By Marimar Huguet Jerez
Department Chair, World Languages and Cultures
Re: Rise in personnel departures at TCNJ impacts workloads of those who remain
At World Languages and Cultures, we recently had to reduce 11 adjunct sections for the spring and summer because this year we can only use a maximum of 42 adjunct sections for the whole academic year.
However, due to the Voluntary Separation Agreement, we lost two tenured faculty members just last year, which equals 12 classes per academic year. Another one retired the previous academic year, which equals six more classes per academic year.
And, three years ago, two others took retirement packages right after the pandemic, which equals 12 classes per academic year. That is a total of 30 classes for which we have not received any replacements. We are basically relying on adjuncts to be able to run most of our classes. If we do not have enough faculty AND we also do not have enough adjuncts, who is going to teach our classes? And I am talking about classes that students need, not elective ones.On the other hand, the institution is promoting three-year programs so that students find it attractive to come to TCNJ. But, if we are not offering the classes they'll need to graduate in those three years, we are basically and unethically lying to them.
Let's also not forget that the institution is accepting more students than ever before, however we have much less tenured faculty and adjuncts. How will these students also be able to find the classes they need and graduate on time?
One does not need a magic ball to predict that this lack of class availability and investment in our current programs will inevitably take a toll on TCNJ. Students will get disheartened and simply go somewhere else.
