Updated information about 3-year adjunct appointments

[Rowena Li]

From: Glenda G Grace 
Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2017 3:23 PM

Would it still be possible to approve for a 3-year contract those adjunct instructors who have qualified for a 2-year contract?  My departmental P&B is meeting to vote on their reappointment and we'll get the form to you as soon as possible thereafter.

 

We have been advised that the answer is no.  Those who have received a 2-year contract should be considered for a 3-year appointment next Spring (Spring 2018). If they receive the 3-year appointment, it will commence in 2018-19.

 

A comprehensive review must take into account the adjunct’s up-to-date work performance as well as an up-to-date assessment of the fiscal and programmatic needs of the department.  You will gain more information on both fronts next academic year.  This is consistent with how we appoint adjuncts; generally, adjunct re-appointments occur in the spring just proceeding the academic year, not a year earlier.

If your departments started the comprehensive reviews of adjuncts who have received a 2-year appointments, it will be helpful when a decision is made next Spring.

 

There are two adjuncts on my list who qualify for a 3-year appointment, but they have already received a 2-year appointment. Can you please clarify whether I need to complete the comprehensive review needed for the 3-year appointments for these 2 adjuncts?  Your memo says no action is needed this year.

 

Because their 3-year appointments wouldn’t start until 2018-19, you don’t have to do a comprehensive review for them this year.  Obviously, if you could do evaluations and classroom observations, that would be great and allowed according to the contract; the more information you have for next year’s review, the better.

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Below is the Frequently Asked Questions regarding Teaching Adjunct Evaluations and Observations which were distributed in the Fall.  Additionally, a link to FAQs regarding the 2-year and 3-year teaching adjunct appointments  is here at http://www.qc.cuny.edu/HR/Documents/Multi-Year%20Adjunct%20Appointment%20FAQs-102016.pdf.

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THREE-YEAR APPOINTMENTS FOR TEACHING ADJUNCTS

 

In addition to materials previously provided, please see below for further guidance

 

What timeline should I be focused on concerning 3-year appointments for teaching adjuncts?

Eligible adjuncts must be notified on or before May 15, 2017 concerning appointment or non-appointment for the 3-year period beginning Fall 2017.  Thus, any teaching observations and annual evaluations necessary to perform the comprehensive review should be scheduled as soon as possible.

 

Does the eligible adjunct apply to or request the department for consideration for 3-year appointment to initiate the review?

No, it is the College’s responsibility to identify adjuncts eligible for consideration of 3-year appointments.

 

Can the department ask the adjunct to prepare something like a form B?

No. There can be no requirement that adjuncts prepare additional materials for the comprehensive review.  Departments can, however, invite adjuncts to submit materials to supplement their existing files, for example:

•          An updated CV;

•          Course and curricular materials developed by an adjunct and used his/her in classes;

•          Written comments from student teaching evaluations.

 

The examples listed above are not exhaustive. 

 

Can the adjunct refuse consideration for a 3-year appointment and choose to stay on a 2-semester appointment schedule? 

No, there is no such election for adjuncts eligible for the 3-year appointment. 

 

What exactly is a comprehensive review?

The review will entail examining materials in the adjunct’s file that reflect his/her performance – such as annual evaluations, teaching observation reports and student evaluations, as well as other materials the adjunct may have submitted for consideration. Additionally, the fiscal and programmatic needs of the department and/or College shall be considered.   

 

Who will be appointed for a 3-year term?

Eligible adjuncts who receive the positive recommendation of their department P&B committee and of the college President, or his/her designee [e.g., Provost, Dean].  The recommendations shall be based on a comprehensive review of the adjunct’s performance (as indicated in annual evaluations, teaching observations, and student evaluations) and the fiscal and programmatic needs of the department and/or the College. 

 

What if the adjunct’s file contains limited material?

The College must still consider the adjunct for a 3-year appointment.

 

What if there are concerns with the adjunct’s performance?

In rare circumstances, if a department P&B committee determines that an eligible adjunct will not be reappointed to a 3-year appointment but could benefit from a 1-year appointment and additional guidance, the adjunct can be appointed to a 1-year appointment.  At the end of the 1-year appointment, the adjunct must be considered for a 3-year appointment. 

 

After an adjunct is appointed for 3 years, how many classes must they receive during this time?

During the 3-year appointment period, the adjunct shall be assigned a minimum of six (6) classroom contact hours in each Fall and Spring semester, but shall have no entitlement to a particular course(s) or schedule.  If a department is unable to offer an adjunct a minimum of six (6) classroom contact hours in a given semester, the department chair must offer the adjunct either: a) an academically appropriate non-teaching adjunct appointment in the current semester for an equivalent number of hours at the non-teaching rate: or b) an additional teaching assignment of the number of hours of the contact hour deficit within the following two semesters or summer session. 

 

What if the adjunct is non-reappointed?  Can they be rehired at a later point?

The goal of this pilot program is to create stability and predictability both for long-term adjuncts and departments.  If an adjunct is non-reappointed, there must be: a) concerns about the adjunct’s performance that could not be addressed with the “1-year appointment with guidance” option; or b) fiscal and programmatic needs of the department and/or the College that make a 3-year appointment impractical.  Unless there is a change in fiscal and programmatic needs of the department and/or College, it is not anticipated that any non-reappointed adjunct would be rehired.