2016

2016 Hass-Birky Lecture

In Higher Education--where faculty ranks are shrinking and non-tenured ranks are swelling--the pressure on adjunct faculty and lecturers to be excellent teachers has never been greater. A recent article by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) reports that more than 75% of U.S. faculty across all institutional types, from liberal-arts colleges to research universities to community colleges, are adjunct faculty--and many of them live below the poverty line. So, why do adjunct faculty continue to teach?

In a compelling, humorous, and sometimes emotional presentation, Jon Becker, Senior Lecturer, Department of Mathematics and Actuarial Sciences, IU Northwest, will share his own experience as he transitioned from a college flunk out with a 1.4 GPA to a high school teacher, an adjunct faculty member, and eventually, a Permanent Lecturer. Jon will share the highlights (and lowlights) of his wide range of educational experiences, he'll take a deep look into why we teach and how we teach, and most importantly, he'll share stories of students whose lives have been transformed by the gift we have been given--the gift of being exceptional teachers.

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