Drawing Attention to Contingent Labor

by E Wayne Ross on May 1, 2009

Inside Higher Ed: Drawing Attention to Contingent Labor

Thursday was declared to be New Faculty Majority Day and featured events at many campuses, particularly in California, designed to draw attention to the poor working conditions faced by adjuncts. Also Thursday, the Modern Language Association released its Academic Workforce Advocacy Kit, which provides departments with summaries of relevant MLA reports, statistics and policies so that departments can work to educate campus leaders on issues related to the extensive use of adjuncts, frequently without adequate pay or benefits, and work to improve the way contingent faculty members are treated.