1st Edition

Embracing Non-Tenure Track Faculty Changing Campuses for the New Faculty Majority

Edited By Adrianna Kezar Copyright 2012
    232 Pages
    by Routledge

    256 Pages
    by Routledge

    The nature of the higher education faculty workforce is radically and fundamentally changing from primarily full-time tenured faculty to non-tenure track faculty. This new faculty majority faces common challenges, including short-term contracts, limited support on campus, and lack of a professional career track. Embracing Non-Tenure Track Faculty documents real changes occurring on campuses to support this faculty group, unveiling the challenges and opportunities that occur when implementing new policies and practices. Non-tenure faculty contributors across a diverse range of universities and colleges explore the change process on their campuses to improve the work environment and increase the quality of learning. Kezar supplements these case studies by distilling trends and patterns from a national study of campuses that have successfully implemented policies to improve conditions for non-tenure track faculty.

    This invaluable research-based resource illustrates that there are multiple pathways to successfully implementing policy for non-tenure track faculty. Embracing Non-Tenure Track Faculty provides the tools to create a lasting culture change that will shape the work lives of all faculty and ultimately improve student learning. Outlining detailed strategies and approaches for providing equitable policies and practices for non-tenure track faculty on college campuses, this book is essential reading for both contingent faculty and higher education administrators.

    Preface, By Adrianna Kezar

    Part I – Setting the Stage: Background and Context

    Chapter 1: Needed Policies, Practices, and Values: Creating a Culture to Support and Professionalize Non-Tenure Track Faculty, By Adrianna Kezar

    Chapter 2: Strategies for Implementing and Institutionalizing New Policies and Practices: Understanding Change Process, By Adrianna Kezar and Cecile Sam

    Part II – Case Studies

    Chapter 3: An Instructive Model of How More Equity and Equality is Possible: The Vancouver Community College Model, By Frank Cosco and Jack Longmate

    Chapter 4: Taking a Multifaceted Approach to Change: Madison Area Technical College, By Nancy McMahon

    Chapter 5: Institutionalization of a Positive Work Environment at a Community College, By Cecile Sam

    Chapter 6: Instructor Career Ladder and Addressing the Needs of Research Faculty Evolving Policies at Virginia Tech, By Patricia Hyer

    Chapter 7: "Lecturers Anonymous:" Moving Contingent Faculty to Visibility at a Masters Institution, By Päivi Hoikkala

    Chapter 8: Lessons from Long-term Activism: The San Francisco State University Experience, By Shawn Whalen

    Chapter 9: Creating Changes for Non-tenure Track Faculty within a Decentralized University Environment, By Ginger Clark and Jerry Swerling

    Chapter 10: Building a Multi-prong, Context-based Strategy for Change at a Private Catholic College, By Adrianna Kezar

    Part III – Synthesis of Lessons Learned

    Chapter 11: Taking Heart, Taking Part: New Faculty Majority and the Praxis of Contingent Faculty Activism, By Maria Maisto

    Chapter 12: We Know the Changes Needed and the Way To Do It, Now We Need the Motivation and Commitment, By Adrianna Kezar

    Appendix A

    Appendix B

    Appendix C

    List of Contributors

    Biography

    Adrianna Kezar is Associate Professor for Higher Education at the University of Southern California.

    "The academy needs and should heed this book. Kezar has framed and brought to well-integrated narrative life scholarly synthesis and practical guidance for professionalizing non-tenure track faculty’s conditions of work in unionized and non-unionized settings alike. The voices of contingent faculty activists are strong and give hope that we can embrace all our faculty colleagues and enhance the quality of higher education in the process."   

    —Gary Rhoades, Professor of Higher Education, University of Arizona

    "Finally---a new book that recognizes the need for faculty career paths and employment policies beyond the tenure track. Many scholars have documented the rising numbers of non-tenure track faculty and the lack of career enhancing employment policies, but few have addressed the need for appropriate employment policies. Kezar provides a rich resource of concrete examples of successful changes that emphasize employment equity, career development, and inclusion in campus life for all faculty members. This book can serve as a guide for administrators and faculty member on how to develop and implement employment policies and practices that ensure non tenure-track faculty teach well and benefit from their faculty careers."

    — Juddith M. Gappa, Professor Emerita of Higher Education Administration, Purdue University

    "Kezar and her chapter authors move our focus on the growing contingent faculty phenomenon from identifying the problem to crafting and implementing needed reforms.  This book provides useful frameworks for examining the contingent faculty issue on individual campuses, introduces innovative policies and practices that can be adapted in many settings where contingent faculty play a vital role, and offers practical guidance for promoting organizational change.  It will spur institutions to take the steps necessary to support contingent faculty and enhance their contributions to education."

    — Roger Baldwin, Professor of Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education, Michigan State University