It's tough being an adjunct. Whether or you are a true adjunct (creating your career with a patchwork of courses at multiple institutions) or a professional/weekend/nighttime adjunct (work full-time, but adjunct on the side), you are valued by educational institutions today and statistics show that more than 70% of courses are taught by you.
How do we honor our adjuncts? Often, despite their majority roles, adjuncts are not necessarily always included in organizational events or staff recognition opportunities. Here are some thoughts for honoring your adjuncts:
1) Create an Adjunct of the Year Award. Develop an application or nomination form, recruit some volunteers from your organization (including at least one adjunct faculty member) to serve on a committee and present the award in front of an audience.
2) Host an adjunct appreciation event. This could be a breakfast, or an evening hors d'oeuvres event. Spending time (and a little money) can go a long way to showing appreciation and the event is an enjoyable way to get together.
3) Send a personal note or e-mail to thank an adjunct for a particularly well executed class, or valued contribution to an institutional goal, or saving the day and filling a class that was almost cancelled.
4) Buy him or her a cup of coffee. Even a 20-minute chat makes the human connection that adjuncts often desire but may not always get if they are traveling from place to place.
5) It may seem cheesy---but send a little certificate. Make it valuable insofar as attaching it to a real goal or outcome, and make it classy---not just a cheap piece of paper.
Building relationships is often supported by small acknowledgements that show value and appreciation.
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