Job Discussion Forums

[kona]

Not their lack of posture, but their lack of presence. Been applying to a lot of adjunct positions at community colleges in the greater Seattle area, and have not received a single response back. I may just have a resume and cover letter that's not ticking the right boxes; however, I am a little surprised I haven't heard back from anyone except some local language institutes (they said they may have some substitute work later).

The people that I did talk to at the language institutes say that student numbers are down, especially from Saudi Arabia. I remember when I did my Masters at Central Washington University, about two hours outside Seattle, that there were A LOT of Saudi students, so I'm sure more rural universities have been hurt by the low oil prices and the subsequent downturn in scholarships to go overseas, but I thought Seattle would be shielded from those fluctuations because of their heavier exposure to Asia...

I have an MA TESOL, 3-4 years experience (if you count a 6 month stint in Mexico and my practicum), and two of those years were at a university in Korea.

What's been your experience folks? Again, I think it could be something I'm doing wrong, but maybe it's just rough for ESL teachers in the US these days? How're you all fairing, and any advice for the aspiring adjunct?

[nomad soul]

[peripatetic_soul]

Hi,
NS's assessment of the current job situation is accurate. Some of our new adjuncts had lost their positions at other institutions due to precipitous decline of international students. Fortunately, our ESL program has not been as "limpy" as regular academic programs. How long it will remain robust is an unknown. Also, FT faculty/staff received the news that there will be no raise as anticipated. Positions of tenured faculty and full-time admins who have retired will remain vacant.

As NS will agree, networking and making connections is one of the best ways to be considered a top candidate. Most of our new adjuncts have been referred by other colleagues. One young man actually dropped in impromptu with c.v. and supporting dox in hand and was hired. Maybe you could try that approach. Good luck!

PS

[mitsui]

More positions are part-time and schools have pool positions.
So I decided to get certified in Washington but even high school teaching is harder to get.

Some grads get work at CWU, but it depends.

[uh huh]

I was working at an IEC in Virginia, and enrollment is way down. A former colleague, who has the most seniority as an adjunct, went from 24 hours to about seven this term; none of the other adjuncts got work. In addition to the drop in the number of Saudis, we lost many Chinese students (our largest population).

[slapntickle]

[nomad soul]

Even the Saudis are getting a taste of adjunct work in their home country:

Universities hire part-time staff ‘to evade Saudization’
Arab News | 29 August 2016
Source: http://www.arabnews.com/node/977006/saudi-arabia

TAIF: A number of universities have reportedly resorted to hiring part-time Saudi staff with higher degrees, using the pay-by-hour system to avoid permanent employment. This practice was started after some Saudi universities were criticized for recruiting non-Saudi teachers and ignoring the nationalization plan, local media reported on Sunday.

An academic working for a university said Saudis hired without a contract can be sacked any time, and have to work according to a schedule that has been prepared by the university. “He doesn’t have any idea about the financial reward, which is determined by the contractors; payments are sometimes delayed and paid at the end of the semester.”

He said that as a part-time professor, he is prevented from attending college and department meetings and he is provided with information through the foreign contractor. “The norms are often ignored and part-time lecturers are met with impossible terms if they seek a permanent job. They are often convinced to continue working as part timers and threatened with dismissal at any time.”

He said that students know the lecturer is a part time staff, which means he is a third grade employee, and is often subjected to complaints as well as academic blackmail, such as increasing the grades of students and approving the use of books written by some faculty members to be taught to the students. "Part-time lecturers have no right to ask for leave under any circumstances or any other benefits,” he added.

(End of article)

[kona]