The impact of collective bargaining on part-time higher education faculty

The purpose of this study is to increase what is known about higher education collective bargaining provisions that impact on part-time faculty. In addition, the study explores whether these contract provisions result in flexible personnel policies and procedures which are responsive to the differences among part-time higher education faculty. The study involves a content analysis of 1988 higher education collective bargaining agreements, using a modified Ikenberry coding instrument. The analysis was conducted in two phases. First, all 1988 higher education collective bargaining agreements (453) were reviewed to determine the total number of agreements that include part-time faculty in the recognition statement. In the second phase 190 of the 205 agreements including part-time faculty were content analyzed for information on employment conditions, personnel policies, access to facilities, compensation, and fringe benefits. Data collected from 1988 higher education contracts was compared to data collected by Ikenberry on 1977 higher education contracts. Also, data on 1988 contracts with part-time only units was compared to 1988 contracts with part-time/full-time units. Changes in 1988 contracts, when compared to 1977 contracts, were toward providing part-time faculty with temporary employment only and developing provisions which result in policies and procedures which are different for part-time faculty than they are for full-time faculty. Generally, 1988 contracts with part-time/full-time units were found to be more suitable for the person who depends on his part-time position for the necessities of life and can commit to not only teaching but also other faculty duties. 1988 contracts with part-time only units appear to be more suitable to the person who has a full-time commitment elsewhere and therefore does not need fringe benefits and is unable to contribute to the college beyond teaching and holding office hours. The analysis also showed that although there is no one contract that uses the different characteristics of part-time faculty as an overall guiding principle for developing provisions, there are many contracts across the country which have provisions which are different for those part-time faculty who wish to invest themselves thoroughly in their college work rather than teach as an avocation