I have considered teaching, but... [View all]

[nadinbrzezinski]

Even applied to a few adjunct positions. But we realize it will be for satisfaction, and extra spending money. The pay is horrendous. When Cali raises the minimum, McDonald's will pay better, I wish I were kidding.

We as a society speak a good game on education, but words don't feed people, nor do they keep a roof over their head. This is not just this Catholic university. It is all over, state schools, like my Alma Mater, treat adjuncts like cheap, non-organized labor, emphasis on cheap. So does the Catholic university up the hill, the UC school, and the for profits. In fact, the for profits prefer adjuncts to tenure.

The Junior Colleges have a majority adjunct staff, again they prefer it. It's cheaper.

So the end result is that good people do it as a hobby only if they can afford it. Not that all adjuncts are bad, but sooner or later you are reduced to young idealistic kids or old retirees.

So when we are told, Americans need to get a college education, I say make it so where your average prof, likely an adjunct, will get medical, dental, and at least clear 30K a year.

Locally our college profs are on food stamps and medical, no choice.

Adjuncts make about half of the teaching staff nationwide. Colleges would prefer it if most undergrads were taught by adjuncts, and leave the "real profs" for upper division and graduate students, the latter are another source of cheap labor, and lab techs.

Good news, there is a union drive afoot. Increasingly corporatized colleges and universities will fight it. It is yet another opening front in the struggle of labor.

This is not just this horrific story

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3694356