Check out the 8/21/15 Modesto Bee commentary "Colleges exploit, underpay adjunct teachers". Recently I learned that universities and colleges have been siphoning money that should go toward supporting their teaching staff to bloated ever-expanding upper management numbers and salary increases and building "eye candy" gyms, lavish buildings even dorms for the 1% (apparently so they can minimize contact with the riff-raff) at the expense of student educations and instructor livelihoods.
Very recently public and private institutions went from 20-25% adjuncts (many of whom went on to be hired as full time instructors) to 75-80% adjuncts. These people paid thousands in obtaining MAs or Ph. D.s to pursue their dream of becoming college or university teachers. They are now relegated to extremely low wage temporary positions with no benefits, workers rights or path to full-time tenured positions. Most hopping from school to school as they try desperately to provide the best classes they can and some student time. Some have actually had to live in their cars, get food stamps, and Medicaid (Medical). This parctice should be ILLEGAL adjuncts should be capped at 20% with fair wages and workers rights.
These institutions are completely ignoring their primary mission TEACHING in favor of get rich schemes and enticements to new students who pay their ever increasing tuitions, some of whom will be caught in the same trap if they want to become professors. These graduates are left with massive debt and their gifts as teachers are completely wasted.
