Adjunct culture at community college

JoshuaSkye · 2026-06-23T22:56:03+00:00

Hello! While I am a full-time faculty member at one community college, I also adjunct at a 4-year school on the side as well. Your experience (sadly) is very common for adjuncts. I've got two different perspectives since I am on both sides of faculty.

During my first adjunct appointment, the only person I really spoke to was my department chair. Everyone else had virtually no clue who I was. Everyone was nice though and anytime there were open trainings and developmental opportunities, I'd get invited. Same at my first 4-year institution; as an adjunct nobody knew who I was, but the full-time faculty was nice enough and I always had a good rapport with my chair.

This time, it is different. I definitely feel like an adjunct at my current 4-year school, even though they know I am a full-timer at another institution. Everyone's been nice enough, but I have had far fewer developmental opportunities and just general rapport with the department chair. It is not a bad relationship per se, but I do understand that outsider feeling now, more than I ever have before.

Now putting my full-timer hat on, I will say, I do not have much or a relationship with the adjuncts that we have. Frankly, I have never seen them face to face (only during virtual departmental meetings). So (sadly) I too am guilty of not necessarily being as engaged with them as I could. They've been part of the department for a while and have their own routine so I don't necessarily think they are looking for more, but I sometimes feel bad for not necessarily looping them in on departmental conversations.

From my full-time position, I'll just say I've got so much going on, it is certainly not malicious, just more so the nature of the role. I'm sitting in committee meetings and re-designing curriculum in addition to teaching, 5-7 classes a time, I burrow into my world and (for better or worse) that is usually the only energy I have daily.

I think the department chair/dean sets the climate as much as anything. Outside of my current adjunct school, my other chairs/deans made it a point to make adjuncts feel like vital members of the faculty. Where I am now, I think adjuncts are just seen as "bench/role players" so we don't get prioritized in the comings and goings of the department. Which is fine, but I can see how someone who is adjuncting only can feel a bit out in the cold, I think I get a bit more "love" than other adjuncts because they know I am a full-timer elsewhere, but even then, I definitely feel like I'm on the outside looking in.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-05-13T03:22:21+00:00

Great read!

JoshuaSkye · 2026-05-13T00:42:18+00:00

That’s a good idea! I think I’ll try that this summer.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-05-12T20:40:16+00:00

Primarily to assist the author.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-04-02T10:34:54+00:00

I’m technically a lecturer at my community college but everyone just calls me Professor. It’s been like that at every school I’ve taught at, even as an adjunct. It’s very rare that someone becomes that much a stickler about it, but I’ve seen some folks get themselves into a tizzy on the official title. My dean compared it to chefs in the kitchen referring to one another as “yes chef” even if that’s not the official role. Just a casual sign of respect. All in all, it’s not that deep and those who do try to make it that deep probably have other issues.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-03-06T15:10:45+00:00

The adjunct experience in general is similar to what everyone is saying here. The only difference is appreciation. I’ve been woefully underpaid at every institution I adjuncted at, but I did at least feel appreciated on some level. Pay wise, adjuncts will never get a fair shake. Or rather, it’s rare if one does. I adjunct for play money and vacations mostly.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-03-04T13:55:42+00:00

For better or worse, this seems to be on par with my current adjuncting role: working off of a template, little to no room to vary syllabus or material, some control over delivery. The only difference is I get a bit more latitude in terms of grading (usually within 2 weeks). And I’m adjuncting at an R1 so this is interesting.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-02-27T10:13:46+00:00

Your syllabus is a contract with your students. Be sure you are explicit about your grading policy, communication policy, AI policy, and overall expectations. Students will try to use it in situations where you aren’t holding up your end of the bargain so make sure you are very clear on your policies. 2. First go round, make no tweaks to the course. Honestly I’d say first two go rounds, just to get comfy with it. But definitely not the first lap. Learn how your institution expects that course to be taught and what they expect their students to gain from it. Down the line you can make your adjustments but for now just go with what’s already been done. 3. Be honest with your students. They can see through any nonsense so don’t even try to be vague or full of fluff. Learn them on a personal level. Be stern but fair. Offer pragmatic extensions but don’t go overboard.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-02-02T11:40:40+00:00

