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.
