"Equal pay for Equal Work"
Item
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ADJUNCTS ARE APPEALING TO THE UNION THAT REPRESENTS THEM
FOR NOTHING MORE THAN “EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK”
As evidenced by the accompanying documentation, the pay gap between adjunct and tenure track faculty
within identical rank and years of service ranges roughly from 33 % to 72%. [This is after adjusting for the
additional contractural responsibilities of tenure-track faculty and covers only the disparity in direct financial
compensation, Health and pension benefits are a source of additional inequality. ]
This inequality has persisted despite the fact that both sets of professionals are unionized and
represented by the same union. Continuing such a practice is unethical and contrary to the union ideal.
Additionally, upholding this two-tier system undermines the power of the union itself.
A very significant and growing portion of the faculty are adjuncts. This is, and for the last two decades
has been, the structure of the faculty. The potential of the union to grow in membership and power rests on
incorporating the adjunct faculty in an authentic way into the union. We believe, closing the pay gap is an
important begining of such a process.
Furthermore, the educational mission of the university would be enhanced by such a policy since it would
sharply reduce turnover of adjunct faculty, increase their accessibility to their students, and integrate them more
meaningfully into the life of the university.
PRECISELY WHAT ARE WE ASKING FOR?
SALARY:
For each 3 credit course an adjunct teaches, he/she should be paid should be 1/10 of the
annual pay of a full-time Lecturer.
The adjunct should be moved along the Lecturer schedule based on the number of semesters taught, at
the same pace as the full-time lecturers. Adjunct faculty with doctorates would fall under the Lecturer [Doctoral
Schedule], adjunct faculty without doctorates would fall under the Lecturer schedule.
Any percentage increases granted to the full-time faculty in the new contract would likewise be applied to
the Lecturer schedule.
3 2 2K 2 2 9k 2k 2k 2k 2k 2K 2k 2k ak ok ok
If, and only if, this salary adjustment were made, adjunct faculty would be contracturally responsible,
just as full-time faculty for office hours based on the number of courses taught [One hour per week for each 3
credit course taught].
If this salary adjustment were not to be accomplished, then adjunct should be paid for holding of office
hours at the rate of 60% of their hourly rate. Monitoring of such office hours would be no different than
monitoring of tenure track faculty office hours.
a ee es ae RR spear ae
JOB SECURITY:
Following a probationary period of 2 consecutive semesters during which an adjunct faculty member would have
at least one student evaluation and 2 faculty observations:
* ‘2 One year contracts be offered in place of one semester appointments. |p
° If an adjunct’s course is cancelled during registration, they would not be disqualified for any health —
benefits they were entitled to if this course they were scheduled to teach had run.
$< $$ _—_____
| ° Seniority [within departments/divisions and courses previously taught] be respected if there is a reduction |
in overall section offerings. li en
at Adjunct faculty to be eligible for a Certificate of Continuous Employment for any course previously i ¥*
taught for 6 consequtive courses. wD:
° Disciplinary actions and arbitration regarding adjunct faculty be the same as that for non-tenured tenure
track faculty as detailed in Article 21 (rather than Grievance and Arbitration Article 20).
GOVERNANCE INCLUSION:
° Adjunct faculty be invited [notified as tenure track faculty] of all department meetings.
JOB FLEXIBILITY:
° Adjunct faculty could teach up to 12 contact hours plus office hours at combined CUNY campuses, but
up to 9 contact hours plus office hours at any one campus.
[This would enable an adjunct to teach two three credit courses at two different campuses which is not
presently possible. ]
° If an adjunct faculty member is hired for other than teaching duties, such as student advising, registration,
etc., they would be paid at 60% of their imputed hourly rate.
Their imputed hourly rate would be - their compensation rate per course divided by 3 credits.
SUPPORT FOR SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES:
° 20% of the CUNY/PSC grant funds would be set aside for adjuncts to compete for on equal terms along
with tenure-track faculty. The readers of grant applications would be blind to the adjunct or tenure track
status of the applicant.
