Advocate Online

With regard to the question of whether full-time faculty should support the unionization of part-timers discussed in the October Advocate, I found it perplexing that the discussion was fairly confined to a narrowly defined “union perspective.” I support the unionization of part-timers primarily because it is right for our students and higher education, as well as for our continued union organizing and the interests of the adjuncts.

The notion common among college administrators of an adjunct as a “hired gun” ignores voluminous research that conclusively demonstrates that much of the long-term success (persistence) of students in higher education depends on their outside classroom voluntary interactions with faculty (and other college staff). If colleges continue to define teaching narrowly, offer adjuncts pay merely for credit hours spent in class, thereby discouraging any other interactions (including office hours, use of facilities, committee work, club advisement, etc.), students will be ill-served, and we shall ultimately lose many of those same students who otherwise could have been successful. This may result in higher education “killing the goose that laid the golden eggs” and, consequently, everyone’s position may be threatened.

Adjuncts seek to organize because they have legitimate grievances. Their massive and growing numbers speak loudly that full-timers should take them very seriously. The bottom-line “Luddite” notion that it is “them or us” probably means in the end it will be them, and full-timers will be phased out of the picture.

"Heads in the sand” probably will not clarify our thoughts about how we deal with the reality of a large majority of part-time faculty. I would never suggest that this is an easy issue, but generally in most cases, don’t mourn—organize.

— John Pace
Essex County (NJ) Community College

It seems utterly bizarre that the NEA would even ask such a question. Should full-time faculty support the unionization efforts of female faculty members? Should full-time faculty support the unionization efforts of African-American faculty members? Latino faculty members? Gay faculty members?

Of course we should—and we should support part-time faculty members, too, and we should include them in our already established, organized faculty unions. What is this, the 19th century?

— Philip Lopez
Southwestern (CA) Community College

On the question of whether full-time faculty should support the unionization efforts of adjunct faculty, I’m with Dr. Kaye.

I have been an adjunct instructor for many years and became a union member within the last three. I invest my heart and soul in teaching, often teach as many credits as full-time faculty, and have consistently received very high evaluations from my students. Why shouldn’t I be afforded the same benefits my union affords to full-time faculty?

What’s at issue here, who should be unionized or the quality of instruction that our students receive? If, according to both Kaye and Kaufman, the percentage of adjunct faculty is increasing across the country, could it be perhaps because adjunct faculty are good educators?

I am a business instructor who has been in business for 30 years. I have yet to find a college text that can substitute for my 30 years of business experience. If there’s anything that some of us adjunct faculty bring to the classroom, it’s our real-life experience in the subjects we teach.

Some of us are/were captains of industry, leaders in our communities, former CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, and renowned experts in our fields.

Most importantly, many of us got into teaching because we love it! Isn’t that worthy of union membership? What's more, I have met a number of tenured full-time faculty over the years who haven’t taught for a very long time. If this is true on a large scale, where are the teachers supposed to come from?

— Danny Eitingon
Minneapolis Community College

In regard to Alan Kaufman’s remarks in the October Advocate: Holding adjunct instructors responsible for undermining the salaries of full-time professors is as logical as blaming the pre-Civil War slave population for lowering the living standards of free labor. Someone should inform Mr. Kaufman that the age of feudalism is long over.

— Martin Comack
Massachusetts Bay Community College

As a long-time adjunct faculty member, I was heartened to read the dialogue about adjunct unionization in the October 2003 issue.

Larry Kaye gave eloquent voice to the feelings many of us share about the value of adjuncts in higher education and the need for us to speak with a united voice.

But Alan Kaufman’s position, as a full-time faculty member, also confirmed something I've felt for a long time: Unfortunately, the interests of adjuncts and those of full-time faculty in higher education are not the same.

If adjuncts ever hope to be employed full-time, or at least to have parity in compensation with full-time faculty, we need to establish our own bargaining units and pursue our own interests.

— Bob McMaster
Holyoke (MA) Community College