My Google search bot for ‘adjunct’ pulled up this seminar listing about “how to create programs that help your adjuncts feel a greater connection to your institution and its online program.” Just the existence of the course and its description shows how 21st century higher (and maybe secondary) education seems to be heading:
Qualified people are always in short supply, but the rapid growth of online programs seems to have exacerbated the problem. What’s more, retention is also a significant issue: online adjuncts, who aren’t necessarily located on campus (or even in the same country), often feel a lack of support, connection and loyalty. Defections are common, creating a constant cycle of search, replacement, training and attrition.
In other words, supply is not meeting demand. This is troubling for schools but nice for those perusing adjunct instruction as a career—especially those willing to make the extra effort to distinguish themselves and maintain good relationships with their customer schools. The discussion about why adjuncts leave a given school seems as important to the adjuncts as it does those trying to attract and retain them. ‘Lack of support’ and ‘connection’ issues seem especially to be something the adjunct show own as challenges and proactively resolve them with and for their customer school. ‘Loyalty’ makes me wonder if they are devising strategies to get adjuncts to stay even when basic needs, such as fair compensation, might not be met. Maybe I’ve been reading to much Daniel Pink and still have Free Agent Nation on the brain, which pretty much debunks the notion of employer/employee loyalty today. People stay where they are appreciated, paid, and—most of all—where they feel an intrinsic sense of accomplishment.


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