Organizational Integration of Part-Time Faculty Teaching Developmental Mathematics. Sylvia Gray, Researcher September 15, 2017

Transcription

1 Organizational Integration of Part-Time Faculty Teaching Developmental Mathematics Sylvia Gray, Researcher September 15, 2017

2 Introduction In 1969 about 78% full-time tenured or tenure-track 22% were non-tenure-track (contingent) In community colleges now Between 65-75% are part-time faculty 25-35% full-time Finkelstein et al. (2016) say only 16% tenured/tenure-track!! Dramatic Change in Higher Ed

3 Purpose of Study The purpose of this dissertation was to study the organizational integration of part-time faculty who teach developmental mathematics courses in one department of a large, multi-campus community college in the Pacific Northwest

4 Research Questions How well are part-time faculty who teach developmental mathematics courses integrated into the college on one campus of a large community college in the Pacific Northwest? In what ways does the integration affect their ability to perform their duties? In what ways could the integration be improved?

5 Theoretical Framework Systems theory applied to organizations Wheatley s framework of the three critical domains in a healthy organization: identity and mission Information networks relationships

6 Literature Review Systems and Organizational Theories Part-time faculty satisfaction Differences in life situations for part-time faculty Part-time faculty and student success Support and integration of part-time faculty Part-time faculty and Developmental Ed

7 Methodology: Study Design Embedded, Single-Case study (Yin, 2014) Three units of analysis: Organization Department on one campus Individual participants

8 Methodology: Interview Questions Basic Information Identity and Mission of Organization Information Relationships Emergent

9 Key Findings Well-integrated into college mission Efforts to integrate part-time faculty vary in success information sharing relationships Barriers which remain are institutional and structural remove the barriers

10 College Mission PNWCC supports student success by delivering access to quality education while advancing economic development and promoting sustainability in a collaborative culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Opportunity and Equitable Student Success

11 Interviewee s Mission: Students EVERY participant...the students, their goals...what they value and what they think is important in their community. Their efforts to change their lives with education. That's the motivation. And then the second one, which that is the main one whenever I see any kind of inequity...when we're not meeting their needs in a real way, like welcoming them into this learning culture... there's a push there, a lot of change has to happen.

12 Interviewee s Mission: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion...and they usually come in kind of terrified. I think math has a way of making people feel stupid at times. And they usually had a bad experience.... And I like that they'll come in and work and ask questions, and realize I don't have fangs, and claws, and leave being math literate....i think in community college we tend to get people who that didn't work for the first time around. A lot of them trying again...

13 Not measuring up to mission I can t say the system necessarily rewards its mission.... So one of the college s goals is equality. We have very much a two-class system in the faculty. But it seems like this college only exists because of a large group of people who are paid less, given lower priority on classes, less benefits, less job security. This system would just not exist without these lower class...or employee[s], working hard to support it.

14 Information and Relationships Extremely intertwined in interviews Relationships first because: I think the real network of information here is just the people who are working here.

15 Relationships: Faculty Department Chairs EVERYONE mentioned them But if you really want to know something just ask Nathan and Krista. They know everything about our department. Krista and Nathan s doors are always open.

16 Relationships: Statement But also in the Department Chair role, I really have gotten to know the part-time faculty, not just recognize their name[s], but getting to work with them, being a resource, helping them, encouraging them to be as if they are full-time. You know, you can be involved. There s no hierarchy here. We want you to be involved as...you re full-time to the most that you can.

17 Relationships: Coworkers If you walk through our office you are equally likely to find two part-timers talking to each other, two full-timers talking to each other or a part-time and a full-time person talking to one another. So I think that s pretty indicative of good community. Social gatherings

18 Relationships: Mentoring Part of contract College-wide practiced haphazardly Current effort: all new hires hooked up

19 Relationships: Level Teams I learned so many things from those little team meetings of ours.... So it kind of brings some things to your attention you hadn t thought about before...how people score papers and how they give quizzes, and when they give quizzes....

20 Information: Formal Communications Hiring: workarounds Orientation: new efforts, more systematic Google Drive Resources for Students somewhat haphazard

21 Information: Formal Communications, contd. Assessment Professional Development That is slim and narrow, I think, the professional development. I m trying to think of one part-time person that s ever gone anywhere. Level Teams

22 Information: Formal Communications, contd. Shared Governance Curriculum Math CAC Meetings

23 General Integration Contributions: In the classroom Sharing resources Level Teams

24 Multi-Year Contract I m just thrilled to death to have gotten that three-year multi-year contract. It just made me feel like they had felt my services were positive and I was a contribution to the Math Department.... It just made me feel accepted, what I m doing is good work.

25 Conversely If I were rewarded for this stuff, obviously, I d feel like I was more of a part of the system or even, you know, acknowledged.... And instead of looking externally for that value, because I m not receiving it, unfortunately, from PNWCC, I m having to look internal for it and on my own value and know that I m doing a good job or that I m a good educator even if someone outside of myself isn t rewarding me and in many ways.... Perhaps that word respect, you know, recognizing I am an educator.

26 Feeling Integrated? I ve never had it so good.... And then you come in here to work. It s organized. We have resources. We have other people that can help you. I wish I was more integrated, but that's a function of me not having time, having the full-time job.

27 Feeling Integrated? What integration? I don t really feel like it exists. I don t feel like I m integral.... I don t really feel part of the place, other than through the students.

28 Conclusions: How well integrated? Well integrated in terms of mission Despite efforts varying degrees in terms of information and relationships

29 Conclusions: Affect ability to perform their duties? Positively or negatively, depending on individual level of integration Sharing and learning teaching strategies Systematic teaching in various courses Support for students Morale

30 Conclusions: How could integration be improved? Institution must remove systemic barriers There s lots of good people here, at PNWCC. But the structure itself - there s some things I would change.

31 FDC Statement: The only thing I can think is if we just are really aware that that s an issue for them and try to be as supportive as we can, and encourage and offer opportunities and be flexible... You know, you do everything you can. But there are some things that happen to them that you have no control over and they won t be successful. And there s nothing you can do. And it s frustrating.... And you wish that you could, you know, get them more involved. But it's just it can t happen.

32 Barriers Hierarchy there s no hierarchy here but... Degree requirements Wages and pay Secure vs. insecure Office Configuration:...by making you all sit and face the wall, it s almost like being put in the corner

33 Additional Barriers: Hiring practices Instability No career trajectory Dependence on department chairs

34 Recommendations Funding for professional development and participation Vetted, current, diverse applicant pool Transparent hiring process Transparent class scheduling process Orientation Faculty Department Chair training

35 Recommendations, cont. Continued two faculty department chairs Structural remodel of math department More multi-year contracts Full-time Developmental Education positions Accessible and disaggregated data

36 Further Research Intersect between part-time faculty and developmental education students Models for hiring part-time faculty Role of Faculty Department Chairs Compare student success rates in good vs. bad colleges (in terms of following best practices)

37 Final Quote It is time to challenge the assumption we have come to accept: that carelessly hiring contingent faculty and then providing them with poor working conditions and scant support is acceptable. Only by frankly, publicly, and collectively examining the various and sometime conflicting values that need to be balanced equity and affordability, humaneness and efficiency can we begin to make better choices. (Kezar & Maxey, 2014)