Academic Questions - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Aug 29, 2004

Academic Questions

Date: Aug 29, 2004

can't speak to adjunct pay but the IHL says semesters must be a certain number of class contact minutes. from there, the time of MWF. TTh, and other classes are determined.

Date: Aug 29, 2004

I've taught at four universities, and the 50 minute MWF class was used at all four. Of course, it was three credit hours. I've always thought that was standard.

Adjunct salaries seem to vary by department and college. You might try to drive a harder bargain next time.

Date: Aug 29, 2004

Thanks for the info. I didn't know it was possible to bargain. Thought budgets were fixed. I was told an amount. Oh, other question -- do adjuncts get contracts? I have nothing in writing, though I do trust my chair.

Date: Aug 29, 2004

I believe SACAS determines a minimum number of contact minutes for a semester hour. The IHL Board then dictates to the universities in MS the number of minutes it will required.

Date: Aug 29, 2004

nope--it isn't SACS. i think semesters at Duke are about 13 weeks. it's the IHL. i think they just decided to reduce the length of our semesters. about 10 years ago they went from 15 to 16 weeks.

Date: Aug 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: LeavingASAP
"I believe SACAS determines a minimum number of contact minutes for a semester hour. The IHL Board then dictates to the universities in MS the number of minutes it will required."

SACS does not set the number of minutes per semester hour. (SACS does have a rule that requires "adequate time for reflection" & sets a general standard of one week per credit hour; this puts a restriction on how short a short-term class can be.) IHL sets the minutes-per-credit hour. IIRC, it's 2,250 minutes for a 3-hour class, but it's been some time since I looked at the standard.

Date: Aug 29, 2004

This year the IHL said we have to teach 2250 minutes for a 3 hour lecture course.

If you use 50 minute hours (allow 10 mins for breaks each hour), the class times can remain the same. Some departments reduce the time by taking a day off the schedule.

Date: Aug 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: stinky cheese man
"nope--it isn't SACS. i think semesters at Duke are about 13 weeks. it's the IHL. i think they just decided to reduce the length of our semesters. about 10 years ago they went from 15 to 16 weeks."

Yeah -- they were 13 weeks when I was there. Don't know if they've gotten longer. Our semesters at SUNY New Paltz were 14 weeks -- and we got Jewish holidays!

Date: Aug 30, 2004

Adjunct instructors are notoriously underpaid and undersupported. The Coalition on the Academic Workforce (CAW) produced the following report in 2000...it is available at http://www.historians.org/caw/cawreport.htm

Regarding salary, the report states, "Most (part-time instructors) could earn comparable salaries as fast food workers, baggage porters, or theater lobby attendants."

........so, I understand why you might concider Mickey-D's............

Most of the 25 disciplines that participated in the survey and report also issued their own disciplinary-specific reports. You might want to check with your association.