The "New Normal" in College Instruction: Contingent Faculty in STEM and Its Differential Effects on Student Outcomes by Gender and Institutional Type

• In Event: 47.097 - Sheraton Roundtable Session Eight - Grand Centre
  In Roundtable Session: 47.097-4 - Underrepresented Faculty Voices

Abstract

This study examines how exposure to contingent (non-tenure track and part-time) faculty impact student outcomes in STEM, such as changing major, persistence, and degree completion. Additionally, we explore differential effects by gender and institution type. For this, we draw from a nationally representative, longitudinal dataset and employ a multilevel modeling approach. Our preliminary findings show that women who started in STEM are significantly more likely to graduate in six years compared to men. We also find correlations between male degree completion rates and the percentage of contingent faculty present in their respective institutions. Initial findings further indicate a relationship between declining rates of degree attainment in male students which become more prominent as the share of contingent faculty increase.

Authors

• Ray Franke, University of Massachusetts - Boston

• Katy van Kirk, University of Massachusetts - Boston