Exploring Academic Freedom and Social Justice for Contingent Faculty in Non-Bargaining States

1. Academic Freedom, Contingent Faculty, & Social Rectitude D. Austin Bingler

2. Introduction • Contingent faculty: between⅔ and ¾of instructional faculty. • Successful completion of collective bargaining • The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines academic freedom as, “freedom to teach or learn without interference (as by government officials),” • (“Academic Freedom,” 2011). Image source: http://www.aaup.org/NR/rdonlyres/ 5E1E3105-97D4-49F3-8C00-A3A231F32A2E/0/Redbookcover.jpg

3. Research Gap • What about contingent faculty in states that do not allow collective bargaining? • Qualitative research is not abundant when it comes to the 5 states that do not allow collective bargaining. Image source: http://www.nctq.org/tr3/scope/

4. Research Questions • How do contingent faculty members at a mid-sized Virginia public university, who are also subject to a prohibition on collective bargaining, feel regarding their personal and professional academic freedom? • Do the contingent faculty members at a mid-sized Virginia public university, who are also subject to a prohibition on collective bargaining, feel their position and treatment within a public institution is socially unjust? Image source: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4DGbC4uKJ9I/S4aXE7gymfI/ AAAAAAAAMZc/aPqXmZ8Ugzw/s400/blackboard.jpg

5. Significance • Expand current knowledge base on contingent faculty in collective bargaining prohibited states. • Give rise to more resources for contingent faculty in collective bargaining prohibited states. • Raise awareness of the issues surrounding contingent faculty in collective bargaining prohibited states. Image source: http://www.learning3pointzero.com/ wp-content/uploads/2011/06/knowledge_is_power.jpg

6. Literature Review • Academic Freedom • Historic threats • Current threats • Contingent Faculty • Development of the majority • The majority at present • Collective Bargaining & Social Rectitude • Collective bargaining outside VA, NC, SC, GA, & TX • CA Specifically • Steps towards social rectitude Image source: http://img.ehowcdn.com/article-page-main/ehow/ images/a07/bj/f3/critically-read-journal-research-article-800x800.jpg

7. Conceptual Framework Conflict Theory

8. Data Collection • Data will be collected through an anonymous, online survey tool, qualtrics. • Email with survey link will be sent to entire campus, since contingent faculty span many different contexts. Image source: http://events.sifma.org/uploadedImages/Qualtrics.gif

9. Proposed data analysis • NVIVO 9 will be used to analyze themes in the qualitative data collected. • NVIVO 9 helps to identify thematic data and show connections which may otherwise be lost through general qualitative analysis. • Quantitative data will be analyzed through the provided tools in qualtrics. Image source: http://wsnet.colostate.edu/cwis13/product_images/nvivo.jpeg

10. Expected results • Results are expected to show themes of frustration and under-representation. • Also desires for the formation of on-campus and off campus groups to advocate for the desires and needs of contingent faculty members.

11. Contribution to field • Contribute to the research gap that exists pertaining to contingent faculty in states that prohibit collective bargaining. • Important because: • Non-existent information regarding contingent faculty members collective bargaining prohibited states. • Connecting those in collective bargaining states with those who are not. Image source: http://www.idg.a-star.edu.sg/docs/homebanner.jpg

12. limitations • Limited to one state. • Non-willingness to respond due to status. • Time & Funding. • Generally not a popular issue. • Current economic issues. Image source: http://dissertation.laerd.com/images/main-image.jpeg

13. Timeline

14. Contingency Plan • If there are not enough respondents from JMU, I plan to also survey EMU and BC. • If the second two still do not provide enough respondents I plan to expand to UMW and VCU. Image source: http://maps.google.com