Permanent professors improve our campus

There are many reasons it is important to get more full-time faculty members on campus. The benefits would not only affect students, but the campus as a whole.

In terms of academics, full-time faculty are the closest link to the students and thus the largest determining factor in whether they succeed.

Many students choose not to see a counselor and may not know what resources are available to them. A professor who has been around and active on campus for several years will have more knowledge regarding how best to help students, acting as a surrogate counselor.

Full-time faculty have the time to meet with their students and discover resources off-campus that may help them better succeed, such as scholarships, awards and conferences.

Faculty are also more likely to develop bonds with one another and other staff if they have chosen to commit to this particular school.

These bonds may even initiate new programs that would enrich the learning experience.

For instance, a history professor and an English professor could coordinate their course curriculums to give students a deeper understanding of a particular time and place.

Full-time faculty have more incentive to participate in shared governance and could help ease the load being carried by the few faculty members currently in the Academic Senate.

We need more support staff on campus, particularly in financial aid and admissions and records, but these positions are not as frequently in contact with students as instructional positions.

Hiring full-time faculty is expensive, but the foundation of a good educational institution depends entirely on the quality of instructors.

There is no guarantee that a tenured professor will deliver high-quality education, but this can be easily resolved by hiring current, exceptional adjunct, or part-time, non-tenured professors.

The school could hire adjuncts on a three-year probationary period, during which they would go through a rigorous evaluation process.

After this period, professors who have integrated into the campus community and contributed to helping students succeed should be given the opportunity to be hired permanently.

We must reward those professors who excel at educating by giving them a permanent place on campus and the benefits they deserve.