2008 Woodie Awards
Policy may force French lecturer to bid 'adieu'
Trend to balance budget with adjunct faculty diminishes hope of future full-time teaching opportunities.
By Brianna Roberts
Issue date: 11/21/08 Section: News
Originally published: 11/20/08 at 6:05 PM CSTLast update: 12/15/08 at 9:07 PM CST
The French program's enrollment and retention are high. New levels have been added.
And French Lecturer Pierre Schmitz was told that if he built the program, he would have a full-time job.
Now he may be forced to leave the college over district policy that prohibits full-time lecturers from teaching more than two years.
This past summer, as he was getting ready to teach his French 3 class, Schmitz was called into his chair's office and informed that he would only be teaching half time.
"Schmitz is an outstanding instructor and I would love to keep him," foreign languages Chair Anna Budzinski said. "He developed the program, and he poured a lot of work into it."
Because of the budget, the district is moving toward hiring only adjunct faculty, Budzinski said.
Part-time faculty receive a fraction of the pay of a full-time faculty member and no benefits, making it more cost-effective for the district.
Schmitz has worked here since 2005 as a full-time adjunct instructor, meaning that even though his contract needed to be renewed each semester, he was allowed to teach a full load of classes.
"I was promised a full-time position if I built up the program. I built up the program and was teaching full-time until Aug. 25, and then whack!" Schmitz said.
Last semester, Schmitz taught five classes.
Now, he is able to teach only half of those classes.
"It was completely unexpected. I was told that the French 3 class would be canceled. If I were to teach that class, it would make me full time," Schmitz said.
At the beginning of the semester, he decided to go ahead and teach the French 3 class, but at one-third pay.
"It's not financially sound, but it's right," Schmitz said. "I built the program, there's a record number of students, and I'm a half-time teacher."
Schmitz decided to try to talk to the administration about what was happening to him and other adjunct faculty.
After an e-mail from the chancellor saying that the district is committed to fairness and integrity, Schmitz believed that his troubles would soon be over.
And French Lecturer Pierre Schmitz was told that if he built the program, he would have a full-time job.
Now he may be forced to leave the college over district policy that prohibits full-time lecturers from teaching more than two years.
This past summer, as he was getting ready to teach his French 3 class, Schmitz was called into his chair's office and informed that he would only be teaching half time.
"Schmitz is an outstanding instructor and I would love to keep him," foreign languages Chair Anna Budzinski said. "He developed the program, and he poured a lot of work into it."
Because of the budget, the district is moving toward hiring only adjunct faculty, Budzinski said.
Part-time faculty receive a fraction of the pay of a full-time faculty member and no benefits, making it more cost-effective for the district.
Schmitz has worked here since 2005 as a full-time adjunct instructor, meaning that even though his contract needed to be renewed each semester, he was allowed to teach a full load of classes.
"I was promised a full-time position if I built up the program. I built up the program and was teaching full-time until Aug. 25, and then whack!" Schmitz said.
Last semester, Schmitz taught five classes.
Now, he is able to teach only half of those classes.
"It was completely unexpected. I was told that the French 3 class would be canceled. If I were to teach that class, it would make me full time," Schmitz said.
At the beginning of the semester, he decided to go ahead and teach the French 3 class, but at one-third pay.
"It's not financially sound, but it's right," Schmitz said. "I built the program, there's a record number of students, and I'm a half-time teacher."
Schmitz decided to try to talk to the administration about what was happening to him and other adjunct faculty.
After an e-mail from the chancellor saying that the district is committed to fairness and integrity, Schmitz believed that his troubles would soon be over.
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Jennifer Moyes
posted 11/24/08 @ 12:16 AM CST
Sure, SAC, drive away quality instructors. The reason people come to SAC is for a quality education, and whether that is taught by faculty or adjunct, the district will lose its brightest stars if it doesn't start playing fair. (Continued…)
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