Conversion to full-time positions

Bargaining Language to Convert Contingent Faculty Positions into Full-time Faculty Positions

Too often, contingent faculty serve an institution for years, often carrying the equivalent of a full-time load, but never being seen as a potential candidate for full-time, tenure-track positions. We believe that qualified contingent faculty should not only have an equal opportunity for open positions, but that institutions should provide priority consideration for those contingent faculty. The AFT regards priority consideration as one of its fundamental principles, and several local unions have already bargained such provisions.

Below are examples of unions who have been working toward this standard, along with links to their web sites and collective bargaining agreements (where available).

The Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties

APSCUF represents all faculty members at Pennsylvania's 14 publicly owned universities. Their system-wide contract includes a provision which states that:

a full-time, temporary faculty member, who has worked at a University for five (5) full, consecutive academic years in the same department, shall be placed in tenure-track status, if recommended by the majority of the regular department faculty in accordance with the procedure developed by that department faculty.
Faculty members converted into tenure-track positions in this manner are also able to "count time spent in a temporary or regular full-time position at the university . . . toward the required probationary period."

See the full APSCUF contract here.

Henry Ford Community College Federation of Teachers

The HFCC Federation contract ensures a certain ratio of full-time to part-time faculty at the departmental level by converting part-time positions into full-time positions if the total number of classes covered by part-time faculty members exceed a set threshold. Here is the language:

Whenever the number of classes taught during the day by part-time teachers within a department/division is equal to or exceeds two (2) full-time positions for three (3) consecutive semesters, the Administration shall honor the request of the department/division for additional full-time teachers, up to a number that would reduce the amount of day part-time teaching within the department/division to less than that equal to two (2) full-time positions.

See the full HFCC Federation contract here.

Does your contract have good language in this area? Send us a message to let us know.