SPICY Committee

SPICY = Socio-Political Issues, Concerns, and You

This committee addresses the most current social and political issues that affect the ESL community: teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and the students they serve. SPICY examines such issues as Part Time pay equity and employment conditions. It also monitors legislative issues and policies that affect teachers and language minority students in the schools. It seeks to advocate for immigrants and refugees, and sponsors events that raise the profile of these community members as they negotiate their way in the host culture.

SPICY publishes an up to date resource book of facts for service providers and sponsors a month long, state wide ESL Awareness Month.

Committee members frequently present at conferences like WAESOL, TESOL, and COABE, disseminating information about resources, and advocating for action on behalf of the ESL community.

SPICY responds to the needs and concerns of the ESL community. This response is made possible only because the members of SPICY are members of the larger ESL community. If you are interested in the concerns of the ESL community and would like to participate more fully in it, join the committee. If you are an educator or paraprofessional with WAESOL membership, then SPICY is looking for you! Please contact the SPICY chair, to be identified here soon.

Introduction to the Part-Time Issues

In no other discipline within Washington community and technical colleges is the use of part-time faculty more notorious: a full 79% of all ESL instruction is delivered by poorly paid part-time instructors.

SPICY is dedicated to advocacy for part-time educators. In 1996, SPICY surveyed employment conditions in adult ESL programs in Washington State. In 1998, SPICY members, in harness with TESOL's Caucus on Part-Time Employment Concerns, submitted a Resolution at the TESOL Convention in Seattle calling for TESOL Opposition to the Overuse of Part-Time Faculty. While the Resolution died in the Rules and Resolutions Committee, it did make an impact. At the Annual Business Meeting, President Mary Ann Christison announced that the TESOL board had passed a motion to reaffirm the association's opposition to the overuse of part-time faculty. TESOL 1998-99 President Kathleen Bailey, along with former TESOL president Denise Murray, has promoted awareness of the part-time issue among peer disciplinary organizations.

The following documents deal with the use of part-time faculty.

The Part-Time Issue in Washington State

Part-Time Faculty Association (PTFA), Washington State Community and Technical Colleges
This is the homepage for part-time issues in Washington state. Selectable options at the site include an ActionAlert!, Background, Legislation, Membership, and News Coverage.

Part-time Instructors File Suit
From the Seattle Times of October 15, 1998, that describes a law suit raised by 5 adjunct community college instructors against the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. Drawing upon minimum wage law, the suit relates to unpaid time that is required of instruction. Adjunct instructors are paid for classroom contact only.

Summary of Law Suit
Summary of suit involving part-time faculty versus the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Washington State Legislative Homepage
The place to keep tabs on what is happening within the Legislature and through which to contact one's representatives.

Testimony on Pay Equity
Professor Lynne Dodson's testimony of February 15, 1999, to the Senate Higher Education Committee on the need for pay equity.

Washington Federation of Teachers, Equity Campaign
This is a must visit site for part-time/part-pay faculty that contains the latest on the WFT-led Equity Campaign" for pro-rata pay for part-time faculty.

The Part-Time Issue Nationally

California FACCC Sheet - Part-Time Faculty

Faculty Association of California Community Colleges one page summary part-time faculty issues.

AFT Policy on Non-tenure-Track Faculty

Article from the American Federation of Teachers detailing their position.

Attitudinal Differences Between Full- and Part-Time Faculty

Summary of nationwide survey of faculty (Ed Info number 98-16) from "Differences Between the Professional Attitudes of Full- and Part-time Community College Faculty", Eric Document JC 980 181.

Part-time Faculty: Higher Education at a Crossroads
Article by Judith M. Gappa in ERIC Digest 84-4. (ED284513 84).

NEA documents about part-time faculty
National Education Association Advocate Online magazine search results of part-time issues.

Penny Wise and Pound Foolish? The Financial Implications of Adjunct Faculty
Article by Dennis Bricault, Registrar, North Park University (Chicago) - November, 1998.

The Vanishing Professor
Article published by the American Federation of Teachers concerning the increased reliance on adjunct faculty at educational institutions.

Statement from the Conference on the Growing Use of Part-Time and Adjunct Faculty.
A most authoritative paper which was the product of representatives from ten academic associations who attended the Conference on the Growing Use of Part-Time and Adjunct Faculty, held in Washington, D.C., September 26-28,1997.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Employing Part-Time Faculty in Community Colleges
A Digest from the ERIC Clearinghouse for Community Colleges, by Grace Banachowski.

Forum
Newsletter of the Non-Tenure-Track Faculty Special Interest Group of the Conference on College Composition and Communication from the National Council of Teachers of English.

Part-Time and Non-Tenure-Track Faculty
An article by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP).

Guidelines for Good Practice Part-Time and Non- Tenure-Track Faculty
Statement from the American Association of University Professors on the use/abuse of part-time and non-tenure-track faculty.

The Status of Non-Tenure-Track Faculty
Another report from the American Association of University Professors.

So Who Cares About Tenure, Anyway?
A somewhat irreverent but powerful and often cited article by Chris McVay.

On Affirming Labor Equity for Adjunct Teachers and Graduate Employees
Resolution from the National Council of Teachers of English's (NCTE) Resolution 6, passed in November, 1997, on labor equity.

TESOL Caucus on Part-time Employment Concerns
Information about TESOL's Caucus on Part-Time Employment Concerns from the TESOL homepage.

Len Fox's "My Experience with Part-Time Advocacy"
An article from the December 1998/January 1999 issue of TESOL Matters.