Financial Resources, Part-Time Faculty, and Graduation Rates at Public Four-Year Institutions

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 1
  In Poster Session: Division J Poster Session: Faculty, Curriculum, and Teaching 1

Abstract

The offering and prevalence of university tenured positions have been in decline for more than two decades; exploring the efficacy of part-time faculty is crucial for understanding their impact on students. Financial reasons are the most often cited explanation for a heavier reliance on part-time faculty. This study seeks to understand the relationships between financial revenues, percentage of part-time faculty, and graduation rates at public 4-year institutions. Our findings show gifts/donations and investments to be negatively associated with percent of part-time faculty. Contrary to some studies, we found that percent of part-time faculty is not associated with graduation rates. This research further investigates whether relying on part-time faculty is an efficient use of resources in order to impact graduate rates.

Authors

• Amy Yandell, University of Georgia

• Matt Gregory, University of Georgia