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Tuesday, March 03, 2015

Free parking should not be a pass to pay adjuncts ridiculously low wages

I’m an adjunct faculty member at the University of New Hampshire at Manchester. Because there are so many adjuncts, I am a member of one of the majority populations on our campus. As such, I enjoy the following benefits:
  • Free Parking
While I enjoy my benefit of free parking, it is

not the only reason I teach. As an instructor here since January 2004, I teach because:
  • I enjoy working with the curious, creative, and dedicated UNH students
  • I appreciate watching as my students grasp what I am sharing with them
  • I treasure the many opportunities to celebrate the successes of my students
But I am exhausted by years of neglect from a system that does not value my service. Therefore, in addition to the free parking--or in exchange for that golden ticket--I would like to see:
  • Equal pay for my work, acknowledging my experience, education, and dedication to the same degree as my tenured associates
  • Health benefits
  • Education benefits
  • Retirement benefits
  • Multi-semester contracts
  • An office, even if shared, with privacy and storage space
  • A way to easily communicate with my adjunct colleagues
I know it’s a shock that I would give up my free parking for all of the benefits that usually accompany a profession, but that’s the sacrifice I’m willing to make.

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