Portrayal of Part-Time Instructors in The New York Times

• In Event: 16.058 - Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: 16.058-13 - Underrepresented Populations in the Academy

Abstract

In this paper we examine media portrayals of the teaching of adjunct faculty present in The New York Times over the past five years. The negative views of non-tenure track faculty expressed in the Times are a representation of the views of society in the United States. The portrayals of adjunct teaching in the news may also have an impact on their teaching and subsequently the learning of their students. The growing trend of hiring adjunct faculty in lieu of tenure-track faculty, who enjoy academic freedom, limits teaching and learning, and presents a challenge to achieving a just classroom.

Authors

• Sarah Rose Fitzgerald, Michigan State University

• James Richard West, Michigan State University