kterpstra on sat 11 dec 04
Hi Richard,
I wrote you last night before I knew it was on clayart so here it is for
you again.
Each position is 50% and for one semester only. I'm on sabbatical in
the spring and the painter will be on maternity leave. We had 8
applicants for the ceramics position and 5 for painting. We can no
longer just ask someone to fill in. We had to go thru the entire formal
(local/regional) search to please Human Resources.
Yes the pay is low so we are not allowing independent study...no
audits...etc. to make it easier for the adjuncts. They will have help
with a few advanced students and paid studio assistants. We also put
lower caps on the class size.
There are pros and cons regarding adjunct positions. You're absolutely
right the pay is a downright shame! However full time positions are so
competitive, the few that are serious about getting a full time position
are applying for these gigs for the experience. I'm convinced the
person who takes this position will learn a tremendous amount from the
experience of working in an institutional setting. I've learned the most
from my students.
The amount of CD's as opposed to slides amazed me even for this small
amount of applicants.
Karen Terpstra
La Crosse, WI
http://www.uwlax.edu/faculty/terpstra/
http://www.terpstra-lou.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Aerni [mailto:raerni@ROCHESTER.RR.COM]
Sent: Friday, December 10, 2004 4:53 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG; Karen Terpstra
Subject: Re: Slip, sliding away
On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 11:07:27 -0600, kterpstra
wrote:
>We are at the tail end of hiring two adjuncts in our department for
>ceramics and painting next semester. Two thirds of the applicants
At the risk of sounding extremely negative and jaundiced, let me ask how
many applicants you have for these positions... My experience with
adjunct
teaching of ceramics in colleges is long hours for low, low wages. I've
done it a couple of times when asked, and had the time, but I can't
imagine
actually applying to teach on an adjunct basis, where I might be
rejected
for a more qualified candidate. Gawd, the indignity!
Of course, perhaps at your school they actually pay adjuncts a living
wage.
Best,
Richard Aerni
Rochester, NY
Tony Ferguson on sat 11 dec 04
Karen,
Being an adjunct is frustrating, but of course I will take the experience if
it continues to be offered to me. The experiences have been great, the
students wonderful, the entire process of learning and sharing,
synthesizing, very satisfying--and of course, I want more. I've taught for
a couple of colleges and this last summer (3 months of prior development)
taught 2 online art courses. This was quite an amazing experience and my
students really enjoyed the class and online experience. It was 3 months of
no work in the studio--but I wanted to try this online art opportunity and I
am glad I did--I just wish I was teaching more!
Not so much with my experience (well, a little) but overall what is
upsetting to me from a professional stand point is that some colleges have
adopted (cuz they biz'nesses now) the corporate model of turn and burn. For
the amount of education, time, dollars dedicated to becoming a good artist
and teacher, it can be insulting for what you get paid as you are not
treated as the professional you are.
More insulting is the general treatment of adjuncts...called a week before a
class starts to see if you want to teach, have classes canceled the week
they start, asked to develop a course, sharing the syllabi/material with the
dean and then having the course dropped and then picked up by another
instructor in later semesters. I won't even mention the politics of full
time instructors toward adjunct. It has become like when I waitered in
college--the manager has 20 part time waiters they can basically treat
however they like to because the know people want to work and want full time
where 10 full time positions could be created but the company doesn't create
them so they don't have to pay benefits or treat them with the respect they
deserve.
It is the student who suffers from having any kind of consistency,
mentor/mentee relationship over a consistent period of time as well as the
"strung along" adjunct.
Please don't get me wrong--I am not criticizing sabatical replacements, just
what I have experienced, observed and heard from other adjunct art
instructors. Is there a way we can change how we are treated?
Thank you.
Tony Ferguson
On Lake Superior, where the sky meets the Lake
Custom & Manufactured Kiln Design
Stoneware, Porcelain, Raku and more
by Coleman, Ferguson, Winchester...
http://www.aquariusartgallery.com
218-727-6339
315 N. Lake Ave
Apt 312
Duluth, MN 55806
----- Original Message -----
From: "kterpstra"
To:
Sent: Saturday, December 11, 2004 8:00 AM
Subject: FW: Slip, sliding away
> Hi Richard,
> I wrote you last night before I knew it was on clayart so here it is for
> you again.
>
> Each position is 50% and for one semester only. I'm on sabbatical in
> the spring and the painter will be on maternity leave. We had 8
> applicants for the ceramics position and 5 for painting. We can no
> longer just ask someone to fill in. We had to go thru the entire formal
> (local/regional) search to please Human Resources.
>
> Yes the pay is low so we are not allowing independent study...no
> audits...etc. to make it easier for the adjuncts. They will have help
> with a few advanced students and paid studio assistants. We also put
> lower caps on the class size.
>
> There are pros and cons regarding adjunct positions. You're absolutely
> right the pay is a downright shame! However full time positions are so
> competitive, the few that are serious about getting a full time position
> are applying for these gigs for the experience. I'm convinced the
> person who takes this position will learn a tremendous amount from the
> experience of working in an institutional setting. I've learned the most
> from my students.
>
> The amount of CD's as opposed to slides amazed me even for this small
> amount of applicants.
>
> Karen Terpstra
> La Crosse, WI
> http://www.uwlax.edu/faculty/terpstra/
> http://www.terpstra-lou.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Aerni [mailto:raerni@ROCHESTER.RR.COM]
> Sent: Friday, December 10, 2004 4:53 PM
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG; Karen Terpstra
> Subject: Re: Slip, sliding away
>
> On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 11:07:27 -0600, kterpstra
> wrote:
>
> >We are at the tail end of hiring two adjuncts in our department for
> >ceramics and painting next semester. Two thirds of the applicants
>
> At the risk of sounding extremely negative and jaundiced, let me ask how
> many applicants you have for these positions... My experience with
> adjunct
> teaching of ceramics in colleges is long hours for low, low wages. I've
> done it a couple of times when asked, and had the time, but I can't
> imagine
> actually applying to teach on an adjunct basis, where I might be
> rejected
> for a more qualified candidate. Gawd, the indignity!
> Of course, perhaps at your school they actually pay adjuncts a living
> wage.
> Best,
> Richard Aerni
> Rochester, NY
>
>
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