Another issue is that adjuncts are by definition teaching at a college on a temporary basis, which complicates advising, follow-up, and recommendations – that great professor whose class you did so well in Spring Jr year … may be gone Senior year.
Professionals who teach a senior seminar or specialty class on something they’re experts in are good but should be the exception, not the norm and should be reserved for upper class students ready to capitalize on their expertise.
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I was just thinking - my daughter’s favorite professor is a class she’s taking now on international issues / relations of the US vs. others. Her professor is adjunct - and interestingly is blind.
Apparently he still goes to DC often (maybe weekly) to consult.
@blossom mentioned b4 folks at the top of their game. Just reading this profs bio - I can see why my daughter looks so forward to his course vs. the course of a regular academic. If someone is energetic and is a “connector”, it would be fascinating to learn from someone like this…I put his bio below. I removed his name (not sure if it matters) but of course he’d be easily found. It’s just wonderful when a student is always talking to you about how interested they are in the class. This is the “pro” of the question that was initially asked - although I assume few are as equally accomplished as this gentleman and accomplished alone may not work if they don’t know how to connect with the students.
He’s been a Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs at the US Dept of State where he is responsible for Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus affairs, as well as regional nonproliferation issues.
Before this role, he served on the National Security Council as Director for Europe and Eurasia, with responsibility for coordinating U.S. policy on Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Black Sea region and Caspian energy. Later with the creation of the South and Central Asia Directorate, he was Director for Central Asia.
Prior…was Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Affairs at the U.S. Treasury, and working for the US House of Representatives Policy committee.
Before joining the government, he was a director for the Eurasia Foundation and an election analyst for the Joint Election Observation Mission in Tajikistan. He has served as an international election observer throughout Eurasia. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the International Institute of Strategic Studies (London).
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An adjunct with deep professional connections or still working in the field is always an interesting person to take a class with. Both an adjunct and a tenured/tenure-track faculty member can also be good teachers.
The real difference is that full-time faculty members are also required to hold weekly office hours, will be there all the student’s years for multiple classes to form long-term relationships, can set up research labs, hire RAs and TAs, write well-regarded letters of recommendation for graduate school and give advice on how to navigate the institution.
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I’m assuming GW is the school with the adjuncts and, assuming that’s right, I think the way it uses adjuncts is different from some other schools and the models that are being discussed here. I think GW (and full disclosure, went to law school there and I know a couple of adjuncts there now) likes to pull professionals from their field to teach a class that is specific to their area of expertise. It’s not a situation with a lot of people who are trying to cobble together a career from adjuncting at multiple schools. More it’s a “we’re proud of the connected people we can give you access to as a teacher” kind of situation. So you do get those classes taught by State Dept people, or IMF people, or FBI/CIA people. They are trying to take advantage of their community. And I’d also guess they are marketing this as a positive because so many of their undergrads are interested in politics or the business of government - to those people, being able to hear from professionals in the field IS a real bonus.
Now, that doesn’t mean they are particularly good TEACHERS, and the point above about them not being around to give recommendations is a valid one. But they are, generally, interesting story tellers.
I’m thinking that this might not apply to your daughter as much if she’s looking at business or pre-med. I’d guess those classes are more likely the ones taught by regular full time professors, and few adjuncts, whereas the social sciences probably have a ton, just because of the pool of potential teaching candidates is deep.
Does that make sense?
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I completely agree. My husband’s closest friend is an adjunct and fellow at the Kennedy School at Harvard, and while he provides a lot of great information and data on politics, I doubt he holds office hours. He flies in once a week for the class and leaves the next day.
GW undoubtedly has some great resources for adjuncts in the social sciences that a college outside of DC would have a hard time replicating.
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