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Rise In Adjunct Faculty In Higher Education

There’s a troubling trend in higher education: colleges’ and universities’ increasing reliance on adjunct faculty – non-tenured, part-time professors. They now make up more than 50 percent of faculties nationwide. Some adjuncts say they’re being exploited and what used to be a prestigious profession has become a part-time gig with no benefits and low pay. We look into what’s happening and how it is affecting higher education and those at the head of the class.

Guests
 Gwendolyn Glenn– reporter, WFAE, she has reported on the rise of adjunct faculty ina two-part series.

Dr. Joan Lorden– provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at UNC Charlotte

Dr. John Cox– associate professor of International Studies and History at UNC Charlotte. He is now a tenured professor but has worked as an adjunct.

MJ Sharp– instructor with the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. She is a full-time, non-tenure track faculty member working on a year-to-year contract. She and other contingent faculty at Duke have formed a union and contract negotiations are set for this fall. 

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