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Shared Governance among the new Majority: Non-Tenure Track Faculty Eligibility for Election to University Faculty Senates

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Abstract

Non-tenure track faculty members (NTTF) constitute what has been referred to by scholars as the new faculty majority. The growing numbers of NTTF have led to debates about the role they should play in shared governance. Currently, however, an overall lack of empirical knowledge exists regarding the status of their involvement in institutional governance. Using data from highest research activity doctoral universities, this study investigated current standards related to NTTF eligibility for election to institution-wide faculty senates. We also explored what these faculty governance standards and criteria reveal about the status and position of NTTF within the professoriate.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation, 131 Taylor Education Building, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA

    Willis A. Jones

  2. Higher Education, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA

    Neal H. Hutchens

  3. Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park, State College, PA, 16802, USA

    Azalea Hulbert

  4. University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA

    Wayne D. Lewis

  5. Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA

    David M. Brown

Authors
  1. Willis A. Jones
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  2. Neal H. Hutchens
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  3. Azalea Hulbert
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  4. Wayne D. Lewis
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  5. David M. Brown
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Correspondence to Willis A. Jones.

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Jones, W.A., Hutchens, N.H., Hulbert, A. et al. Shared Governance among the new Majority: Non-Tenure Track Faculty Eligibility for Election to University Faculty Senates. Innov High Educ 42, 505–519 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-017-9402-2

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