Best Practices: A preliminary checklist
The list below is a work in progress. When completed, it will show how well academic departments at UMBC treat adjunct faculty. All items are to be understood as criteria and as positive recommendations where applicable. Some items might be N/A for individual departments. Departments already doing these good things are shown in bold-faced font.
Pay, stipend, raises:
- Regular pay increases/[cost of living] adjustments for adjunct faculty: SOC, CSEE
- Department advocacy for adjunct stipend improvement, raises: SOC, INDS
- Complementary registration to conferences, etc.: Econ, INDS
Workload:
- Ability, feasibility of choosing classes: CSEE, INDS, SOC
- Input into scheduling process of classes: English, Math, Econ
- Department sensitivity to time expended on new course prep: SOC
- Advance notice/planning re course scheduling: English, Math
Job longevity, security, promotion:
- Opportunities to teach Summer/Winter: English, Math, INDS, Econ, SOC
- Hiring into full-time positions: American Studies, SOC, PHIL
- Year-long planning
Scholarship/research:
- Adjunct faculty can be primary investigators: CSEE
- Adjunct faculty can qualify for research grants: CSEE
- Opportunities for research: CSEE
- Professional development opportunities:
- Ability to request own TA when applicable: SOC
Collegiality:
- Mentoring, orientation for adjunct faculty
- Included in department meetings: English
- Opportunities to serve on committees
- Included in the social life of the department: English
- Support by department office support staff: English
Facilities:
- Have own office or sufficient privacy if sharing office: English
- Access to computer/s, mobile devices, equipment as needed: English
- Telephone access: English
INPUT ? If you know of items to consider, or departments to mention, please add a comment below, or get in touch with any member of AFAC.
We will continue updating this informal survey.
