Part-Time Faculty Focus Groups

(Spring 2022)

Population = 1,250

Received email from the SSRC to gauge interest and availability on scheduled dates/times.

Sample = 210

Indicated interest and availability on one of three scheduled dates/times.

Sample = 37

Part-time faculty recruited based on five key characteristics

sampling strategy

Sample Description

 

Sample Distribution Compared to Population
Population Sample
Gender Count Percentage Count Percentage
Female 654 52.3 20 54.1
Male 586 46.9 16 43.2
Non-Binary 10 0.8 1 2.7
Ethnicity/Race Count Percentage Count Percentage
White 708 56.1 12 32.4
Asian 231 18.5 7 18.9
Black/African American 41 3.3 5 13.5
Hispanic/Latinx 188 15 12 32.4
American Indian/Native American 3 0.2 1 2.7
Two or more ethnicities/races 19 1.5 0 0
Not Specified 67 5.4 0 0
College Count Percentage Count Percentage
Arts 139 11.1 4 10.8
Business and Economics 208 16.6 5 13.5
Communications 80 6.4 6 16.2
Education 117 9.4 4 10.8
Engineering and Computer Science 70 5.6 2 5.4
Health and Human Development 219 17.4 5 13.5
Humanities and Social Sciences 298 23.8 7 18.9
Natural Sciences and Mathematics 111 8.9 4 10.8
Student Success 9 0.7 0 0
Three-Year Contract Count Percentage Count Percentage
Yes 599 47.9 19 51.4
No 651 52.1 18 48.6
Six Units or More Count Percentage Count Percentage
Yes 737 59 19 51.4
No 513 41 18 48.6

Procedures

Four focus groups during May 3-June 2, 2022

 

Semi-structured discussion guide

  • developed by the SSRC
  • input by the Academic Senators, CFA Representatives
 

Zoom meetings audio-recorded and transcribed

 

Thematic analysis using a manual process

 

Summary of Findings

Faculty are more satisfied when...

  • Having mentors in the department and university
  • Engagement in campus activities through various roles
  • Clear expectation ("knowing what to expect")
  • Having autonomy over the course content
  • Access to benefits, i.e. teaching more classes, which led to receiving health insurance

The FDC is a source of valuable and tangible institutional support

Quotes

"I have had a very supportive mentor and mentors in my ten years working as a part-time lecturer. Although I do wonder what the experience would be like if I had not had such involved mentors because I have recognized over time that there has been difficulty accessing information or even understanding information that would go out to all faculty that did not necessarily apply to lectures and not really knowing what to do in those cases…" (1: 4-5)

MORE QUOTES REGARDING SATISFACTION

Challenges...

  • Lack of (equitable) resources for Part-Time Faculty
  • Lack of connection with Departments
  • Department chair is one of the principal ways that P/T faculty experience their jobs
  • Inadequate advance notice of course assignment
  • Overall, participants want to teach more classes
  • Compensation is inadequate
  • A sense of disposable nature of their job
  • Faculty do not feel they are being evaluated in a way that transforms educational experience for students

Quotes

“I’ve been doing this for 12 years and I still feel disposable ... Part-time people are kind of treated like stepchildren. It’s like fill that class, do your job, don’t ask any questions, don’t bother us, we’re the important people over here, … And then you might ask, well, why do you keep doing this for 12 years? It’s because of the connection with the students. That’s what keeps me going.” (1:5)

MORE QUOTES REGARDING CHALLENGES