Pulling Back the Carpet on the Non-Tenure Track Faculty Experience: Perceptions of Support in Postsecondary Education

Abstract

This dissertation explores the perceptions of part-time and full-time non-tenure track (NTT) faculty at a Midwestern university with a focus on teaching. As NTT faculty are increasingly utilized to instruct a majority of the undergraduate courses in U.S. postsecondary education understanding their experience is essential to their integration into the institutions they represent. Little is known about the perceptions of NTTs regarding their views of preparedness and support to fulfill the expectations of their positions. This dissertation uses a qualitative grounded theory design to give voice to this new majority and in turn, provides insight to assist university campuses in developing and retaining NTT faculty. This study provides a holistic view of the experiences of both full and part-time NTT faculty from three distinct departments and includes perspectives from administrators, union representatives, and faculty developers. The findings not only affirm what is currently known in the literature but also provide new insight into the world of NTT faculty. The author argues that universities must consider a new model to support the changed professoriate, one with collaboration and support for and with both professional NTT and TT faculty.