Adjunct professors make up more than half of all college instructors in the U.S. Using part-time instructors saves colleges and universities money, since adjuncts make less money than full-time faculty members, and often aren't eligible to receive benefits.
But efforts to unionize adjunct faculty at some colleges is gaining traction. On WGBH News' On Campus blog, Kirk Carapezza reports:
At Lesley University, part-time professor Matt White and other adjunct instructors here would love to be compensated for classes canceled or under-enrolled.
“We want a legitimate acknowledgement from the university that, hey, here’s the contract," he said. "Even if we’re part-time, here’s what you’re teaching. Here’s the pay. And if it goes under-enrolled it’s not our problem.”
Last month, faculty at Lesley announced plans to unionize. They want to galvanize greater support before calling a vote.
