Adjunct faculty, employed to teach specific courses, expect only to consult, by request, with students in those courses. Thus they do not normally carry out any of the additional duties cited above. Since much of the work of the faculty at Meredith includes these important duties, the responsibility for them rests on the full-time faculty. However, during the spring semester 1998, they generated nearly 40 per cent of the credit hours. When they cover courses for which a demand is established over a extended period, it seems appropriate to question the practice and consolidate this work by employing full-time faculty for the reasons stated above.
Strategies Establish a plan, with timetable, to employ additional full-time faculty.
Many of these positions can be created through consolidation of current adjunct positions. Establish 20 per cent as the optimum figure for courses taught or credit hours generated by adjunct faculty. Increase the involvement of adjunct faculty in the life of the college. Assign adjunct faculty the equivalent of at least two courses whenever possible. To improve teaching and advising of students through adjustment of full-time faculty workloads.