Thursday, January 19, 2006

WTF?!?!

OK, so I know adjuncts have it bad. But I didn't know how bad outside of my own university system. Since my tenure-track academic job search isn't going well, and since Mr. Trillwing and I have talked about moving closer to my hometown so that Lucas can grow up in an extended family, I thought I'd check out the openings at the local Cal State.

"Oh look, openings in an interdisciplinary department. Yay!"

scans for courses

"Looks good!"

verifies qualifications

"Check!"

searches for salary info

$600-$750/month? Before taxes?! Sans health care? (That's roughly half of what TAs at my university bring home, folks. And we get health insurance and tuition remission.)

WTF?!?! No wonder a friend of mine has cobbled together 20+ units of Cal State and city college teaching during some semesters.

scurries off to pour libations at labor union altar

2 comments:

Breena Ronan said...

Hahaha! I love teaching but not that much! Try searching for a tenure track community college position. I have been told that the pay raises happen more quickly than in university systems.

Heather Clisby said...

Oh, dear. This is troubling. I do have a friend who has been toiling away in the journalism department at CSULB and it is mighty frustrating, not to mention anti-lucrative. Still, let me know if you'd like to contact her for advice.