The Future of Faculty: Rethinking
Tenure in an Age of Adjunct
Prevalence by Fred DuVal
Fred DuVal recommends that as the role of adjunct faculty continues to expand across higher education, the traditional notion of tenure is being tested For decades, tenure has been regarded as a safeguard for academic freedom, offering professors long-term job security and the independence to teach and research without the pressure of short-term contracts However, with adjuncts now making up a majority of teaching staff at many universities, it’s time to reassess what tenure should look like in the modern academic environment.
The rapid rise of adjunct faculty has primarily been driven by financial pressures facing institutions of higher learning With tight budgets, many colleges and universities have turned to adjuncts to fill teaching positions at a fraction of the cost of hiring full-time, tenured professors While this strategy may be financially sound for schools, it has left many adjuncts without the benefits of job security, professional support, or the opportunity to engage in meaningful academic research. In many cases, adjuncts are compensated poorly, working on multiple contracts across various institutions without a stable or predictable workload
This growing reliance on adjunct faculty presents a significant challenge to the traditional tenure system. The contrast between tenured professors who enjoy protections, stable salaries, and long-term career development and adjuncts, who often work without benefits or long-term prospects, highlights an inequity in academic labor that can no longer be ignored. As adjuncts continue to teach most courses, it’s clear that higher education must find a way to reconcile the values of tenure with the realities of modern faculty structures.
One possible solution is to reimagine tenure itself, not as a fixed model but as part of a broader framework that includes adjunct faculty. Institutions could consider offering more secure, multi-year contracts with a path to permanent status for adjuncts who demonstrate a commitment to teaching and academic engagement Providing adjuncts with more equitable compensation, access to professional development, and benefits like health insurance could help bridge the gap between adjunct and tenured faculty.
Ultimately, the future of tenure must account for the evolving nature of the academic workforce, ensuring that all faculty regardless of status can contribute meaningfully to their institutions' educational mission.