SUBJECT: Discussion on Draft Policy on Principles for the Use of Adjunct Faculty

PROPOSED ACTION

That the Board of Trustees and other interested parties review this initial draft of a policy on adjunct faculty and identify other aspects of this topic which the Board needs to address.

RELATED BOARD POLICY OR PLANNING PRIORITY (Directive/Goal/Action Plan)

This item was one of the topics adopted by Board vote as a policy-development priority in November 1997.

RATIONALE

The draft below is an attempt to capture many of the ideas about use of adjunct faculty which have been discussed in recent months, especially in the adjunct faculty survey and at the April 17, 1998 Board/Administration/Faculty Retreat. It is expected to require several months of discussion.

This draft does not fully deal with two major issues: compensation and maximum workload for adjunct faculty; proposals in these areas will also need to be developed. This draft also does not give any guidance on what amount of non-adjunct faculty time will be needed to address the duties mandated by SACS (see attached). That question clearly has a critical bearing on determination of an appropriate policy and on the College=s long-term staffing plans. A major goal of the next phase of discussion on this topic is both to answer this question and to identify and other important relevant factual questions for which answers are needed.

BUDGETARY CONSIDERATION

The budgetary impact of the policy will depend greatly on the details of its final provisions and the way in which it is implemented. The Adjunct Faculty Committee report contains some costs projections for various options, but more precise and detailed estimates will be developed as the discussion develops over the next few months.

RESOURCE PERSONNEL

Carol Nasworthy, Chair, Board of Trustees
Hunter Ellinger, Trustee
Richard Fonte, President

ATTACHMENTS

Proposed Policy [Initial draft]
SACS Criterion 4.8.3, Part-Time Faculty