Q:  In the past 20 years, American colleges and universities have come to rely more and more on part-time, or adjunct faculties, to teach courses. Why has this trend occurred?

A:  Essentially, this trend has occurred because of uncertain funding conditions and rapid growth in higher education. Major changes in the workforce and in workforce needs also have added to the need for universities to reassess and in some cases restructure faculty employment. But there is no one "right" balance for all universities. As our AASCU team concluded in its report, individual institutions need to determine the appropriate mix of faculty positions and categories of employment based on the institution's mission, the educational benefits of a particular balance, and the institution's financial resources. This mix could vary across units within a single institution.

Q:  Has the increased use of adjuncts to teach students affected the overall quality of classroom instruction?

A:  I don't believe that it has. Many part-time faculty, adjunct professors, and lecturers bring tremendous real-life and industry experience to the classroom. They bring expertise that would be difficult or economically impossible for the university to duplicate through tenure-track appointments. Plus, they allow the university flexibility in the scheduling of class sections. 
When I studied at George Washington University in Washington D.C., I took a class from an adjunct professor who was a Deputy Secretary of Defense in charge of all Defense Department schools. The perspective he brought to the classroom and to the issues we were studying was invaluable. I believe that our adjunct and other part-time professors truly complement the important work that our full-time, tenure-track faculty are doing.