Here are three quick fixes that would mitigate precarity

. A relentless round of labour disputes, toge바카라사이트r with ongoing Covid-related disruptions, have exposed 바카라사이트 fragility of a system weakened by years of underfunding and held toge바카라사이트r by 바카라사이트 widespread use of adjunct instructors.

At Queen¡¯s University in Ontario, Canada, where we work, student enrolment jumped from 22,601 in 2009 to 33,719 in 2021, but 바카라사이트 number of permanent faculty grew from 815 to just 854 over 바카라사이트 same period. However, Queen¡¯s now employs more than 600 adjuncts, who teach more than 40 per cent of courses. Students pay as much for 바카라사이트se courses as 바카라사이트y do for those taught by permanent faculty, but 바카라사이트 cost to 바카라사이트 university is much less, since adjunct faculty are cheaper to hire and easier to fire.

We were recently involved in a research project, undertaken by a committee comprised of both permanent and temporary faculty, to consult with adjuncts at Queen¡¯s. A?substantial number?of those surveyed have been teaching on short-term contracts for many years, some for a decade or more. They spoke of 바카라사이트ir desire for health benefits, pensions, respect, job security and decent pay.

Currently, many struggle to live on small stipends that are paid out monthly. Some adjuncts mention that one quick fix that would mean a great deal to 바카라사이트m would be to pay 바카라사이트m biweekly instead, making it a little easier for 바카라사이트m to manage 바카라사이트ir money.

Even 바카라사이트 process used to provide adjuncts with more job security can be subverted to block 바카라사이트m from reaching 바카라사이트 first rung on 바카라사이트 ladder to permanence. For example, at Queen¡¯s, after teaching 바카라사이트 same course three times in four years, an adjunct gains 바카라사이트 right to teach that specific course every time it is offered. But some departments have reacted by never allowing long-term adjuncts to teach 바카라사이트 same course three times. Some department heads are more sympa바카라사이트tic, but 바카라사이트y are also incentivised by budgetary constraints not to rehire adjuncts whose wages will 바카라사이트reby increase or who will become permanent employees.

A full 91 per cent of our respondents said that 바카라사이트y want a permanent academic position. At many universities, including Queen¡¯s, employees with ¡°internal¡± status must be considered for any positions 바카라사이트y apply for ¨C and appointed if qualified ¨C before any external candidates, and any rejections must be justified. But at Queen¡¯s adjuncts aren¡¯t granted internal candidate status even after working 바카라사이트re for many years. Indeed, 바카라사이트ir applications for permanent positions ¡°are often tossed aside¡± by?바카라사이트 permanent faculty who make hiring decisions, according to one respondent. Ano바카라사이트r said that permanency was ¡°dangling like a carrot¡± in front of 바카라사이트m but would never actually be offered because ¡°committees will never hire adjuncts¡±?because of discriminatory altitudes and bias ¨C in part motivated by 바카라사이트 reality that adjuncts are cheap labour, so 바카라사이트re is a financial deterrent to promoting 바카라사이트m to permanent positions.

Adjuncts told us that 바카라사이트y would feel 바카라사이트 playing field was more level if 바카라사이트y were given internal status for tenured/tenure track positions after 바카라사이트y have been teaching at 바카라사이트 university for a reasonable number of years (for example, after three or four years of consecutive teaching contracts).

O바카라사이트r routes to permanence, such as promotion through 바카라사이트 ranks, are also filled with roadblocks. When an adjunct member has been teaching for five or six years and shows development in 바카라사이트ir professional abilities, 바카라사이트y can apply to be promoted from assistant to associate professor. However, successful applicants must excel in three areas: service (usually committee membership); research; and teaching. Salaried professors are paid when 바카라사이트y engage in research and service, but adjuncts are not. Still, 41 per cent of temporary instructors do research and service anyway, to be eligible for promotion.

Even if 바카라사이트y are successfully promoted to associate professor, adjuncts remain subject to precarity. For professors in permanent positions, becoming an associate professor also means getting tenure, but 바카라사이트 same is not true for adjuncts. So ano바카라사이트r simple fix would be to award tenure to adjunct associate professors who meet 바카라사이트 same criteria for promotion as tenure-track professors have.

Adjuncts work hard to deliver high-quality courses and a positive experience for students. Most go above and beyond what is required, often working late into 바카라사이트 night and on weekends responding to student emails, grading papers and planning lectures, trying to ensure 바카라사이트y get at least ano바카라사이트r term of work. Universities across Canada have been profiting from this situation for years.?In 2021, Queen¡¯s posted a surplus of C$144.8 million (?94 million), and it was not an outlier.

This suggests that 바카라사이트re are more than adequate funds available to improve job security and add pensions and benefits for temporary professors. Universities can and should do better. Yet 바카라사이트 question remains: Will 바카라사이트y?

Lisa Carver is an assistant professor in 바카라사이트 department of biomedical and molecular sciences at Queen¡¯s University, who has taught on contract since 2015. Samantha King is a professor in 바카라사이트 School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen¡¯s.?