Parity pay — compensation for part-time faculty commensurate with that of our full-time colleagues for comparable work — is one of the defining goals of the movement for part-timer equity. Progress continues to be made, but in lean budgetary times salary schedule advancements may be more difficult to negotiate. 

Some unions are finding opportunities to increase part-time faculty compensation and involvement in college activities through ancillary pay programs. Especially as colleges are facing new levels of scrutiny and sanctioning, frequently linked to state- and federal-mandate compliance, administrators may be more willing to agree to fund part-time faculty participation in work beyond regular teaching-related duties, including program assessment, participation in shared governance, and other forms of what some deem “college service.”

As reported at a CFT Convention workshop, Glendale College continues to fund its 10-year-old Ancillary Activities program, offering stipends and hourly compensation for a variety of identified tasks that benefit the college but are not generally expected or compensated when performed by part-time faculty.

Julie Gamberg, presenter and Glendale English instructor, urged those considering establishing such programs to ensure that compensation be identified as not counting toward an instructor’s load, to lobby for inclusion of at least one part-time faculty member on any application selection committee, and to secure college-wide acceptance and promotion of the program. She suggested that the support of administrators and full-time faculty can contribute to robust participation.