Characterizing full-time, non-tenure-track teaching faculty in biology

Area of Science:

• Biology Education
• Higher Education Faculty Studies
• STEM Workforce Diversity

Background:

• Higher education increasingly relies on full-time, non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty for teaching.
• Existing research on contingent faculty often overlooks full-time NTT teaching staff in STEM.
• Disciplinary differences in NTT faculty experiences across STEM fields remain understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the experiences of full-time NTT teaching faculty in biology.
• To identify challenges and opportunities for supporting this growing faculty group.
• To explore potential disciplinary variations in NTT faculty roles and perceptions.

Main Methods:

• Surveyed full-time NTT biology faculty at a stratified random sample of US institutions.
• Utilized Carnegie classifications for institutional sampling.
• Analyzed survey data for themes related to diversity, support, belonging, and teaching autonomy.

Main Results:

• NTT biology faculty are less diverse than the broader STEM professoriate.
• Faculty reported mixed institutional support and desire for improved resources.
• Limited participation in departmental decisions led to mixed feelings of belonging and value.
• High teaching autonomy was noted, but challenges persist in key areas.

Conclusions:

• Full-time NTT biology faculty face unique challenges regarding diversity, support, and inclusion.
• Institutions should implement targeted strategies to better support NTT teaching faculty.
• Addressing these issues is crucial for the equity and effectiveness of STEM higher education.