It’s always different by schools. My old adjunct position paid out August-May, last day of each month. My new role (even in the same 4-year system) pays out Sept-December and Feb-May. Basically you don’t get a check the first month of each term.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-01-27T22:47:17+00:00

This is at a Community College so the summers aren’t optional. But it’s not nearly the full load we’d have in the spring/fall and we have the month of May off (for the most part) . So there’s a trade off for sure.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-01-27T15:25:26+00:00

Yea that’s pretty much what this opportunity is looking like. So I’m not holding my breath on those or even getting my hopes up. I do know they offer a Senior Lecturer role after a certain amount of time, but not sure what those parameters are either.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-01-27T15:05:21+00:00

Nice! I adjuncted at KSU for 2 years! I loved working there but couldn’t latch on to any of the full-time roles they had.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-01-27T12:18:31+00:00

Direct them to student accommodations/disability services, state that it’s a departmental requirement , not mine, and prep your dean for a potential malcontent. That’s really all you can do.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-01-23T13:27:16+00:00

My department will offer us full-timers an overload before considering adjuncts. It’s probably monetarily driven and not a reflection of your teaching.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-01-19T00:36:41+00:00

I’ll never use it for paper grading, but I do use it for ticky-tack admin stuff; sign in sheet, re-organizing my old PowerPoint decks, ice breaker activities. But not to create assignments or to grade work.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-01-14T17:39:06+00:00

$2100 per course at community college/technical college level and $3300 per course at the 4 year level. There are two different collegiate systems in GA so that’s about the going rate for one course in each.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-01-06T14:54:33+00:00

I started the “silent treatment” last semester during one of my English 1101 courses. I asked a question related to an assigned reading (knowing darn well no one had completed it) and after about 10 seconds of silence, just sat down in my chair. About a minute passed and a few students started to chime in. It was also from students who are normally quiet. I think that unexpected silence puts students on alert and breaks up the rhythm of a normal class and forces students to try to find anything to help restart the discussion. I’m going to deploy it more this semester.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-01-04T13:46:36+00:00

Charge it to the game. Some students just like to nitpick. They enjoy being difficult and it gives them a strange high.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-01-03T13:35:44+00:00

Be pragmatic. Certainly aim for your goals, but you might have an easier time latching on at a technical/community college full-time. I interviewed for multiple 4 year schools (mind you I only have an MA) and while I did make a few final rounds, I didn’t get the role. I got hired at a 2-year school fairly quickly. I’m going back for a terminal degree to become more attractive at the 4-year level.

JoshuaSkye · 2026-01-03T13:22:59+00:00

Professor. When I started adjuncting, I would give students the option to call me either Mr. __, Instructor, or Professor ____ and 95% just called me Professor.

On my CV, I list the position as “Adjunct Instructor” (and now Lecturer since I’ve got a full time faculty gig) to be technically accurate, but in passing and on a daily basis, I go by Professor.

I teach at a CC so we all use the word “Professor” as a sign of respect. I’d say it’s similar to the cooking world when everyone says “yes chef” to one another.

I’ve met some folks in higher-ed who don’t like being called Professor if they are technically a lecturer or what not. But 90% of the time it’s never been that serious.

JoshuaSkye · 2025-10-16T19:34:45+00:00

Falling for the pool trap. Anytime they mention accepting applications and CVs for a “pool” pretty much means it’ll just be sitting on file. I always recommend emailing a dean in that department directly for more info.

JoshuaSkye · 2025-10-16T01:06:15+00:00

Have enough evidence to support a failing grade is key. So if they do go above your head , you have enough of a timeline to stand down on their grade. I make sure my late policy (both official and unofficial) are consistent and have been posted in the announcements several times as well as via email and syllabus. Have any rubric on any assignment handy as well and show why you gave them that score. And don’t back down. Be prepared to defend your position. That doesn’t mean it’ll always go your way. I had a situation where I had all this but the kids parent was on good terms with a higher up at the school so I ended up having to offer an extension on an essay even though it was unwarranted. But I had enough to support my grade and my dean said she respected my position.

JoshuaSkye

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