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Survey of SC Faculty with Adjunct Appointment

Survey of SC Faculty with Adjunct Appointment

Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of your South Carolina Conference of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), we invite you to participate in a survey that explores the working conditions faced by faculty with an adjunct appointment (faculty who are paid on a per course basis rather than salaried) at your institution. (We understand that terminology varies for these kinds of positions.) This survey is going out to faculty at all 4-year South Carolina institutions of higher education. This is why some of the questions ask you to think about "your institution" or "your university."
 
The primary goal of the survey is to identify any shared problems faced by faculty so that we can work together to address them. Your responses and your identity will be kept in strict confidence. Results will only be reported anonymously and in the aggregate. In addition, to preserve anonymity, institution-level results (e.g., for a specific college or university) will only be reported out if there are more than 15 responses from the specific institution. The data from this survey will NOT be shared with any administrators from any college or university. This is an AAUP-SC survey. Only your AAUP-SC leadership will have access to the data.
 
The survey results will provide critically needed information to your local AAUP leadership team as we prepare for future campaigns and initiatives that support faculty in SC. At the end of this survey is an optional section that invites you to become a member or, if you’re already a member, to become more involved in your chapter’s activities.
 
If you have questions or comments about this survey or wish to discuss your concerns in detail, contact us at the email address: equity.aaupofsc@gmail.com.
 
Thank you!
Your South Carolina Conference of AAUP chapters
1.Are you a faculty member with an adjunct appointment? (Are you paid on a per course basis rather than salaried?)
2.How many institutions will you be teaching for the current semester?
3.Name/s of institutions you will be teaching for the current semester? (optional)
4.How long have you been teaching on an adjunct appointment overall?
5.Job title/s?
6.Academic field or department?
7.Contract length? (1 semester, 2 semesters, 3 or more semesters)
8.How much on average will you earn per course this semester?
9.Approximate total number (including all institutions) of students you’ll teach this semester?
10.Which of the following do all of the institutions at which you teach provide?
11.For your most recent teaching positions, on average how far in advance of the first day of classes did you receive an appointment (or appointment renewal) letter or contract from the institution?
For #12-20, please answer Yes/No/Don't Know
Have your institutions provided you with adequate training and/ or information to prepare you for the following?
12.A natural disaster occurring during a class on campus
13.An emergency situation on campus
14.Directing students who come to you and have been victims of crimes on campus.
15.Directing students who come to you and have been targets of prejudice/ discrimination on campus.
16.Directing students who come to you and have witnessed an act of bias/ intolerance on campus.
17.Taking steps if a student comes to you with signs of depression or other mental health issues.
18.Taking steps if a student comes to you and reports experiencing unwanted sexual advances from another campus employee
19.Teaching online in an emergency
20.Teaching online as the planned method of delivery
21.To what extent do you agree with the following statements for contingent faculty at your college or university?
Strongly Agree
Agree
Somewhat Agree
Somewhat Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Don't Know
There are protections for academic freedom
Class-size loads are manageable
Workload is manageable
The evaluation procedures for promotion are fair
The evaluation procedures for retention are fair
There is clear communication from the administration
There is clear support from the administration
There are ample opportunities for professional development
There is job security from term to term
There is job security from year to year
Everyone has a voice in the decisions that affect them
There is adequate space for conducting student office hours
There is financial support for conducting student office hours
There are ample opportunities to obtain full-time, permanent teaching positions
 Contingent faculty have a voice in departmental and university governance
There are ample opportunities to stay engaged in your discipline.
22.In general, at my institution/s I am encouraged and supported to collaborate with colleagues on improving teaching and learning.
23.In general, I have had access to a mentor in my department/s whom I can consult with to address my questions or concerns.
24.In general, when you are first hired as a faculty member, a formal orientation session is made available to you.
25.In general, the physical and material resources provided to me by my institutions allow me to do my job effectively.
26.Does your employment contract contain any kind of seniority based rehire preference language?
27.How adequately are you trained about the following student services at this institution?
Very knowledgeable
Knowledgeable
Somewhat knowledgeable
Not knowledgeable at all
Early alert or other procedures for identifying students in need of support (e.g., Starfish or a similar program)
Academic advising and planning
Career counseling and job placement services
Academic supports (i.e., tutoring and skills labs)
Counseling and other nonacademic supports
Accessibility and accommodations
Financial aid
Student life and campus student organizations
Library resources and services
Educational technology services and resources
28.Does your employment contract contain any kind of seniority based rehire preference language?
29. Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about teaching on an adjunct contract at your institution/s?
The data from this survey – and your contact information – will NOT be shared with any administrators from any college or university. This is an AAUP survey. Only your AAUP-SC conference will have access to the data.
30.Name? (Optional)
31.Non-University Personal Email address? (Optional)
32.There will be an adjunct faculty advocacy meeting sponsored by your AAUP-SC. The meeting will be remote attendance later this fall semester. Do you want to receive an invitation? Y/N
33.Are you an AAUP member?
34.If the answer was NO, to the previous question, are you interested in becoming an AAUP member?
35.Are you interested in learning more about the AAUP?