For decades, the AFT and our locals have been on the frontlines of the fight for equality for adjunct and contingent faculty. Our last survey of contingent faculty was conducted in 2019. Since then, the higher education landscape has changed quickly, and it will continue to change, especially given the disruptions this pandemic has caused in higher education, along with so many other aspects of our lives. As we continue to grow our union, we need to hear about your experiences in order to reflect the needs of our members.
Contingent faculty—including nontenure-track professors, adjuncts, lecturers and graduate employees—often feel the brunt of budget cuts and increasing workloads with stagnant pay. Over the past 50 years, the use of academic workers facing contingent employment has skyrocketed. As administrators try to cut costs, they’re also cutting the educational quality of our institutions and making our profession less sustainable for everyone in it. That’s why we’re asking to hear your stories and experiences.
