Hanging on by a Single Thread: Disengaged Adult Education Faculty
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Colleges and Universities
Presentation Format Requested
Concurrent Session (45 minutes)
Session Abstract
This session addresses the experiences of faculty remaining when an adult education graduate program is terminated within a higher education institution. Often, faculty feel responsible for teaching remaining classes and supporting students to graduate and therefore become vulnerable to possible termination, exclusion, and feeling irrelevant.
Target Audience
The target audience includes higher education administrators, department chairs, faculty, and students.
Learning Outcomes
Attendees will:
*gain an understanding of the range of emotions faculty experience with the dissolution of a program,
*gain knowledge of supporting remaining program students, and
*gain knowledge of challenges of adult education programs
Session Description
Program closure is an emotionally charged, undesirable outcome that often results in termination of faculty, interrupted and prematurely terminated careers, reduced morale among those remaining, and diminished contributions to research (Eckel, 2002). Closure of adult education graduate programs is not new (Watkins et al., 2003), but has been exacerbated in higher education currently characterized by drastic reductions in state allocations and federal research funding, rising tuition and student debt, and public/legislative scrutiny of costs. Institutions unable to maintain varied academic offerings respond by reducing programs offerings. Programs subject to being cut may have lost strong leadership, be unable to demonstrate centrality to institutional mission, and be reluctant to adapt to change. Research has explored both causation of program cuts and decision rules employed. Missing from the literature is stories of faculty who have invested in supporting enrolled students to graduation at the risk of their own careers. Faculty may question how long to persist and whether fighting for their program’s survival is futile because administration has already determined its future. In addition to loss of employment and compromised careers, consequences for faculty left behind may include loss of colleagues/collaborators, survivor guilt, and fears for future of the discipline.
Format & Technique
This will be an interactive session. Beginning with a presentation and then inviting discussion from attendees.
Primary Presenter
Dr. Lilian H Hill, PhD, University of Southern Mississippi
Work Title
Professor
Additional Presenters
Dr. Paulette Isaac-Savage, Ed.D., University of Missouri-St. Louis
Work Title
Professor