Advice & Lessons for Success
"Adjuncts,
Students, and E-mail"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Monday, August 5, 2002)
With the growing use of e-mail on campuses, should teachers use e-mail in their
interactions with students more or less? Do the same practices apply equally
to adjuncts and full-time faculty?
"Adjuncts
and Campus Politics: How Involved Should You Get?"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Monday, February 3, 2003)
Playing politics is a dangerous hobby at universities, especially for adjuncts,
who should steer clear of playing politics. One case in point illustrates why.
"All
Right Already, We're Exploited"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Monday, March 3, 2003)
It’s no longer a secret that many universities exploit adjuncts in higher
education, so now what? Take a look at these ways adjuncts can tackle such
treatment.
"Alternatives
to Adjunct Work"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Monday, January 13, 2003)
Learn about the various options Ph.D.s have — other than working as an
adjunct — after graduate school. The possibilities may surprise you.
"As
an Adjunct, Your Eggs Should Be in More than One Basket"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Monday, December 10, 2001)
Adjunct teaching positions can disappear in a minute and leave part-timers
hanging. One thing adjuncts can do is spread themselves out over as many different
hiring institutions as possible in order to not be overly dependent on any
one of them.
"Avoiding
Adjunct Burnout"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Friday, June 7, 2002)
With adjuncts teaching more classes with more students than most other faculty,
they also run a greater chance of burning out. With these tips, adjuncts can
avoid the common pitfalls of burnout.
"Being
a Professional in an Unprofessional Climate"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Friday, October 5, 2001)
Columnist Jill Carroll contends that adjuncts should maintain professionalism
even if they're not paid well or treated as professionals.
"Can
Adjuncts Afford to Retire?"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Friday, May 10, 2002)
Although adjuncts don't make much money and rarely receive retirement plans
from employers, they can still make strides toward a secure retirement through
disciplined planning and by starting to save right now.
"The
Challenges of Managing Adjuncts"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Thursday, March 20, 2003)
Adjunct faculty are swelling college ranks, but department heads find that
there are generally no standard guidelines on how to manage them. Find out
how some managers are making it work.
"Dealing
With Nasty Students"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Monday, March 31, 2003)
Like full-time professors, adjuncts must deal with problematic students in
class, but with adjuncts teaching more classes and more students, they often
in turn face a greater share of such students. Adjuncts share their experiences
in this advice column.
"Dealing
with Nasty Students: The Sequel"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Monday, April 28, 2003)
Rather than advise adjuncts to quit, this article offers practical advice to
adjuncts and other faculty members struggling with difficult students.
"Doctor
Temp"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Friday, February 4, 2000)
A look at one graduate student’s transition from graduate student to temp
worker to adjunct teacher.
"Do
Adjuncts Have Time for Students?"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Tuesday, July 22, 2003)
Columnist Jill Carroll argues against the idea that "that adjunct faculty
members compromise the quality of higher education today because of the very
nature of our jobs". Instead, she asserts, the determining factor is an
individual adjunct’s level of commitment.
"Don’t
Go the Extra Mile, Except ..."
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Monday, October 28, 2002)
Despite the common assumption, going the extra mile doesn’t always translate
into a better likelihood of getting hired as a full-time faculty member. Know
when to and when not to extend yourself.
"Finding
Time for Writing and Research"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Monday, January 6, 2003)
Adjuncts face a particularly difficult challenge in trying to do research while
teaching at the same time. However, by making some tough choices, adjuncts
can find a balance and do both.
"Finding
Useful Adjunct Jobs"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Friday, November 3,
2000 )
Practical advice for those venturing into the adjunct teaching market. While
tips are directed primarily at first-time job seekers — e.g. recent graduate
students — many are applicable to anyone looking to land that teaching
job.
"For
Adjuncts, Summer Is the Lean Season"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Tuesday, September 3, 2002)
Don’t start thinking about what you’ll be doing this summer when
it starts — by then it’ll be too late. Instead, start planning early
and get ahead of the game with these practical tips to make your next summer
a full one.
"For
Adjuncts, Time Really is Money"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Monday, November 5, 2001)
Adjuncts can improve their hourly earnings rate by building time management
skills. This article gives advice on how adjuncts can control their time better,
including how to use your commute most efficiently.
"A
Former Adjunct Professor Comes (Mostly) Clean"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Friday, August 6, 1999)
The lines between part-time and full-time faculty can sometimes feel tangible.
One professor reflects on the differences between the two and how he made the
transition, and years later, how he re-entered the part-time world once again.
"Getting
Good Teaching Evaluations Without Stand-Up Comedy"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Monday, April 15, 2002)
By cultivating a teaching persona that is both compassionate and demanding,
adjuncts can push students to learn without risking bad teaching evaluations
and losing their jobs.
