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Adjunct Voices

Stories from men and women on the battle lines of a changing academic world.

Help us document the broad range of diversity in the adjunct experience. If you would like to be considered for our ongoing video series, please send us an email that includes your name, the place or places where you teach, and a summary of your life as an adjunct. Or, pitch your story in video on Instagram.

An Adjunct, Unable to Make Tenure Track, Embraces Plan B

By Ron Coddington March 11, 2013

“I love to teach because that’s my stage,” explains Matt Thompson, an adjunct at Old Dominion University. But landing a teaching job—his Plan A—has been next to impossible. “Becoming a college professor at the tenure-track level is something like moving to New York City and trying to become a dancer on Broadway,” he says. “I gave it a shot. It didn’t work out, but it’s time to go on to the next thing.” His Plan B is “to transition out of a career as a professor and become an academic librarian.”

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“I love to teach because that’s my stage,” explains Matt Thompson, an adjunct at Old Dominion University. But landing a teaching job—his Plan A—has been next to impossible. “Becoming a college professor at the tenure-track level is something like moving to New York City and trying to become a dancer on Broadway,” he says. “I gave it a shot. It didn’t work out, but it’s time to go on to the next thing.” His Plan B is “to transition out of a career as a professor and become an academic librarian.”

Video and editing by Greg Kahn; Reporting by Audrey Williams June; Produced by Rose Engelland

We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
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About the Author
Ron Coddington
Ron Coddington leads the Visuals and Data team at The Chronicle of Higher Education.
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