Trends in Tenure and Temporary Faculty at California State University April 20, 2009 Margaret Merryfield Senior Director, Academic Human Resources, CSU

 23 campuses  More than 450,000 students  Most campuses offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees (limited joint doctoral programs)  Campuses are diverse in terms of size and mission  23,581 instructional faculty The California State University

 Higher Education Employer-Employee Relations Act (HEERA) –Establishes role for unions as well as academic senates –Dates from 1978  California Faculty Association certified as representing the faculty in 1982  Bargaining unit includes temporary, tenured, and probationary instructional faculty, plus coaches, librarians and psychological counselors Collective Bargaining in the CSU

 Since 1990, the number of tenured and probationary faculty has stayed fairly flat (Fall 2008 faculty number is 4.5% lower than in Fall 1990)  But student enrollment has increased by 33%  Which translates to growth of temporary faculty So What’s Happening to Instructional Faculty in the CSU?

Budget crunch

Campus Tenure Density Depends on Growth  Humboldt State University (flat enrollment since 1990) is 71% tenure-track by FTE  CSU Channel Islands (new in 2002) is 44% by FTE  CSU Long Beach (enrollment up 30% since 1990) is 57% by FTE  System average now at 62.1%

So the proportion of faculty on the tenure track only goes up when the budget goes down… can anything be done?

One Attempt: ACR 73  In 2001, the legislature approved Assembly Concurrent Resolution 73, which urged the CSU, the CFA, and the Academic Senate to jointly develop a plan to:  (a) Raise the percentage of tenured and tenure- track faculty to at least 75%.  (b) Provide that no lecturers currently employed by the university will lose their jobs as a result of implementing the plan.

One Attempt: ACR 73 (cont.)  c) Provide that qualified lecturers will be seriously considered for tenure-track positions.  (d) Provide for the continued improvement of faculty diversity  In 2002 the three parties developed a joint plan to accomplish these goals over eight years, in recognition of the importance of a critical mass of tenure-track faculty

One Attempt: ACR 73 (cont.)  Problem: the plan came with real costs (current estimate is $220 million over eight years)  We’re still asking (and waiting) for first year funding  It’s not looking like will be our year

ACR 73 Assumptions  CSU will be able to carry out recruitments per year  Reality: in big hiring years, there have been around 1100 searches  Fraction of new hires who were lecturers would stay at 2001 level (around 16%)  Reality: a steady decline

The Other Side of the Coin: Greater Security for Temporary Faculty  The CBA provides graduated protections based on length, duration of service: –Two consecutive semesters or three consecutive quarters as part-time requires a subsequent one- year appointment to similar time base, if reappointed –After six years of consecutive service, faculty member is entitled to a three-year appointment

The Other Side of the Coin: Greater Security for Temporary Faculty (cont.)  For the first six years, faculty member is entitled to “careful consideration” for reappointment  After six years, three-year appointment and subsequent renewals are automatic unless performance was unsatisfactory  Time base may be reduced if work not available  If no work exists to support reappointment, lecturer placed on recall list

Order of Assignment for Temporary Faculty Beginning of the academic yearDuring the year 1. Three-year full-time appointees 2. Continuing multi-year full-time 3. Three-year part-time appointees 4. Eligible for three-year on “recall” list 5. Continuing multi-year part-time5. Continuing one-year, multi-year 6. Visiting faculty 7. “Careful consideration” (worked prior year) 7. “Careful consideration” 8. Fill up groups under 3, then 4 and 5 Then offer remaining work to any qualified candidate

What is the Outcome of These Provisions?  Over time, average time base for lecturers has increased  Over time, an increasing proportion of lecturers are eligible for full benefits (threshold is 0.4 time base) –57.7% in 2008 vs. 51.2% in 1998  Over time, shift toward more years of service –1,022 lecturers in 2008 with >20 years service, vs. 238 in 1998

Lecturer population = 9,491 in 1998, 12,786 in 2008

Conclusions  Even though administration, union, and Academic Senate agree that tenure-track hiring is a priority, the CSU has not made progress in increasing tenure density  Contract provisions designed to increase job security for longer-term lecturers are working

Thanks to…  Qinzhu Zhang, Academic Human Resources, CSU Chancellor’s Office  Gary Simpson, HR-ISA, CSU Chancellor’s Office  Aimee Shreck, California Faculty Association  Data sources include the CSU payroll system and the annual Faculty Recruitment and Retention Survey

Learn More  Collective bargaining agreement: /CFA_CONTRACT/CFAtoc.shtml  Faculty Recruitment Surveys: s.shtml Contact Margaret Merryfield: