University Affairs

Last week, the American Federation of Teachers released the results of a job satisfaction survey conducted of part-time or adjunct faculty across the United States. Those surveyed did not include full-time, non-tenure track faculty or grad students whose part-time teaching positions are connected to their graduate training.

Predictably, most respondents said they teach primarily because they like to – not for the money, which in the States can be as little as $2,500/course. Part-timers who taught only one course were more satisfied than those who were dependent on part-time teaching for their livelihoods, especially in public universities. Access to health insurance was what most were dissatisfied with, but perhaps President Obama’s recent coup may alleviate some of that dissatisfaction. Overall, the survey results show that part-time teachers make up a very diverse group, with a broad range of needs and attitudes.

Recently, Inside Higher Ed wrote an article about the survey results. For me, the most interesting part of the article was the readers’ comments. These aptly illustrate the diversity and complexity of the issues this survey raises. One of these issues, I can’t help but notice, is the inability of academics to agree on what’s at stake. Until there is a degree of consensus of what the core priorities of the university are, the data provided by surveys such as this one will fail help solve the problems they identify.

If you have not yet landed your first non-TAship teaching position, I would urge you to read the article (as well as the reader comments). You may also want to take a look at the links below for other discussions about the pros and cons of being a part-time faculty member in the university system. They will give you an understanding of what you could realistically expect to face should you be unable to land a tenure-track position during your first season on the market.

These articles may also reveal a few possibilities for designing a parallel career to finance your teaching and scholarship activities until you are able to successfully transition into academe on a full-time basis. Who knows – maybe by then you will join the ranks of academics who pick and choose the parts of academe they most enjoy through one-off appointments and leave the other headaches to the “lucky ones”!

• Adjuncts: the happy, the resigned and the bitter
• E is for Equity
• What position will you take on the dilemma facing academics?

One of the biggest stumbling blocks many PhDs seem to face when seriously considering a non-academic path is the fear that they will find themselves in a position that they could have gotten without a PhD. This is a prime example of what I’ve dubbed the “bragability factor” which is an insidious influence on the decision-making capabilities of exceptionally smart people.

Definition of the “bragability factor”: the pressure experienced by people who’ve shown great potential to always be progressing in a manner befitting of what everyone expects of them. Left unchecked, it is the fear of not maintaining this “bragability quotient” that can lead to “imposter syndrome”. This is an unfortunate ailment that seems to plague the very people deemed least likely to suffer from such insecurities.

For a successful new academic considering non-academic options, there is a tacit imperative to maintain their “bragability quotient” at least at the level they established while doing their PhD. This is where they scored the big research awards and enjoyed a certain degree of publishing success. However, without any directly relevant experience in a field outside their own academic program, it is quite possible that their first job might feel more like a demotion than an opportunity.

What is required is a reframing of the situation, which is provided compliments of Basalla and Debeluis. They point out that an initial job in a new field should be thought of as more of a paid internship, rather than on par with a tenure-track position. Regardless of your intelligence or your potential, you will need time to learn the ropes. And it is quite possible that at this stage you could be working in tandem with colleagues similar to your students. But think about it from Basalla & Debeluis’s perspective – how hard would it be for you to outshine any of your students in an otherwise equal playing field? After taking the time to acclimatize to your new context, and to demonstrate your abilities to your new employers, it will not take long for you to catapult quite impressively into your new field.

If you are starting a non-academic job, you can ensure that you progress as quickly as possible by requesting regular performance reviews every three months during your first year, with the possibility of promotion and/or salary increase should these be favourable. But do keep in mind that this may not be common practice at every company. However, if they are offering you a position, they will be anxious for you to accept: you are the one they want, and that gives you some negotiation power. In most cases, they will want to ensure you stay with the organization for the long term, so they will be as anxious as you are to pass through the training stage as quickly as possible.

Leaving academe can be a daunting prospect but, as many PhDs will attest, rewarding in the long term. Try not to let the fear of a short term plateau in your path dissuade you from pursuing an otherwise attractive option. You will discover how good you really are relative to the general population once you get established, and by then, a few months in “internship” mode won’t seem so significant.

We are getting close to what many academics consider the best time of year – conference season. Next to teaching, it’s the most common response I get to the question, “What do you like about academe?”

However, the joy of subsidized travel is not without its stresses. Between preparing for the last few weeks of classes and slogging through huge piles of grading, finding the time to finish (or start!) conference papers can be hard.

As a result, you can sometimes arrive at a much-anticipated conference feeling rather disheveled – hardly an ideal position to put your best foot forward in a tight job market. You could leave an unfortunate and lasting impression to prospective committee members at a major conference, effectively sabotaging any hope you have of being invited for an interview later on. However, with some determination and a well-organized game plan, you can make your pre-conference preparations as painless as possible.

Here’s a checklist to help you prepare for this year’s conferences early enough to allow for the usual contingencies that can derail the good intention of many academics.

1. Make conference preparation a top priority.
2. Put some real time and effort into your PowerPoint slides, if you are using them. If you are not graphically inclined, get someone who knows the software to help you put together informative, nicely paced and attractive slides.
3. Double-check with conference organizers to make sure your technical requirements can be met. Always back up your presentation on a USB stick in case disaster strikes. No matter what platform they say they are using, test your slides on both a PC and a Mac to catch any formatting discrepancies.
4. Check the program for presentations or presenters that overlap with your areas of interest. Send them a short e-mail introducing yourself, explaining the connection between your areas, and suggest getting together for coffee while you are there. This will ensure you have some folks to begin networking with even before you arrive. But remember, once contact has been made, it might be perceived as odd, if not rude, to miss said person’s presentation unless you are presenting at the same time.
5. Double-check your presentation wardrobe. Is it suitable for the expected weather and level of formality?
6. Go through your presentation, with slides, in front of a sympathetic audience of colleagues, friends or family. This is invaluable for making last-minute improvements and will help you feel more confident when the real deal rolls around.

Conference season can be a wonderful opportunity to make valuable contacts and showcase not only your research and presentation skills, but also your ability to interact with your peers confidently and with poise. By taking the time to prepare carefully, you will get the most out of this year’s conference season – and probably enjoy yourself more too!