So adjuncts have zero right?

[mahagonny]

No, last minute contracts are the norm in the USA for adjunct faculty. Standard practice. If other posters have suggested they are not, they would be as wrong as you.

[marshwiggle]

No, last minute contracts are the norm in the USA for adjunct faculty. Standard practice. If other posters have suggested they are not, they would be as wrong as you.

Across the board? I'd guess there are lots of contracts (especially for professionals teaching specific regular courses) that are signed long before the last minute. Some departments are likely much worse offenders than others.

Anyone on here able to confirm or deny?

[Wahoo Redux]

No, last minute contracts are the norm in the USA for adjunct faculty. Standard practice. If other posters have suggested they are not, they would be as wrong as you.

Across the board? I'd guess there are lots of contracts (especially for professionals teaching specific regular courses) that are signed long before the last minute. Some departments are likely much worse offenders than others.

Anyone on here able to confirm or deny?

Adjuncts are "hired" as soon as the need arises.  Department chairs can usually predict what their departments will need and tentatively assign classes but contracts are not signed, in my experience, until the actual beginning of the semester.  Classes are changed or yanked right up to the first day of classes.

[downer]

Adjuncts are usually hired as soon as the need arises.  Department chairs can usually predict what their departments will need and tentatively assign classes but contracts are not signed, in my experience, until the actual beginning of the semester.

In my experience, adjuncts are usually scheduled as soon as possible. But the actual contracts don't get sent out until around the start of the semester.

[mahagonny]

Adjuncts are usually hired as soon as the need arises.  Department chairs can usually predict what their departments will need and tentatively assign classes but contracts are not signed, in my experience, until the actual beginning of the semester.

In my experience, adjuncts are usually scheduled as soon as possible. But the actual contracts don't get sent out until around the start of the semester.

I've seen them not sent until several weeks into the semester and in at least one instance I didn't get my first paycheck for Spring until after Spring break. This is just one reason I have little patience when people don't understand why adjunct employers  deserve unions.

[marshwiggle]

Adjuncts are usually hired as soon as the need arises.  Department chairs can usually predict what their departments will need and tentatively assign classes but contracts are not signed, in my experience, until the actual beginning of the semester.

In my experience, adjuncts are usually scheduled as soon as possible. But the actual contracts don't get sent out until around the start of the semester.

OK, fair enough. But how common is it for courses to be cancelled at the last minute? Is that the same across departments? And, for courses where there are a lot of sections which may be cancelled, is there typically a pecking order of whose sections will get cancelled first, and do people know where they are in the pecking order?

My guess is that some courses or sections are way more secure than others in practice, even if technically nothing is final until shortly before (or possibly even after) classes start. (I have occasionally seen very low enrollment lab sections cancelled after classes start, for instance. But usually there is a very specific number of students needed for a course or section to run, and the enrollment can be checked, so the closer the deadline gets the more probable it is that the course runs (if the numbers are high enough) or doesn't (if they aren't). )

In other words, in my experience, it's far from random.

[fourhats]

I've had to offer contracts at the last minute many times. The reasons vary. Sometimes the scheduled faculty member became ill and was unexpectedly unable to teach and we had to find someone to take over. Sometimes far more students needed to enroll than anticipated, and we had to open another section. Another time a faculty member suddenly resigned and we needed to cover their courses.

It's not poor planning. Things happen, and you have to pivot.

[hamburger]

Why are you even still talking to this place?

What progress have you made on any of the numerous suggestions we've made on how to get a different job?

You don't have a job there and now that the bottom has fallen out of everything, you won't be getting any calls even as a last-minute, we-hate-you-but-even-you-are-better-than-cancelling-courses-currently-in-progress replacement.

At the risk of pointing out the obvious, union busting managers like you are a big part of the reason hamburger's school is such a cesspool to work for.

Perhaps you haven't followed the whole hamburger saga.  This place has a faculty union and zero standards for faculty or students.  This institution is in the business of ripping off international students who are gaming an immigration system.  They are not a higher ed institution in the business of education.

From the first term when Hamburger asked advice, it was clear that Hamburger was a poor match.  The bets at that time were that Hamburger would not get renewed.  The entire saga over a couple years now is Hamburger not getting a good contract, but gets called as the emergency hire after the last minute.  With the international enrollment down, there probably aren't any last minute needs.


As for just not telling hiring managers about other jobs on campus, those managers will find out when HR applies the relevant loads and the budget gets charged for benefits.  The managers want a heads up so they can decide if that's how they want to spent the budget.  It's not just some courtesy; it's real money that will hit the budget.

Exactly!!! You know my CC very well! Newly hired Head of department in STEM is from a Business School. She has a BS degree only. The Dean has a business background. Colleagues who have been around for 15+ years told me that it is actually easy to figure out what administrators do as their only goal is about profits. From an advertisement for HR people, I found that they only need a certificate in HR from a CC and perhaps 1-2 years of experience. How could these people filter out PhDs for full-time faculty jobs? It is completely rubbish. Yet, the President allows these people to decide who to get interviewed and be hired.

Higher up even openly told me that they prefer people from the industry as they want to use these people to get jobs for students.

