Exploring the lived experience of adjunct faculty members at a private religious institution

Abstract

Adjunct faculty members are an increasingly more significant percentage of instructors at institutions of higher learning. In addition to this rise, adjunct instructors have reported feelings of marginalization and disrespect from their full-time colleagues and their administrations. The following study represents an interpretive phenomenological analysis of the lived experience of adjunct faculty members at a private, religious institution. The study utilizes self-determination theory as its theoretical lens. Semi-structured interviews with various adjunct instructors identified themes associated with their feelings toward their marginalization and the lack of support structures. The interviews also demonstrated that the diversity of faculty member demographics produced equally diverse experiences. Recommendations from this study include the institution of equitable policies recorded in an adjunct faculty member handbook, production of an adjunct faculty member advancement structure, and professional development opportunities. Future research in the areas of STEM adjunct faculty members, the interaction of full-time and adjunct faculty members, and how adjunct faculty members experience employment across multiple universities would contribute significantly to the understanding of this critical instructional force.--Author's abstract