Updated, January 31, 2017

By contract, Adjunct Faculty may request up to $1,000 per fiscal year (July 1—June 30) for professional development expenses “to enhance the teaching capabilities of the adjunct faculty and continued enhancement of the UML reputation.” The form required to request such funds may be found here: Professional Development Request Form for Adjunct Faculty .

The UMass Lowell administration and the UML Union of Adjunct Faculty, (UAF-UAW, Local 1596) are set to begin negotiations on a new contract.

Adjunct faculty at UML unionized in 2011 and were among the first of a growing number of Boston-area adjunct faculty to unionize. The Boston-area universities are part of a nationwide movement to address the concerns of adjunct faculty in higher education. Since 2011, adjunct faculty at Lesley, Tufts, Northeastern, and Boston University have all voted to unionize. A vote to unionize at Bentley fell two votes short of certification. Unionization is seen by many adjunct groups as a means to address the insecurity and low wages of contract employment, and to improve student learning conditions.

Dr. Gregory DeLaurier, an adjunct professor in the Political Science department and a member of both this year’s negotiating team and the past team, is hopeful that this round of negotiations will tackle a number of issues important to the union. “I’m hoping that we will be able to reach a fair agreement in a reasonable period of time. I believe we can do that. We intend to listen to the administration’s offers very seriously.”

The New Faculty Majority, an advocacy group for adjunct and contingent faculty, estimates that 73% of all college instructors are adjunct, up from 22% in 1970. Adjunct faculty often work on a semester-by-semester contract, without benefits.

Tess George, an adjunct professor in the Manning School of Business and Communication Director for the adjunct union, says that a good adjunct contract can make the university stronger and improve the student experience. “When the employer supports and values employees, engagement and commitment increase. We are all committed to teaching our students in the most effective way possible, and hope to work with the university to ensure that adjunct faculty receive full support to reach that goal and fair compensation for our contributions. We hope to work together to make our university a better place to teach and learn.”

press release June 2015 press release June 2015

Did You Know?

Participation in Faculty Meetings

Article 11.1 of our contract stipulates that in each Department, Adjunct Faculty may send one or two Adjunct Faculty members to Department meetings.  We bargained for this right because, often, adjunct faculty members don’t know what’s going on in their own departments, and don’t know about changes or policies that may affect them.  Our representatives at the meeting can keep other adjunct faculty informed.

If you would like to be the representative for your department, and attend meetings, please let us know.  Some departments are already covered, but many are not.

In some departments, adjunct faculty are welcomed at meetings, and in some, this has become an issue of contention.  If you’re interested in representing your department, please contact anyone in the union leadership team, and we’ll explain the process to you.

Information is power!

Union of Adjunct Faculty – UAW

Did You Know?

Senior Adjunct Faculty

Because of our first union contract, there is an opportunity for contract professors (adjunct faculty) to advance to the level of Senior Adjunct Faculty.

  • Qualifications:

    • You must teach ten semesters (summer doesn’t count) and ten classes within a rolling seven year period.
  • Benefits:

    • Pay increase of 10% 
    • Job security: Senior Adjunct Faculty will be reappointed to subsequent semesters.  Teaching appointments are made in order of Seniority.
    • If your course is not offered, the University Administration must offer you other appropriate courses that you are qualified to teach.
    • If you have taught at least one course every semester for three years, and have maintained good evaluations, you must be offered one year appointments that maintain the pattern and number of courses you have taught in the preceding three years. 

Details can be found in our contract under section 13.  If you have any further questions, please e-mail us at info@uafuml.org

Did You Know?

Applying for Full-Time Positions

Article 12 of our contract states that the University will notify the Union whenever a posting for a full-time tenure track or non-tenure track position is posted.  Currently, we are receiving notification of ALL open positions, which can be a bit overwhelming to sift through.  However, all open positions are listed on the University’s website.  The link is below:

https://jobs.uml.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1415631688500

If you’re interested in a full-time position or in a different adjunct position, please check this site regularly!

Did You Know?

An every-so-often bit of information about our union contract

Due to union agreements in our first contract, there is no longer a two-course maximum for adjunct (contract) faculty.  

Article 13.1.1.1.6 states:

There is no guaranteed course load – minimum or maximum- for Adjunct Faculty.

There is no contractual reason that you may not teach more than two classes.  If you are told that you may not, please contact your Union Area Representative.