As college enrollment grows across the country, more and more classes are being taught by instructors who aren't tenured or on the tenure track.
In English departments, just 41 percent of undergraduate class sections were taught by tenured and tenure-track faculty members in fall 2006, a significant drop from the 61 percent in 1996-97, according to a report released this week by the Modern Language Association and its Association of Departments of English.
"More students are going to college than ever before, but their experience may be very different from that of students just one generation ago," said Rosemary Feal, language association executive director.
This doesn't mean students have bad teachers; nor does it mean the organization wants to get rid of all non-tenured faculty.
But the group said the change in balance does have significant effects on students and teachers.
Students may have fewer chances to be mentored or get to know faculty who can write references for graduate and professional schools. Fewer faculty may be available to guide them in undergraduate research.
The non-tenured teachers may be less likely to have the opportunity to keep up-to-date with colleagues, research and conferences. They may be paid substantially less and have to cobble together jobs at several colleges to make a living. They may not have long-term contracts and may lack continuity.
"We think what is unique about American higher education is being compromised in the process," Feal said.
University of Pittsburgh English professor David Bartholomae, who chaired the committee that worked on the report, said, "We found very few of the tenure-track faculty are teaching courses to first- and second-year students. There simply aren't enough of these teachers, researchers to go around. This we believe is a loss for everyone concerned."
The report recommends increasing the portion of tenured and tenure-track faculty so that they teach at least 45 percent of undergraduate course sections in doctorate-granting institutions, 55 percent in master's institutions and 70 percent in baccalaureate schools.
Eleanor Chute can be reached at echute(at)post-gazette.com. For more stories visit scrippsnews.com
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