Local professor talks “#adjunctwalkout” day
The hashtag “#adjunctwalkout” was a conversation on social media Wednesday. The hashtag was used to recognize part-time professors protesting working conditions.
On average, adjunct professors make about 50 to 60 percent of what full time professors make. They also don’t get any full time benefits.
Maryland educators spoke out openly online. One tweet posted by the women’s studies department at the University of Maryland, College Park described the movement as a “furlough day.”
Another post by @ELCTowson showed one protester’s sign that read “equity for adjuncts at TU.” The movement even has it’s own Facebook page with thousands of likes.
47 ABC called around to the colleges and universities across Delmarva. However, representatives from each of the institutions said they weren’t aware of any walk-outs happening Wednesday.
Timothy Robinson is an adjunct professor of seven years at Salisbury University.
He replies, “We spend the same amount of time preparing the class, same amount of time preparing lessons, grading papers, grading exams, and interacting with our students.”
Robinson is also the chair of the adjunct faculty caucus. It was created four years ago to give those issues a voice and representation.
Robinson continues, “The tenacity of class schedules, if classes don’t get filled up, there’s no class for them to teach or concerns over pay issues.”
Working with caucus, SU has apparently instituted a ranking system. There are two parts to the system, adjunct 1 and adjunct 2.
The system is based on seniority and experience. It could help increase financial compensation.
Robinson goes on, “Two years ago they did do a bump in pay overall for all adjuncts on top of that.”
However, the progress at Salisbury University is definitely not the case at all colleges and universities.
Back in 2012, an adjunct professor in Arizona with a PhD wrote an article explaining how despite being employed, she was on food stamps.
It’s clear by the activity online, adjunct professors aren’t taking their current working conditions sitting down.
For more on the walkouts held across the country today, click here.
