Temporary Faculty
While the contract uses the term “temporary faculty,” APSCUF endeavors to use “adjunct faculty” where possible. This term was chosen in response to a 2013 survey of temporary faculty in which respondents identified “adjunct” as their preferred title. We know every term has its own set of positive and negative associations. Our intent was to honor the majority preference.
The Adjunct Update, a newsletter exclusively for our adjunct members, publishes occasionally via email. Click here (login required) to view past editions of the newsletter.
APSCUF believes that all faculty members at the state-owned universities deliver quality education to their students and deserve fair and equitable treatment. Non-tenure-track faculty members in the State System are guaranteed certain benefits as defined by the collective bargaining agreement, such as the right to the grievance procedure, sick days, personal days, and health and welfare benefits. We encourage non-tenure-track faculty to get involved in APSCUF. To learn more about the organization, talk to your local chapter president.
See our checklist for questions that every adjunct faculty (contractually referred to as temporary faculty) member should ask.
Articles 11.G and 11.H of the collective bargaining agreement discuss the conversion of adjunct faculty positions to tenure-track status. This document outlines the guidelines for the implementation of that process.
Click here to read the 2013 resolution on temporary faculty and the Affordable Care Act.
Click here to download the Campaign for Future Higher Education report focusing on adjunct faculty. To read APSCUF’s brief report summary, see our Research and Fact Sheets page or click here.
Know Your Contract
The information below specifies sections of the 2023-27 faculty contract that include language directly relating to adjunct faculty members. To view the contracts, visit the Contract page. From there, you can download the contract or search/browse the PDF.
- Definition of Temporary Faculty (page 2, see “NON-TENURE TRACK FACULTY”)
- The Grievance Procedure (Article 5, pages 5-9)
- The cap on Part-time Temporary Faculty (Article 11.F., page 24)
- Temporary Faculty Conversion Rights (Article 11.G. and 11.H., pages 24–26)
- Evaluation of Temporary Faculty Members (Article 12.H., page 37)
- Application of Time Spent in Temporary Service to Probationary Period (Article 15.B., page 45)
- Sick Leave Accrual for Temporary Faculty Members in Semester/Academic Year (Article 17.A.1.d., page 53)
- Sick Leave Usage for Temporary Faculty Members in Summer (Article 17.B.5.d., page 53)
- Sick Leave Bank (Article 17.C., page 55. (See also Sick Leave Bank Policy and Procedures at your local APSCUF office.)
- Health Care Benefits (Article 21, pages 67-75)
- Retrenchment Order (Article 29, page 107)
- Temporary Faculty Teaching at Other Locations (Article 40.B, page 126)
- Seniority Credit for Temporary Service (Appendix B pages 148-149)
Resources for Adjunct Faculty
Click here to download APSCUF’s guide for adjunct faculty. (login required)
Click here to download Article 11 flowcharts.
Click here to download the adjuncts’ sick-and-personal-leave memo.
Click here to read the 2013 resolution on temporary faculty and the Affordable Care Act.
Click here to download the Campaign for Future Higher Education report focusing on adjunct faculty. To read APSCUF’s brief report summary, see our Research and Fact Sheets page or click here.
The Association for Union Democracy (AUD): AUD is a pro-labor, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the principles and practices of democratic trade unionism in North American labor movement. See more at https://uniondemocracy.org
Coalition of Contingent Academic Labor (COCAL): COCAL is a coalition of higher education activists united in working to improve working conditions at colleges and universities for contingent faculty, including adjunct, part-time, and nontenure-track instructors, and graduate teaching assistants. See more at http://cocalinternational.org
Member Services
Don't miss any of your member benefits! Click here to visit a summary of the benefits of your APSCUF membership.