Fall 2000
Vol 9 Issue 1

IN THIS ISSUE...

A New Millennium

Spotlight on Adjunct Faculty

A Conversation with Anna Solley

Stranger Things Have Happened

Professional Development for Adjuncts

Adjunct Faculty Collegial Support Partnership Program

Rio Salado College Model for Adjunct Faculty

Devil's in the Details

Building a Web of Inclusion

ASSIDERE

Adjunct Faculty Involvement in Student Outcomes Assessment

SEE ALSO...
The Labyrinth

A Conversation with Dr. Anna Solley
Maria Harper-Marinick, MCLI

MHM:	As you have been settling into your new role as Vice-Chancellor, you've advocated the importance of professional growth opportunities for all faculty, residential and adjunct.
AS:	Yes, I believe that all Maricopa faculty, regardless of rank, have the same responsibility to create an environment conducive to learning for our students. Our students should not be aware if their instructors are teaching full time or part time. The quality of instruction should not be dependent on employment status. Many adjunct faculty come to Maricopa with vast experience and knowledge in their fields; however, this may be their first teaching experience and they may not know much about teaching approaches and methodologies. We need to make sure they have access to a menu of professional development opportunities.
MHM:	What Maricopa initiatives would you include in that menu?
AS:	I support professional development for all faculty via: Faculty Dialogue Days, which are a great avenue for collegial interaction, as faculty from the Maricopa colleges and from a variety of disciplines come together to share ideas and best practices. Learning Grants, which provide an opportunity for adjunct and residential faculty to explore ideas, experiment, and integrate innovations. Workshops, seminars, conferences on a variety of teaching methods and uses of technology. Peer mentor programs that provide opportunity for interdisciplinary collaborations and reflections about college culture.
MHM:	What role do you see the MCLI playing?
AS:	The MCLI should serve as support and resource network for all faculty. Again, it is important for all faculty to be served, residential and adjunct.
MHM:	Have you observed national trends in higher education that will specifically affect adjunct faculty? If so, do those trends have different implications for residential faculty?
AS:	One trend regarding adjunct faculty seems to be the importance of promoting and supporting induction into the college culture. Adjunct faculty need to feel part of the institution and need to be engaged in college life so they become connected with the rest of the institution. They need to be encouraged to participate in professional development opportunities, orientations, curriculum development activities, assessment processes, academic planning, department meetings and other college-wide efforts . They also need access to technology and the Internet, to office and meeting space, and other resources. Another trend is the recognition that adjunct play an important role in the education and lives of our students, as do residential faculty. It has been said that students remember faculty more than they remember anything else about their college experience. That is why we have to ensure that regardless of who is doing the teaching, it reflects effective practices and results in enhanced student learning. To that end, we need to provide meaningful and effective faculty development programs to all faculty that go beyond the single, isolated event. Our faculty development plans should consistently offer diverse activities over a period of time for a variety of purposes, from orientation to the college to teaching and learning methodologies to integration of emerging technologies into the curriculum.