This made today’s New York Times. Everyone should have access to this link: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/06/us/ucla-adjunct-professor-salary.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuomT1JKd6J17Vw1cRCfTTMQmqxCdw_PIxftm3iWka3DJDm4ciPkORJWL_06IbKZhet04w3GDXthPPaQ0Q-Y31eZbNlZ8DQm0p5_O0LI0HxIIk6PhFGUnw8CKGrki7T7hamT-eLl0zbfv50vDaWi5DbjY1id2OF1vp5Z6cFqp3CMIz_2SEed-ycA-ial6fu1yQj4BbSiPvuC5SEktfYXbMWyPr1U-SOpbWjrMnNOD6rxmcQ1aDF7OTn4X8n9roZoHe4tRZPCjWkZmLMnugrwRCXhqKJOrAfAzR4vSk7ZrtN3duJFJSAeY1k8l7OCQOhDWbp4&smid=url-share
To provide a bit more context, this is apparently a much more widespread issue than just at UCLA. It started, at least in California, around the time of the 2008 financial crisis. Sometimes people do it to get experience for their c.v., others hope that it will turn into a permanent appointment, others are doing another job and pressed into service or volunteer, not realizing that others get paid… It’s a sad article and makes me glad I stepped away from the path in academia.