Embracing Non-Tenure Track Faculty
Changing Campuses for the New Faculty Majority

The nature of the higher education faculty workforce is radically and fundamentally changing from primarily full-time tenured faculty to non-tenure track faculty. This new faculty majority faces common challenges, including short-term contracts, limited support on campus, and lack of a professional career track. Embracing Non-Tenure Track Faculty documents real changes occurring on campuses to support this faculty group, unveiling the challenges and opportunities that occur when implementing new policies and practices. Non-tenure faculty contributors across a diverse range of universities and colleges explore the change process on their campuses to improve the work environment and increase the quality of learning. Kezar supplements these case studies by distilling trends and patterns from a national study of campuses that have successfully implemented policies to improve conditions for non-tenure track faculty.

This invaluable research-based resource illustrates that there are multiple pathways to successfully implementing policy for non-tenure track faculty. Embracing Non-Tenure Track Faculty provides the tools to create a lasting culture change that will shape the work lives of all faculty and ultimately improve student learning. Outlining detailed strategies and approaches for providing equitable policies and practices for non-tenure track faculty on college campuses, this book is essential reading for both contingent faculty and higher education administrators.

Preface, By Adrianna Kezar

Part I – Setting the Stage: Background and Context

Chapter 1: Needed Policies, Practices, and Values: Creating a Culture to Support and Professionalize Non-Tenure Track Faculty, By Adrianna Kezar

Chapter 2: Strategies for Implementing and Institutionalizing New Policies and Practices: Understanding Change Process, By Adrianna Kezar and Cecile Sam

Part II – Case Studies

Chapter 3: An Instructive Model of How More Equity and Equality is Possible: The Vancouver Community College Model, By Frank Cosco and Jack Longmate

Chapter 4: Taking a Multifaceted Approach to Change: Madison Area Technical College, By Nancy McMahon

Chapter 5: Institutionalization of a Positive Work Environment at a Community College, By Cecile Sam

Chapter 6: Instructor Career Ladder and Addressing the Needs of Research Faculty Evolving Policies at Virginia Tech, By Patricia Hyer

Chapter 7: "Lecturers Anonymous:" Moving Contingent Faculty to Visibility at a Masters Institution, By Päivi Hoikkala

Chapter 8: Lessons from Long-term Activism: The San Francisco State University Experience, By Shawn Whalen

Chapter 9: Creating Changes for Non-tenure Track Faculty within a Decentralized University Environment, By Ginger Clark and Jerry Swerling

Chapter 10: Building a Multi-prong, Context-based Strategy for Change at a Private Catholic College, By Adrianna Kezar

Part III – Synthesis of Lessons Learned

Chapter 11: Taking Heart, Taking Part: New Faculty Majority and the Praxis of Contingent Faculty Activism, By Maria Maisto

Chapter 12: We Know the Changes Needed and the Way To Do It, Now We Need the Motivation and Commitment, By Adrianna Kezar

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

List of Contributors

Adrianna Kezar is Associate Professor for Higher Education at the University of Southern California.