1) Justin Pope, "Analysis: Universities Overproduce PhDs": An AP article that discusses the correlation between the granting of too many doctoral degrees and the consequent overproduction of adjunct faculty.
2) Jon Marcus, "Tenuous Track Positions": The plight of adjunct professors, who may nevertheless gain some steam in coming months or years with a movement toward organizing.
Adjuncts in higher education, estimated to number some 600,000 across the US, are paid the equivalent of 64 per cent less per hour than their full-time colleagues, receive no health insurance or other benefits, may lose their appointments with little notice if enrolments shift or budgets fall, and are typically not entitled to jobless compensation because they are considered temporary. To earn a living, many teach large numbers of courses at different schools simultaneously.
3) Audrey Williams June, "New Group Aims to Be National Voice for Adjunct Faculty Members": Article in the Chronicle of Higher Education about a new group called the National Coalition for Adjunct Equity (NCAE) and its aims. The comments section of the article is interesting in terms of the ongoing discussion: adjuncts, tenure-track faculty, administrators, and other voices are all expressed.
4) Steve Street, "Help Is on the Way": An article responding to the comments section of the article in item #2, with information as well on Obama's new higher education initiatives and the Coalition for Contingent Academic Labor (Cocal).
Don't let academe's apologists use the recession as an excuse for failing to reform the faculty labor system.
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