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Legislation proposes cutting adjunct profs in Oregon University System
If passed, bill could mean less part-time professors at OSU
Glenn Semrad
Issue date: 4/12/07 Section: News
On Feb. 6, Oregon State Rep. Peter Buckley proposed House Bill 2578, recently discussed in the House, that will reduce the number of adjunct or part-time professors allowed to teach within the Oregon University System.
If passed, the bill would require six out of every eight faculty members to be full-time tenured, or tenure track, leaving no more than 25 percent of positions available for part-time employees.
The bill would also require part-time faculty to be paid at a rate equal to tenure track faculty on a pro rate basis.
The main goal of the legislation is to draw attention to the condition of the Oregon university faculty, Buckley said
The 2005-06 Oregon University System Factbook says 20.3 percent of OSU's faculty consisted of part-time staff. This number is relatively low compared to schools like Portland State University, which employed 575 part time faculty, 49.7 percent of their total teaching staff. Currently OSU operates with a 79.7 percent full-time staff.
"We're in a crisis with our university system," Buckley said, referring to the current state of the system's reliance on part time faculty as a result of underfunding.
Buckley hopes the bill will result in a task force that will work with universities to develop a plan capable of achieving the goals outlined in the bill.
"In the long term if this is successful, students will find themselves working with a greater number of full time faculty," Buckley said
According to Buckley, the bill is facing opposition from the Oregon University System because they are not currently receiving the funding necessary to implement the changes outlined in the bill.
Jock Mills, director of government relations at OSU, liked the idea but doesn't see how it's possible with the funding provided by the Legislature.
"We're trying to educate students as cost effectively as we possibly can," Mills said.
Mills called the bill an "unfunded mandate."
"We're already on food stamps and they're telling us to go out and buy a steak dinner," Mills said of the bill.
According to Mills, the Legislature has cut $35 million from the higher education budget, and students have gone from paying 40 to 60 percent of their total education cost.
Brian Lorts, a sophomore in pre-med, feels the change would have a positive influence on the quality of education.
"They don't have time for students," Lorts said, of his experience with part time professors.
Lorts felt the instruction he received from full time faculty was superior to that of his part time professors.
"I hope the fact that [this bill] is out there will help people understand the issue is important," Lorts said.
If passed, the bill would require six out of every eight faculty members to be full-time tenured, or tenure track, leaving no more than 25 percent of positions available for part-time employees.
The bill would also require part-time faculty to be paid at a rate equal to tenure track faculty on a pro rate basis.
The main goal of the legislation is to draw attention to the condition of the Oregon university faculty, Buckley said
The 2005-06 Oregon University System Factbook says 20.3 percent of OSU's faculty consisted of part-time staff. This number is relatively low compared to schools like Portland State University, which employed 575 part time faculty, 49.7 percent of their total teaching staff. Currently OSU operates with a 79.7 percent full-time staff.
"We're in a crisis with our university system," Buckley said, referring to the current state of the system's reliance on part time faculty as a result of underfunding.
Buckley hopes the bill will result in a task force that will work with universities to develop a plan capable of achieving the goals outlined in the bill.
"In the long term if this is successful, students will find themselves working with a greater number of full time faculty," Buckley said
According to Buckley, the bill is facing opposition from the Oregon University System because they are not currently receiving the funding necessary to implement the changes outlined in the bill.
Jock Mills, director of government relations at OSU, liked the idea but doesn't see how it's possible with the funding provided by the Legislature.
"We're trying to educate students as cost effectively as we possibly can," Mills said.
Mills called the bill an "unfunded mandate."
"We're already on food stamps and they're telling us to go out and buy a steak dinner," Mills said of the bill.
According to Mills, the Legislature has cut $35 million from the higher education budget, and students have gone from paying 40 to 60 percent of their total education cost.
Brian Lorts, a sophomore in pre-med, feels the change would have a positive influence on the quality of education.
"They don't have time for students," Lorts said, of his experience with part time professors.
Lorts felt the instruction he received from full time faculty was superior to that of his part time professors.
"I hope the fact that [this bill] is out there will help people understand the issue is important," Lorts said.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Dann Cutter
posted 4/12/07 @ 8:08 AM PST
Jock hits the nail on the head on this one. You cannot ask us to cut our budget, while at the same time insisting that we abandon cost savings measures which allow us to continue offering the classes students need. (Continued…)
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