Factors affecting part-time faculty job satisfaction in the Colorado community college system
Date
2009
Authors
Cashwell, Allison L. (Allison Lee), author
Gloeckner, Gene William, 1950-, advisor
Jacoby, Daniel, 1951-, advisor
Anderson, Sharon K., committee member
Miller, Jeffrey, committee member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
How do part-time faculty members in community colleges view their roles? Data from part-time faculty responses regarding their experiences in higher education vary. Valadez and Antony (2001) analyzed data from 6,811 part-time faculty collected from the National Center for Education Statistics’ (NCES) 1992-1993 National Survey of Postsecondary Faculty (NSOPF). They concluded two-year part-time faculty members are satisfied with their roles, but they are concerned with issues regarding salary, benefits, and long-term job security. Similar findings were published by Leslie and Gappa (2002). Other researchers, however, have found dissimilar results (Townsend and Hauss, 2002, Jacoby, 2005). The paradoxical findings from these surveys suggest there are unanswered questions regarding part-time faculty job satisfaction in community colleges. Are part-time faculty members satisfied with their roles in higher education? Using survey responses from part-time faculty teaching at the thirteen community colleges comprising the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), this study identified statistically significant factors associated with job satisfaction and proposed policy recommendations for improving part-time faculty job satisfaction. A total of 405 respondents (N= 405) answered the part-time faculty satisfaction survey to varying degrees of completion, for a survey response rate of approximately 12% of the total population of part-time faculty who taught in the CCCS during the 2008 calendar year. How do part-time faculty members in community colleges view their roles? Data from part-time faculty responses regarding their experiences in higher education vary. Valadez and Antony (2001) analyzed data from 6,811 part-time faculty collected from the National Center for Education Statistics’ (NCES) 1992-1993 National Survey of Postsecondary Faculty (NSOPF). They concluded two-year part-time faculty members are satisfied with their roles, but they are concerned with issues regarding salary, benefits, and long-term job security. Similar findings were published by Leslie and Gappa (2002). Other researchers, however, have found dissimilar results (Townsend and Hauss, 2002, Jacoby, 2005). The paradoxical findings from these surveys suggest there are unanswered questions regarding part-time faculty job satisfaction in community colleges. Are part-time faculty members satisfied with their roles in higher education? Using survey responses from part-time faculty teaching at the thirteen community colleges comprising the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), this study identified statistically significant factors associated with job satisfaction and proposed policy recommendations for improving part-time faculty job satisfaction. A total of 405 respondents (N= 405) answered the part-time faculty satisfaction survey to varying degrees of completion, for a survey response rate of approximately 12% of the total population of part-time faculty who taught in the CCCS during the 2008 calendar year. Satisfaction with Demands and Rewards, were found to be valid predictors of overall job satisfaction in this research. Recommendations for improving part-time faculty job satisfaction in the CCCS include increasing part-time faculty salaries, offering health insurance benefits, offering additional inexpensive benefits, establishing a seniority system, offering increased opportunities for online teaching, and offering annual teaching contracts.
Description
Department Head: Dale E. DeVoe.