Show r i Si I Guest Editorial y L Adjuncts treated unfairly Laura Lyons j fARANOlA has set in among many P PARANOIA adjunct instructors That's not 4 w t- t 41 1 hard to understand understand- given the Salt Lake i Tribunes Tribune's Sunday Jan 31 article re revealing ealing J I administrations administration's attitudes concerning them From various corners of Utah's academia a resounding unified d administration administration administration ad ad- ministration voice can be heard Adjuncts Adjuncts Adjuncts Ad Ad- are an employable commodity 4 J. that help ease college budgets However Academic Vice President Ann Erickson was quoted in the Tribune as assaying r- r saying time full-time teachers are the most v A j important people to us According to Utah System of Higher v 1 Educations Educations' statistics on salaries for full- full fj K f time teachers vs time part time art adjuncts ts the f average ye yearly salary for time full-time faculty J at is approximately ly While fl a time part-time adjunct teaching the same v f t course load as a time full-time faculty earned t approximately i. i r Adjuncts are getting the picture re They are not the Colleges College's little darlings Rather many of them believe administrators administrators administrators admin admin- consider them expendable said one instructor who wishes to remain J. J anonymous Surveying many adjunct teachers from various departments and diff different cam cam- pus center locations found the issue to be recognition Adjunct instructors feel they are not getting the respect they a deserve They have earned the same u qualifying masters master's degree as time full faculty yet adjuncts adjunct's interaction with adi administration administration ad- ad i ministration ti n is described 3 as walking on ont t t eggshells and seemingly in hot water r though never knowing why n Adjuncts take the brunt of most most foul If something goes wrong it must be the adjuncts adjunct's fault The attitude of being treated like children and getting the feeling we cant can't be trusted as though we dont don't know what we are doing was spontaneously conveyed conveyed conveyed con con- by each adjunct interviewed Many of the adjuncts contacted expressed a desire to be hired time full-time but such positions positions positions are rare causing discouragement among adjuncts Some time part-time instructors feel isolated isolated isolated iso iso- out of touch and disconnected with their department They dont don't even know time full-time faculty in their depart depart- ment Locating teaching items such as paper clips rubber bands pencils and chalk can be frustrating Adjuncts sense a down break-down in communications communications communications com com- and seem to be kept in the dark regarding administration policymaking policymaking policymaking policy- policy making decisions If f an instructor does comment on an issue it is perceived as totally unwelcome It is apparent from these comments that there needs to be a bridge of com com- A good place to bridge communication would be the recognition of time part-time adjuncts adjuncts adjuncts ad ad- whether it if be a banquet or a card Perhaps that would banish the second class c citizen stigma so many adjuncts sense There needs to be bea a liaison a communications communications communications com com- bridge keeper if you will As one adjunct put it we adjuncts ne need to be treated as real educators not just a catch all' solution to solve staffing staffing staffing staff staff- ing problems |