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On the Roadwith Christine Maitland * Recently I attended a meeting of faculty from public colleges throughout Pennsylvania. These colleagues are represented by either the Pennsylvania State Education Association or the Pennsylvania Federation of Teachers, and this was the third year they've met to discuss common problems. At this latest meeting, I learned that the Pennsylvania Higher Education Coalition has taken an unusual step in dealing with the high numbers of part-time faculty teaching in the state's community colleges. A state senator, with the support of the two unions, has introduced legislation that would require pro-rata pay and benefits for all part-time workers in the state. The unions hope to create a broad coalition to lobby for the bill and for fair treatment for part-time workers. A recent study at the states colleges found it common practice to hire part-timers at the last minute, provide no office space, and pay them half of what a full-time faculty would get for the same class. For the most part, part-time faculty are not evaluated and have no professional development. In the discussion on this issue, I noted what I think is the key to ending these sorts of practices: We must focus on quality of education to prevail in the struggle for equality. * Christine Maitland coordinates NEA higher education activities. |
