Jane Doe

WR123 Dembrow

April 5, 2006

 

 

TERM PROJECT PROPOSAL

 

 

PROPOSED TOPIC 

The Growing Use of Part-Time Faculty in Higher Education

 

BACKGROUND (What draws me to the topic): 

            I understand that many of the teachers at Portland Community College do not work here full-time.   Apparently, some are happy with this situation, but many are Their pay and benefits are much lower than that of the full-time faculty, and many are forced to teach at multiple colleges and universities in order to make ends meet.  One of my favorite instructors falls into this category, and I know that she is facing a lot of difficulties.  On the other hand, I’ve also heard that many of them have full-time jobs elsewhere in fields relevant to what they are teaching and are happy with the situation.  In this project I’d like to find out just how part-time faculty are used, both here at PCC and around the country.  I want to find out the advantages and disadvantages of using part-timers, and what can be done to improve their situation, if that turns out to be necessary. 

 

PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTION:

Is the growing use of part-time faculty a good thing or a problem, and why?

 

 

MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS:

  • How long has this been going on and is it growing?
  • What causes a college to hire part-time rather than full-tiime?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages to the instructor of working part-time? 
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages to students?
  • Does the use of part-timers help to keep college costs lower?
  • Is it more of an issue in the community colleges or in the universities?
  • What is the attitude of faculty unions towards this problem?  Is anything being done?
  • Are part-time instructors better or worse than full-time instructors?

 

 

SOURCES:

 

·       Print:  There seem to be many books and professional articles on the subject, and there has been some coverage of the issue in mainstream media.

·       Internet:  There are a number of websites for organizations with information on this subject, including the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, the American Association of University Professors, the Coalition on Contingent Academic Labor.  These are all organizations that are advocating for change.  However, I’m sure that I will also find some that promote the use of part-timers, perhaps from organizations that represent college administrators.

·       Interviews:  I know that Professor Michael Dembrow, my Writing 123 instructor, is the community college faculty representative to the Oregon State Board of Education and is president of the PCC Faculty Federation.  He should be able to provide me with a lot of information and steer me towards good resources.  In addition, I could interview someone from PCC’s Human Resources Department  or one of the Cascade deans to get an administration perspective.  I could also speak with one or two of my instructors who I know are part-time.

·       Other:  I’m not sure at this point whether or not there are any documentaries or other resources on the subject.  If there are, I will incorporate them.

 

SERVICE PROJECT:

      I would like to do a service project in connection with this paper, but am not sure yet sure what I might do.  Perhaps I could volunteer some time with the PCC Faculty Federation, to see from the inside what they do.  Perhaps I could volunteer some time with one of the departments here at Cascade, which would help to give me a sense of who the faculty are.  Each of those would also provide me with interview possibilities.

 

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