, it takes commitment, and it comes with plenty of failure along the way. The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won’t. it’s whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere.” As our pursuit of impact and influence on minds, young and old continue, we must continue to help each other take steps to make our marks professionally. I promise you all, The New Adjunct will be here soon, and will do its part to make a mark also. Continue to follow us, and please, do whatever you can to make this great project all it can be.

  Tags: Michelle Obama, New Adjunct, Paul Porter

• A Time to Reflect and Rejoice

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  24 Feb 2010 /  New Adjunct, on blogging
  Hello my fellow faculty brethren and sistern!

  There’s a lot going on with The New Adjunct website, and I’ll get to it in a minute, I promise. But in light of the tragic events of February 12th at the University of Alabama @ Huntsville, I feel compelled to offer my commentary.

  First off, my thoughts and prayers are with the University, its faculty, students and staff. The word that continues to come to my mind is “unimaginable.” Incidents like this certainly make you take a minute to step back and reflect on how precious life is, and it is my sincere hope that an effective and meaningful healing process is taking place for the institution.

  Secondly, while some may argue this, the shooting certainly puts new light on the tenure debate. The tenure process is, at best, a stressful one. Aside from a raise in salary and the perks of promotion, tenure represents the pinnacle of pedagogical success. It reflects a respect from our colleagues for exemplary teaching, research and service. On the other side of the coin, tenure denial typically means the end of your career. It can be political and impure. I’ve seen faculty celebrate the announcement of their tenure promotion, and I have heard the myriad of stories from those who were denied, and essentially informed that they had one academic year to find new employment. To sit on the tenure track seems wonderful. It also seems as if your academic career can be skyrocketed or destroyed at the flick of a pen. The administrator in me seriously hopes that this particular instance of tenure denial was for all the right reasons-teaching, research and service that were simply not at the masterful level tenure promotion should warrant. I have told many of my administrative colleagues, many times that we are playing with people’s lives, and our personal agendas have no business playing a role in the determination of a person’s livelihood. As faculty, we carry a large banner asserting our dedication to the students, and not our own self-interests. Let’s hope the university upheld this same level of consciousness.

  Okay, now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, onto better news.

  The New Adjunct is so close to its launch, we can taste it. In fact, it is my hope and promise that the next entry from me will be one celebrating the official launch of the site. It’s up right now, so click here if you’d like a sneak peek. However, I must warn you: we’re still tweaking the design and adding content.

  In the next couple of weeks, we will begin loading up threads for the discussion forums, and welcome you to jump in and get the discourse started. Those threads will discuss topics such as “What type of benefits are you receiving from your institution?”, “Who are your full-time advocates?”, and “Are you living in an adjunct culture of fear?” I will also have a thread up that furthers the discussion of the tragic shooting at the University of Alabama @ Huntsville. In time, you will be able to add your own threads, and begin your own discussions, sharing of insights, debates, etc.

  I am also very excited to announce that we have slowly began to collect a following! Two weeks ago, we set up both facebook and twitter pages, and have new people following us everyday. We cannot express how excited and honored we are to see that people are taking an interest in our ideas, and are in anticipation of our launch. I can promise you, we will do the best we can to put out resources that are helpful, healthy and meaningful to your professional and pedagogical growth.

  There is one thing, however that we ask of you (for now). We want to know what you would like to see on the page. Considering that we put this project together for you, we’d like to know what you would consider most helpful. So, respond to this entry, and let us know how we can use our page to serve you and your colleagues. Also (okay, I lied, two things), spread the word! There’s strength in numbers, and the more people that know of pages like The New Adjunct, and Adjunct Nation, the closer we can come to working together to become better teachers and scholars.

  One last thing. In March, we will begin nominations for The New Adjunct “Adjunct of the Month” Award. We will announce our first winner early at the end of next month. We have also decided that since adjuncts teach year-round, we will continue the award through the summer months also.

  That’s all for now! Continue to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

  Tags: Paul Porter, The New Adjunct

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