Waiting to Become: Adjunct Faculty Experiences at Multi-Campus Community Colleges

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of adjunct faculty who aspire to full-time positions at multi-campus community colleges. A paucity of research on this topic revealed the need to examine the experiences of adjunct faculty working at multi-campus community colleges (Wolfe & Strange, 2003). The notion that adjunct faculty choose part-time teaching to earn extra money, give back to the community, or are retirees was not a reality (House Committee on Education and the Workforce Democratic Staff, 2014). Descriptive phenomenology was employed to conduct this study. Seven adjunct faculty members, two men and five women, were selected as research participants, utilizing a purposive sampling technique involving two multi-campus community colleges in the Midwest. Data gathered from 21 semi-structured interviews were analyzed to identify emergent themes. Ten distinct themes and two subthemes were discussed and contextualized within the literature. Implications for practice, policy, and future research were provided.