We gathered responses from 625 part-time adjunct faculty members in the Chicago area about their working conditions and pay, through a survey conducted from April to July. Here are some of their answers.
| What is the highest degree you have attained? | |
|---|---|
| Master’s | 56% |
| Ph.D. | 24% |
| Bachelor’s | 6% |
| Other terminal degree (e.g., M.B.A., J.D.) | 14% |
| At how many institutions did you teach as a part-time adjunct during the 2008-9 academic year, including last summer? | |
| 1 | 67% |
| 2 | 24% |
| 3 | 6% |
| 4 | 2% |
| 5 or more | 1% |
| Which type of class did you teach most often? | |
| Introductory classes | 33% |
| Courses in the major | 27% |
| Advanced courses | 21% |
| Remedial courses | 5% |
| A mix of all in equal parts | 11% |
| Did not answer | 3% |
| Estimate your total income from your part-time adjunct teaching: | |
| More than $20,000 | 18% |
| $15,100 to $20,000 | 13% |
| $10,100 to $15,000 | 16% |
| $6,100 to $10,000 | 21% |
| $3,100 to $6,000 | 16% |
| $3,000 or less | 14% |
| Did not answer | 2% |
| What is the primary reason you work as a part-time adjunct? | |
| Prefer part-time work | 32% |
| Cannot find full-time teaching job | 30% |
| Already have full-time job | 21% |
| Need part-time work to fit with demands of family life | 12% |
| Did not answer | 5% |
| Did the institution(s) where you taught provide you: | Almost always | Sometimes | Never | Don’t know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices | 41% | 26% | 32% | 2% |
| Money for travel to conferences | 6% | 13% | 66% | 16% |
| Professional development and training | 30% | 38% | 25% | 7% |
| Support services like secretarial help | 31% | 34% | 31% | 4% |
| As a part-time adjunct, did you: | Almost always | Sometimes | Never | |
| Help develop courses in your department | 14% | 31% | 55% | |
| Serve on faculty committees | 6% | 17% | 77% | |
| Attend faculty departmental meetings | 15% | 33% | 52% |
| On average, how many hours per week, per class, were you expected to spend advising students outside of class? | |
|---|---|
| None | 29% |
| Up to 2 hours | 37% |
| Between 2 and 4 hours | 16% |
| More than 4 hours | 6% |
| Don’t know | 11% |
| Do you pursue your own research and writing? | |
| Almost always | 34% |
| Sometimes | 38% |
| Never | 28% |
| Considering all aspects of working as a part-time adjunct, are you: | |
| Very satisfied | 17% |
| Satisfied | 51% |
| Unsatisfied | 26% |
| Very unsatisfied | 5% |
| Note: All questions referred to the period covered by the summer of 2008 and the 2008-9 academic year. Adjuncts were invited to take the survey only if they had worked as part-time adjuncts between June 2008 and the date they received the survey invitation this spring. Percentages are rounded and so may not add to 100 percent. | |
| Source: Chronicle reporting | |
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