Boise State Looks to Improve Conditions for Part-time Teachers

Officials at Boise State University are considering ways to improve pay and benefits for part-time, untenured teachers.

A commission of full-time faculty, staff and adjuncts at the school came up with recommendations earlier this year on improving working conditions for adjuncts.

The suggestions include providing health insurance, creating a contract option of at least one year for adjuncts, offering free tuition and other professional development opportunities, and allowing them to pay the same rate for child care as other faculty at the Boise State University’s Children’s Center.

School officials say about 57 percent of the 1,031 teaching positions at the school are not tenured or eligible for tenure.

That compares to a national rate of about 65 percent of all faculty appointments not being tenured or tenure-track in higher education.