Virtual Flyer

I am another freeway flyer, virtually now, so I spend massive time online every day. I teach nine classes at three colleges. So I have to complete all the professional development for each school, take the state mandated sexual and other presentations three times, and work on grants, SLO’s and course design X3. I am so well educated on equity, equal rights, work-based learning, service learning, career development, scholarships and anti-racism. Everything times three. Jo Moore, Adjunct Faculty, HS&A, 30+

History of Struggles

Currently, El Camino is the only institution where I teach, so my story is likely not representative of most part-time faculty in our area, who often teach for multiple districts. In the past, I have taught classes at El Camino while also commuting to teach freshman composition at CSUDH. The challenges I faced at that time included anything from the basics (finding time to eat lunch, usually rushed and in my car) to the more complex such as learning about campus culture and what the available resources were and how to refer students to them. During that time, I was tutoring in ECC’s Writing Center, teaching the equivalent of a full-time load between the two campuses, and spending a LOT of time familiarizing myself with differing grading and attendance policies, differing campus resource referral systems, and various online course management systems, among other things. My mental health was negatively affected by these challenges, so I ended up letting go of my position at CSUDH. I realize that I am fortunate to be in the position to do so, and I can’t even imagine how difficult it must be for my part-time colleagues who are continually teaching for multiple districts. I once knew someone who taught 8 classes in a single semester for 4 different institutions. This way of life is not sustainable, for part-time faculty or their students, and takes a toll. Kim Runkle, MA, JD English Department, 18 years as PT faculty for ECC, started as a tutor here 23 years ago

Professors are Contingent

It is very stressful to be a part-time instructor. The precarity of my job means that finances are a constant concern. Additionally, teaching at multiple campuses means that I am always driving (my car is my office) and always trying to balance supplemental work (PD for multiple campuses, checking all my email accounts, etc). I wish that students understood that the vast majority of their professors are contingent. – Anonymous

Resources

Several years ago when I was teaching on three campuses, I relied on a campus-wide technology here at El Camino to teach my lab classes.

Apparently, at an Academic Senate meeting, there was notation that this resource would not be available anymore. I generally don’t have the bandwidth to review the minutes of these meetings, and since I’m not full faculty most of it has absolutely nothing to do with me anyway.

As far as I can tell, the only notification that the resource would be going away for (at least for instructors) was in the those Senate meeting notes. There was no other communication.

Needless to say that semester started very rocky… -Anonymous