A New Adjunct Listserv & "Nation Talk" Podcast
If you don’t have a clue about Listservs, you’re in good company. This Wikipedia entry should give you an idea of what a listserv is, how it works and why you might be interested in subscribing to the brand new Adjunct Listserv (Adjunctlistserv) we just launched. AdjunctNation.com hosted a listserv many years ago, but phased it out when we redesigned our site and added Message Boards.
Unlike Message Boards which a user must visit, listservs deliver emails directly to your inbox. You need only have a device that allows you to get email alerts and/or check email. Posting is as easy as replying to a message that interests you.
I decided to revisit the Listserv idea when I went searching for listservs for part-time faculty, and came up with a scant four choices. A part-timer had sent me an email about one of them, and described the list as populated by “some independent” adjuncts, but mostly by “staff and leaders connected to the three faculty unions.” This mix, evidently, stifles opportunities for the adjuncts to discuss issues openly. I’m not quite sure why, but can imagine that sometimes the union folks might gang up on adjuncts who are critical of their policies and programs.
There’s a lot for part-timers to talk about, and I believe that part-time and adjunct faculty will benefit from an independent space in which to share news, bat around ideas, opinions and (maybe even) a few revelations! Everyone with an interest in part-time issues is welcome, of course, and the AdjunctNation.com Adjunct Listserv will be open to part-time faculty from from around the world. All postings will be in English.
To join the AdjunctNation.com’s Adjunct Listserv, please click here. If you’re worried about spam, rest easy. The Listserv will be moderated so that we can keep spammers at bay. This means a (short, I hope) delay between when a message is sent to the group and when it’s posted, but it also means spam can be deleted quickly and before it ends up in your email inbox.
In other news, we’ll soon be offering a weekly “Nation Talk” news & opinion podcast. The podcast will bring together four nationally-recognized adjunct faculty activists to discuss a wide variety of topics of interest to contingent faculty. The group will discuss such issues as the recent studies done that have drawn conclusions about the “dedication” and “impact” of part-time faculty on student retention. The Nation Talk team includes long-time Michigan adjunct activist Marjorie Lynn, as well as Washington State activist Keith Hoeller. Together, Hoeller and Lynn have over two decades of experience within higher education as national activists and organizers. Marjorie Lynn has written for Adjunct Advocate since the early-90s, and helped organize thousands of adjunct faculty at two Michigan universities.
Tomorrow evening, I’ll host an AdjunctNation Family gathering in Ann Arbor, Michigan. If you live near Ann Arbor, and want to join us, but didn’t get the email invitation that went out last week, email me for more details. We’re keeping the gathering small, but there’s still a bit of room left!
As always, thanks very much for visiting AdjunctNation.com.
