In one of the previous posts I was asked about how I got my adjunct position. So here comes a story everyone. Advance notice for those who only come over here for the rantings and ramblings about students! Please return in the future for your regularly scheduled program.
As I mentioned previously, I started my post-doc the beginning of 2008 (just passed my year anniversary and now the countdown has begun... just kidding!). Knowing I also wanted some teaching experience, in the beginning of summer of 2008, I started to think about what some of my options might be.
My "site-of-research" offers the opportunity to teach biology courses to the non-science staff in order to provide those staff members with a little science background. However, these classes are normally team taught, say 3-4 post-docs per course, and usually passed down from post-doc to post-doc. What I mean by that is, if you know a person currently teaching it and express interest, you are more likely to teach the course then if you randomly contact the group that organizes these classes. Or at least that's how it seemed to occur to me.... Anyway, I wanted a course that was more my own to get a more realistic experience. My own design, own syllabus, etc.
The other option I came up with was contacting the biology departments of nearby colleges and universities to see if they might need an occasional lecturer. My initial (naive) idea was that perhaps I could serve as a "fill-in" lecturer. For instance, if a faculty member knew they were going to be away for a meeting and needed someone to give a lecture or two.
The first, and turns out only, place I e-mailed was my local community college. Fortunately, there are a number of community college campuses in my area, so I picked the one closest to my home and perused their website. Looking through their list of faculty, I hand picked one person to e-mail and ask about the possibility of lecturing or adjucting.
I will say, I was specific about whom I e-mailed. I didn't want to waste the time of the Dean of the department just asking a question about potentially adjuncting, so instead I e-mailed the Assistant Dean. Turns out I picked the right person. The person who is "responsible for seeking out and hiring qualified adjunct faculty" (their words, not mine).
I was asked to complete a state application on-line, and send/e-mail him (the Assistant Dean) a copy of my transcripts from graduate and undergraduate, in addition to my resume/CV. I made sure I did that as soon as possible (within 2 days of hearing from him) and 4 days, he e-mailed me back inviting me to campus a week later for an informal interview. (I realize now, looking back, that they never asked for any letters of recommendation. Not sure if that is normal or not.)
My informal interview was very very informal. It was just me and the assistant dean, and we chatted about what I thought I ultimately wanted to do, what I would feel comfortable teaching (ie- bio101 or bio102 or an anatomy class), and what days & times I would be available. He also mentioned that the textbook they currently use includes an instructor's CD with powerpoint presentations for each chapter, all the images and figures in jpeg or tif format, and a text bank of exam questions. He stated that many of the adjunct faculty take the book's powerpoint presentation as a starting point and modify it to meet their own requirements/standards. And then he added that he himself has been known (in a pinch) to just use the provide powerpoint, supplemented by his own notes on the white board.
I left my informal interview carrying the book used for Bio101, the study guide, the lab manual, the teaching CDs, an assigned Fall class (2 evenings a week), and state hiring paperwork to fill out.
Yup, I was now officially an adjunct faculty.
Though I admit, it didn't really hit me as being true until a week or so later when upon checking the course listings for Fall I saw my name listed next to the 2 sessions! Never would I have imagined it would happen that quick. Or in a way, that easily. I thought I was just testing the waters... seeing what was out there for some future date....and then the "oh shit" hit me. What have I gotten myself into? Can I do both my research and teach? Can I teach? All these questions will come up again, multiple times, and I don't know if I have an answer to them even now.
So that is the story of how I became an adjunct faculty. Sorry for the length!
For those who might be interested, here is a copy of the initial e-mail I sent with all my personal information deleted and substituted with general information in italics:
"My name is Temporary Professor, and I am a post-doctoral fellow at Site-of-Research in the lab of Dr. Amazing Advisor. I found your name and e-mail on the Comm. College website and was wondering if you might be able to point me in the direction of whom I could contact to see if your department needs any adjunct teaching help in the future semesters. I am really interested in getting some additional teaching experience (besides TAing and the occasional fill-in lecture experience I had as a graduate student at Priv. Univ.) and that is not readily available to me at Site-of-Research. I live in the ____ area and thought that perhaps Comm. College might be a good opportunity to gain some of that experience.
Thank you very much for any help you can give me.
- Temp. Prof"
