Fresno City College adjunct instructors are able to have more job security because of a recent change in contract that allows them to attain extra classes before full-time instructors. However, other aspects of adjunct employment remain stagnant.
“For the first year ever, part timers get first dibs on those [extra] courses,” said Paul Gilmore, vice president of academic affairs at State Center Federation of Teachers and a full-time instructor at FCC.
“Basically the idea is certain part-timers get to have first refusal of these extra courses up to their comparable load.”
Before the recent changes, it was a problem for adjuncts to get extra classes since full-time instructors were able to claim the classes first. This left the adjuncts to choose from what was left.
“Once every full-time faculty has a full load, they meet their contractual obligation,” said FCC President Tony Cantu. “Then before [full-time faculty] get any extra classes, adjunct faculty get assigned [overload classes] first. That’s a major, major shift.”
This contractual change not only offers adjuncts the opportunity for security in terms of extra money, but it also helps the faculty feel more like a unified community.
One persistent problem that remains is the absence of office hours for part-time instructors. Outside the classroom, most adjuncts try to provide help for students, but they are limited legally to where it can be accomplished.
“By law, I can’t discuss your grades in public unless we’re in an area where no one can hear. Under FERPA, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, that’s privileged information,” said Michael Eissinger, a part-time instructor at FCC.
Gilmore said that the conditions that plague adjunct faculty “are much bigger than this college and just this district.”
“It’s not a way to run a college; it’s not a way to run a system of higher education in any country,” he added. “I think folks over the last 20 to 30 years have grown used to this. It’s almost like this is the new normal which is kind of a problem.”
Others are hopeful for more and want to break away from this static dilemma, but still look forward to building a community.
“As a faculty member I focus on that, we [want to] bring all faculty in to be part of that community,” said Gilmore. “Well, when half of your faculty is part-timers it’s more difficult, so there are other things we need to do.”