One attraction of this CC is that one campus is within walking distance from my home. I could use its library and facilities for free. Even if they open the campus, I don't need to take the risk to go there using public transportation.

[mahagonny]

Adjuncts are usually hired as soon as the need arises.  Department chairs can usually predict what their departments will need and tentatively assign classes but contracts are not signed, in my experience, until the actual beginning of the semester.

In my experience, adjuncts are usually scheduled as soon as possible. But the actual contracts don't get sent out until around the start of the semester.

OK, fair enough. But how common is it for courses to be cancelled at the last minute? Is that the same across departments? And, for courses where there are a lot of sections which may be cancelled, is there typically a pecking order of whose sections will get cancelled first, and do people know where they are in the pecking order?

My guess is that some courses or sections are way more secure than others in practice, even if technically nothing is final until shortly before (or possibly even after) classes start. (I have occasionally seen very low enrollment lab sections cancelled after classes start, for instance. But usually there is a very specific number of students needed for a course or section to run, and the enrollment can be checked, so the closer the deadline gets the more probable it is that the course runs (if the numbers are high enough) or doesn't (if they aren't). )

In other words, in my experience, it's far from random.

i'd answer you, but then I'd be railing against the system. Whitch you hate.

[hamburger]

Adjuncts are usually hired as soon as the need arises.  Department chairs can usually predict what their departments will need and tentatively assign classes but contracts are not signed, in my experience, until the actual beginning of the semester.

In my experience, adjuncts are usually scheduled as soon as possible. But the actual contracts don't get sent out until around the start of the semester.

OK, fair enough. But how common is it for courses to be cancelled at the last minute? Is that the same across departments? And, for courses where there are a lot of sections which may be cancelled, is there typically a pecking order of whose sections will get cancelled first, and do people know where they are in the pecking order?

My guess is that some courses or sections are way more secure than others in practice, even if technically nothing is final until shortly before (or possibly even after) classes start. (I have occasionally seen very low enrollment lab sections cancelled after classes start, for instance. But usually there is a very specific number of students needed for a course or section to run, and the enrollment can be checked, so the closer the deadline gets the more probable it is that the course runs (if the numbers are high enough) or doesn't (if they aren't). )

In other words, in my experience, it's far from random.

Admin told me that she needs to have at least 12 students registered in order to open a course.

[the_geneticist]

Why are you still hoping/trying to get a job at a place you clearly hate teaching students you despise?  This school owes you nothing and you owe them nothing.
The pandemic is a great excuse to have a "resume gap" where you find a new path.  I know that you have a lot tied up in your vision of yourself as a educator.  Would it help to picture yourself as a designer/inventor/scientist?
Unless what you really want is to be miserable and have semi-anonymous folks on the internet talk with you, it's time for a serious change in career.

[Aster]

Adjuncts are usually hired as soon as the need arises.  Department chairs can usually predict what their departments will need and tentatively assign classes but contracts are not signed, in my experience, until the actual beginning of the semester.

In my experience, adjuncts are usually scheduled as soon as possible. But the actual contracts don't get sent out until around the start of the semester.

Yes, that's how it works at my institution. None of our adjuncts get an actual course contract until after Add/Drop and there is confirmation that their assigned course will make. Gig Economy.

[onehappyunicorn]

Adjuncts are usually hired as soon as the need arises.  Department chairs can usually predict what their departments will need and tentatively assign classes but contracts are not signed, in my experience, until the actual beginning of the semester.

In my experience, adjuncts are usually scheduled as soon as possible. But the actual contracts don't get sent out until around the start of the semester.

Yes, that's how it works at my institution. None of our adjuncts get an actual course contract until after Add/Drop and there is confirmation that their assigned course will make. Gig Economy.

Wish it was different, I worked as an adjunct for three years before landing a full-time. I do my best to have a lot of course content for adjuncts to work with so they don't have to spend so much time building a course but there isn't a whole lot else I can do.
As to unions it is illegal in my state for employers and their employees to sign a legally-enforceable collective bargaining agreement.

[mahagonny]

I've had to offer contracts at the last minute many times. The reasons vary. Sometimes the scheduled faculty member became ill and was unexpectedly unable to teach and we had to find someone to take over. Sometimes far more students needed to enroll than anticipated, and we had to open another section. Another time a faculty member suddenly resigned and we needed to cover their courses.

It's not poor planning. Things happen, and you have to pivot.

Wow, but, other than that, the written contracts are signed and processed before the beginning of the semester? That would be a job security improvement over what I have experienced.

[marshwiggle]

I've had to offer contracts at the last minute many times. The reasons vary. Sometimes the scheduled faculty member became ill and was unexpectedly unable to teach and we had to find someone to take over. Sometimes far more students needed to enroll than anticipated, and we had to open another section. Another time a faculty member suddenly resigned and we needed to cover their courses.

It's not poor planning. Things happen, and you have to pivot.

Wow, but, other than that, the written contracts are signed and processed before the beginning of the semester? That would be a job security improvement over what I have experienced.

I signed the contracts for the courses I'm teaching in January a few weeks ago.