"Getting
Started as an Adjunct"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Monday, September 30, 2002)
The world of adjunct teaching can be very different from that of the tenured-track
of full-time teaching. Learn the rules of the adjunct teaching market and land
the job.
"Going
Adjunct; When all the Postal Workers Have Been Sedated and Locked
Away, Will Adjunct Professors Follow in Their Gun-powdered Footsteps?"
Salon
A humorous article about the increasingly desperate situation of adjunct faculty
members from one who has been there.
"How
to Be Cool With the Competition"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Friday, February 15, 2002)
Learn how adjuncts can build collegiality with other adjuncts despite the highly
competitive nature of the adjunct job market.
"How
to Be One of the Gang When You're Not"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Friday, January 18, 2002)
Adjuncts can work strategically and successfully to build relations with full-time
colleagues even though some full-timers aren't so open to adjuncts.
"Juggling
Multiple Gigs"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Monday, November 25, 2002)
Although most adjuncts work multiple jobs at multiple institutions, there are
no standard guidelines on how to get it all done effectively. One adjunct takes
her ten years of adjunct experience and offers a handful of guidelines for
adjuncts managing multiple gigs in academia.
"Keeping
Your Politics Out of the Classroom"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Tuesday, May 27, 2003)
Educators have their own opinions on such subjects as national politics, but
faculty should not take advantage of their "professorial power" to
preach their personal views on non-academic subjects. Instead, they should
stick solely to the syllabus.
"Lessons
From the Job Front"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Friday, March 26, 1999)
Adjuncts unable to get that full-time job at their university ask Ms. Mentor
for advice. Read about their situation and the solutions Ms. Mentor dispenses.
"Less
Whining, More Teaching; Jill Carroll, a Proud Part-Timer, Thinks
Many Adjuncts Need a New Attitude"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Friday, August 3, 2001)
The article profiles Jill Carroll’s adjunct teaching career and offers
tips from her manual How to Survive as an Adjunct Lecturer . Gives readers
a good idea of the overall philosophy of the manual (e.g. Jill thinks adjuncts
need to market themselves as entrepreneurs) and Jill's entire approach to building
an adjunct teaching career.
"Live
Chat with the Chronicle -- Do Adjuncts Need a New Attitude?"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Thursday, August 2, 2001)
The Chronicle hosted a live chat with Jill Carroll on August 2, 2001 concerning
the topics covered in that week's Chronicle story about her and her manual,
How to Survive as an Adjunct Lecturer. This is the transcript of the live
chat. (Original article: "Less
Whining, More Teaching")
"Negotiating
Perks: Getting More of What You Want"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Friday, March 15, 2002)
This article gives tips on what perks adjuncts should expect with their contracts,
what they might try to get that doesn't come with the contract, and what they
should try to get on their own.
"Office
Hours Without an Office"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Friday, September 7, 2001)
Adjuncts can fulfill their commitments to students despite the fact that their
hiring institutions often don't provide them offices — find out how with
the suggestions in this article.
"Part
Time Purgatory – The Loneliness of an Adjunct Professor"
Jinn Magazine, Pacific News Service (PNS) (February 1, 1999)
"
As universities have turned more and more to models of management based on
such concepts as ‘cost cutting,’ they have expanded the use of teachers
who are paid by the hour or by the student, and are not granted tenure. The
lack of standing and perquisites can make a bitter mix according to PNS commentator
Chris Cumo, a teacher and writer lives in Northern Ohio."
"Up
a Creek Without Insurance"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Monday, July 8, 2002)
This article discusses healthcare and health insurance options for adjuncts
who are offered no coverage from their hiring institutions.
"We’re
Exploited, Not Unqualified"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Monday, June 23, 2003)
Are colleges and universities who use adjuncts to teach undergraduate classes
ripping off students? This adjunct doesn’t think so and debunks some of
the common myths about adjunct educators.
"Why
Buy the Cow?"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Friday, July 27, 2001)
Outlines the difficulties many Ph.D.s face when trying to obtain a tenure-track
job at the same institution they earned their degree. Adjuncts may be happier
looking elsewhere.
"Why
I Like Being a Contract Faculty Member"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Friday, July 6, 2001)
Sometimes part-time educators focus so much on the negatives of life as an
adjunct, they forget to appreciate its unique advantages. Learn why one contracted
faculty member relishes her job.
"Why
I Quit Adjunct Teaching"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Thursday, April 24, 2003)
One writer’s personal experiences with adjunct teaching and the job market.
Read about how he started teaching as an adjunct and how and why he got out.
"Why
I Teach for Peanuts"
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Issue dated Monday, December 10, 2001)
Choosing not to become an "adjunct entrepreneur" can be a worthwhile
decision – just hear what this Florida teacher has to say.