tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7529404967931486987.post7030996056212266918..comments2011-04-01T21:13:05.944-04:00Comments on The Illuminator: On Bastille Day, I Sing of Olaf, Glad and BigEditorial Juntahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14455786823397267429noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7529404967931486987.post-53813955701350014402009-07-19T18:53:42.747-04:002009-07-19T18:53:42.747-04:00The problem with the adjunct faculty is not the ad...The problem with the adjunct faculty is not the adjunct faculty. Their work is fine (see Jan's comments above). <br /><br />The problem with adjunct faculty is the college's chronic and long-standing over-reliance on adjunct faculty to teach as much as 70% of the classes. That this situation has not been remedied in the last 20 years is a huge failing on the part of Yowell and his self-involved administration.<br /><br />Failure to correct this imbalance means that Edison has failed to fully develop the college's full-time faculty component. Full-time faculty are the backbone of the college's academic function, with responsibilities that go far beyond the classrooms. <br /><br />Under-appreciated and underpaid, Edison adjuncts are used by Yowell as somewhat of a disposable convenience, serving mainly (in Yowell's little world) as a source of inexpensive labor. But rather than hire more full-time faculty, Yowell and his strategeric cadre have generated an incredibly disproportionate number of administrative positions. Positions, we should note, which do not produce more students or more credits taught, or for that matter, more revenue. It is one of Yowell's greatest failings, and the one which Edison can least afford to continue.<br /><br />So, it's not the adjuncts that are the problem, it's how they are used. And "used" is the word.<br /><br /><br />Different subject. Vivian, I get a bit exercised myself at your suggestion that we stop talking about all the people who have left, in some sort of deference to those who remain. <br /><br />Hey, the good people who are hanging on for a better day know they are good. They suffer, as the college and it's students do, for those who are lost to other colleges, or careers, or who prematurely proceed into retirement. <br /><br />I think it is very important that we chronicle those who leave the college, and do it each and every time it happens. The losses are great, and stand to become much greater as long as Yowell remains as president, and his cronies at the helm. <br /><br />We can only hope that those who control the destiny of the college will realize the damage that is being done. Edison is being crushed by the weight of this administration, and the Board of Trustees which blindly supports him at every turn.<br /><br />So, yes, every time another fine colleague leaves, I hope we publicly acknowledge the work that person accomplished, and the loss of talent that may never be replaced. <br /><br />Tomorrow, the nation celebrates the 40th anniversary of putting a man on the moon. Proves nothing is impossible. <br /><br />tick tick<br /><br />Nothing is impossible. Nothing.<br /><br />--CTGChancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06551187794769392184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7529404967931486987.post-77118100686084483992009-07-18T09:24:13.228-04:002009-07-18T09:24:13.228-04:00Thank you, MacPhellimey! I was beginning to wonde...Thank you, MacPhellimey! I was beginning to wonder what I was missing here. I haven't read any denigrating remarks about adjunts, only the sad ratio between Edison's full time and adjunct faculty. Even adjuncts have an easier time of it when there are enough full time faculty in place to keep programs running and departments focused on their goals.Still Taking Noteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08904394787442322822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7529404967931486987.post-61045824372781599682009-07-17T15:29:22.758-04:002009-07-17T15:29:22.758-04:00Who is denigrating adjuncts? I see no mention of a...Who is denigrating adjuncts? I see no mention of adjuncts in this post.T.P. MacPhellimeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17895082747946421521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7529404967931486987.post-76423336975553756242009-07-17T15:27:15.726-04:002009-07-17T15:27:15.726-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.T.P. MacPhellimeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17895082747946421521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7529404967931486987.post-76764635940778305242009-07-17T15:04:35.077-04:002009-07-17T15:04:35.077-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05134286478962758788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7529404967931486987.post-58306592344817170042009-07-16T15:14:03.933-04:002009-07-16T15:14:03.933-04:00While I will concede that we do sometimes have adj...While I will concede that we do sometimes have adjuncts who do not meet our expectations, they usually are not around for long. I would echo Vivian's plea about denigrating remarks directed at adjuncts, not just because I am also one of those (and have been since 1982), but because we do have a large number of very dedicated and highly qualified adjuncts who teach for us. They would love to be among the ranks of full-time faculty and they deserve to be. I am not sure that students care if the teacher is a full-time faculty member or an adjunct -- they just want a good teacher.<br /><br />I would remind people that Steve Marlowe came to us as an adjunct and took on the teaching assignments previously assigned to Holly Hahn, another gifted adjunct who worked full-time hours. Larry worked as an adjunct for us for years while holding his full-time job at Friendly's. Whether they were full time or adjunct made no difference -- they worked hard to provide our students with the best education possible.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12441620341431148496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7529404967931486987.post-76562003336783483622009-07-15T14:01:42.146-04:002009-07-15T14:01:42.146-04:00I think it's time to stop talking/writing abou...I think it's time to stop talking/writing about all the important employees who are leaving Edison. How do writers think that makes those who are not leaving feel about the way in which their competence is being assessed?<br /><br />And on another note -- and I had planned to stay out of this -- please consider leaving the adjuncts alone in terms of denigrating remarks.<br /><br />And, yes, I continue to support, as I always have, First Amendment rights, and I've just exercised mine. Vivian B. BlevinsEdison Humanities through the Artshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16652593775612149229noreply@blogger.com