Beyer, Gerald J.

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epublications@Marquette

Conversations on Jesuit Higher EducationVolume 48 Article 8September 2015Justice for All, Including AdjunctsGerald J. BeyerFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversationsRecommended CitationBeyer, Gerald J. (2015) "Justice for All, Including Adjuncts," Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education: Vol. 48, Article 8.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol48/iss1/8Conversations 17On February 25, 2015, faculty and stu-dents staged walkouts on a numberof U.S. campuses marking NationalAdjunct Walkout Day, as a growingchorus decried the working condi-tions of adjunct faculty at our nation’suniversities. Those at Jesuit and otherCatholic universities calling forchange have the weight of their tradi-tions on their side. Those who eitherignore or perpetuate the plight of adjuncts – intentional-ly or not – violate basic tenets of those same traditions.In addition, they jeopardize the faith formation of theirstudents and impede the evangelizing mission of theCatholic university.The phrases “the service of faith” and “the promo-tion of justice” encapsulate the heart of the Jesuit educa-tional mission. As articulated in General Congregation32, justice and concern for the poor should animateeverything a Jesuit university does. Pope John Paul IIechoed this view in his apostolic constitution on highereducation, Ex Corde Ecclesiae. According to the pontiff,“a Catholic University pursues its objectives through itsformation of an authentic human community animatedby the spirit of Christ…. it is characterized by mutualrespect, sincere dialogue, and protection of the rights ofindividuals….” (Part I, no. 21)Seen in this context, the church’s long-standingdefense of workers’ rights sheds much light on the con-troversial conversation about justice for adjuncts atCatholic colleges and universities. Much work remains tobe done on Catholic campuses to protect the right to aliving wage and to form unions, two foundational ele-ments of justice in the economic sphere according toJohn Paul II (Laborem Exercens, no. 19). According to a statement by more than 135 Catholicscholars, including eight past presidents of the CatholicTheological Society of America, many adjunct professorstoday rank among “the poor and vulnerable.” Sadly thisis not hyperbole. Most adjuncts are neither graduate stu-dents nor professionals earning a salary elsewhere whileteaching as an avocation. In other words, teaching istheir vocation and their sole source of income. As theChronicle of Higher Education has reported, a growingnumber of adjuncts earn so little that they qualify forpublic assistance. According to the 2014 HouseCommittee on Education and the Workforce study “TheJust-In-Time Professor,” many adjuncts reported earningsfrom $15,000 to $20,000. Given that the federal povertyline for a family of three is $19,530 and $23,550 for afamily of four, many contingent faculty members live atthe “edge of poverty.” Some Catholic institutions pay significantly abovethe national median per course, but the pay rate for mostadjuncts on our campuses mostly mirrors nationaltrends. Moreover, the fact that Catholic universitiesemploy academics as temp workers as opposed to full-time workers with decent benefits and job security isinexcusable – even if they try to justify it with a utilitar-ian logic alien to Catholic social teaching. Saving costson the backs of adjuncts to keep tuition down whilespending money on highly paid administrators, athleticscoaches, expensive athletics facilities, stadiums, and lux-ury dorms runs afoul of the church’s “preferential optionfor the poor.” To add insult to injury, several Catholicuniversity administrations have blocked the efforts ofadjuncts to unionize, thereby stripping them of whatJohn Paul II deemed an indispensable “mouthpiece inthe struggle for social justice.” Using legal recourse toJustice for All, Including AdjunctsBy Gerald J. BeyerGerald J. Beyer is associate professor of Christian ethicsat Villanova University; this piece draws on his lengthi-er article “Labor Unions, Adjuncts, and the Mission andIdentity of Catholic Universities,” Horizons: The Journalof the College Theology Society, Vol. 43, No 1 (2015). 1Beyer: Justice for All, Including AdjunctsPublished by e-Publications@Marquette, 201518 Conversationschallenge union elections mandated by the National LaborRelations Board on the grounds of religious freedomappears cynical. If excessive government intrusion werereally their fear, Catholic universities could simply allow afree and fair union election without NLRB involvement,which Section 9 (a) of the NLRA permits. Moreover, as theUSCCB has articulated in Respecting the Just Rights ofWorkers, management at Catholic institutions may neverusurp the right to unionization.As students begin to increasingly realize that the sit-uation of adjuncts glaringly contrasts with the Ignatianand Catholic vision for communities of higher learning,they will inevitably sour on the mission of our collegesand universities. As Rick Malloy, S.J., of ScrantonUniversity has contended, if we fail to model the valuesof the Gospel, “We will be subtly communicating to ourstudents that it makes more sense to ‘Look out forNumber One,’ ‘Grab All the Gusto You Can’ and forgetthe poor and oppressed of our world.”Resolving the issues will not be easy, especially asCatholic institutions seek to remain buoyant in a highlycompetitive market. Nonetheless, ignoring the unjust sit-uation of adjuncts cannot be justified. Moreover, themounting pressure for Catholic institutions to live up toCatholic principles and values in the treatment of theiremployees – including but not limited to adjunct faculty– will not likely dissipate. It is time for all Jesuit univer-sities to follow Georgetown’s lead and adopt a justemployment policy (see http://www.justemployment-policy.org/jesuit/). ■A Letter from Patrick  Howell, S.J.Six months ago we launched ourfirst, interactive website forConversations magazine. It enablesmuch more flexibility for us to publish your contributions and, wehope, stimulates greater intercolle-giate conversations about key issues and opportunities in Jesuithigher education. See http://conversationsmagazine.org/Let me assure you we will still publishour regular print editions of approxi-mately 48 pages at the beginning ofeach semester – January and August.But we will have additional articleson the website, which we previouslycould not accommodate because ofspace and cost limitations. AConversations Newsletter will be sentto subscribers to alert you to new editions on our website. If you wish to be included please send a quicknote by email to conversamagsubscription@gmail.comAnother fruitful initiative is that wenow collaborate with all the Jesuitmission and identity officers to deter-mine the most pertinent themes for themagazine and to share strategies forits use on each of your campuses.The National Seminar board rotatesmembership on a three-year basisso it’s always a combination of gratitude and sorrow when we saygoodbye to our “veterans.” Thisyear Diana Owen (Georgetown);Laurie Ann Britt-Smith (University ofDetroit Mercy), and Sherilyn Smith(Le Moyne) with our gratitudeearned the distinction of“Conversations-emeriti.” And KristenHeyer of Santa Clara leaves theboard after two years as she movesto a new position “in the Jesuit family” at Boston College.Thank you for your interest and support,Patrick Howell, S.J., chairNational Seminar on Jesuit Higher EducationDear Colleagues in Jesuit Education,2Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education, Vol. 48, Iss. 1 [2015], Art. 8http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol48/iss1/8

Justice for All, Including Adjuncts

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Justice for All, Including Adjuncts

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