108TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 312
Recognizing the valuable contributions of higher education faculty
in the education of our Nation’s students.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 28, 2003
Mr. KILDEE submitted the following concurrent resolution;
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Recognizing the valuable contributions of higher education faculty
in the education of our Nation’s students.
Whereas the United States system of higher education
is widely recognized as the finest in the world;
Whereas that system has traditionally been based on
a corps of full-time faculty who are attaining tenure based on achievements
in teaching, research, and service;
Whereas the Department of Education has documented
the erosion of that corps of full-time faculty working toward tenure
over the last 25 years;
Whereas those faculty members have been replaced with
a growing number of contingent employees, including parttime and adjunct
faculty, full-time non-tenure-track faculty, and graduate employees
who together represent nearly two-thirds of the instructional workforce
in higher education;
Whereas
the compensation, benefits, and professional support
accorded to contingent employees in higher education is woefully inadequate
in most instances;
Whereas despite these conditions, part-time and adjunct
faculty, full-time non-tenure-track faculty, and graduate employees
teach with distinction and make major contributions to the institutions
they serve; and
Whereas demonstrations and other public awareness events
will be held at colleges and universities all over the United States
between October 27 and October 31, 2003 to highlight the contributions
of part-time and adjunct faculty, full-time non-tenure-track faculty,
and graduate employees and to call for fair and equitable treatment
of these employees and a return to the use full-time tenured faculty:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the Congress
(1) recognizes the contributions of over three quarters of a million
part-time and adjunct faculty, full-time non-tenure-track faculty,
and graduate employees who teach in colleges and universities across
the United States;
(2) supports the efforts of organizations to raise public awareness
of the conditions in which these contingent employees work; and
(3) supports solutions which provide fair and equitable treatment
for contingent employees in higher education and promote the return
to a significant and stable corps of full-time, tenure-track faculty
in United States institutions of higher education.
H.
CON. RES. 312