RATIONALE FOR THIS SALARY INCREASE:
It is the full-time Lecturer schedules [non-doctoral and doctoral] that should be used as a basis for adjunct financial compensation
since they, like adjunct faculty, are hired without research responsiblities, and are evaluated on the basis of their teaching contribution.
At present, full-time lecturers are contracturally responsible for teaching 27 credit hours [9 courses] per academic year, holding
office hours and undertaking administrative responsibilities. We consider administrative responsiblities to be the approximate equivalent
of 1 course per academic year, so that their annual compensation covers the equivalent of 10 courses [30 credit hours] per academic year.
We believe it would be only equitable if adjunct faculty were compensated at the rate of 1/10 of the Lecturer compensation for
each course [3 credit hours] taught, and that adjunct faculty would be contracturally responsible for the same amount of office hours per
course as full-time faculty.
For example: A full-time Lecturer [as of 11/1/94 at the Ist step within schedule] receives $27,454.00 a year. Thus,
an adjunct without a doctorate who is at the Ist step within the schedule [based on their years of service] would receive 1/10 or
$2,745 per course [3 credits].
Full-time Lecturers teach an equivalent* of 10 sections [3 credit courses] annually at $29,694
. Which equals $2,969 per section (or equivalent).
* 9 sections [3 credit courses] annually plus administrative responsibilities equivalent to 3 credits per year
IDENTIFYING INEQUITIES
COMPARING FULL-TIME AND ADJUNCT FACULTY COMPENSATION
Adjunct Lecturers [as of 11/1/94]
[3rd step within schedule]
$49.54 (contact hr)x 45 hrs = $2,229.30
ae ee ee
Full-time [Certificate of Continuting Employment]
Lecturer [as of 11/1/94]
[3rd step within schedule]
$29,694.00 annually
plus health & retirement benefits
Contractural Responsibilities
[Both Senior & Junior Colleges]
Teaching duties: 9 sections annually
Administrative duties: | Yes (unspecified)
Research duties: None
I have translated administrative duties to
an equivalent of 1 section per year.
Full-time Lecturers teach
equivalent of 10 sections annually
$29,694 10=2,969.00
Full-time Lecturers earn $2,969 per section*
Adjunct Lecturers earn $2,293 per section
Adjunct Lecturers earn 77% of what
Full-time Lecturers earn for equal work
Adjunct Assistant Professors [as of 11/1/94]
[3rd step within schedule]
$56.18 (contact hr)x 45 hrs = $2,528.
Full-time [Tenure-track]
Assistant Professor [as of 11/1/94]
[3rd step within schedule]
$32,373.00 annually
plus health & retirement benefits
Contractural Responsibilities
[Senior Colleges]
Teaching duties: 7 sections annually
Administive duties: | Yes (unspecified)
Research duties: Yes (unspecified)
I have translated administrative duties to
an equivalent of 1 section per year &
research duties to an equivalent of 1 section per
year.
Full-time Assistant Professors teach an
an equivalent of 9 sections
$32,373.00 9 =$3,597.
Full-time Asst Profs earn $3,597 per section*
Adjunct Asst Profs earn $2,528 per section
Adjunct Asst Profs earn 70% of what
Full-time Asst Profs earn for equal work
Adjunct Associate Professors earn $2,725.65 per section
Full-time Associate Professors earn $4,687.33 per section*
Adjunct Associate Professors earn 42% of what
Full-time Associate Professors earn for equal work
Full-time [Certificate of Continuting Employment]
Lecturer [as of 11/1/94]
[3rd step within schedule]
$29,694.00 annually
plus health & retirement benefits
ntractural R: nsibiliti
[Both Senior & Junior Colleges]
Teaching duties: 9 sections annually
Administive duties: | Yes (unspecified)
Research duties: None
I have translated administrative duties to
an equivalent of 1 section per year.
Full-time Lecturers teach an equivalent of:
10 sections annually
$29,694 10=2,969.00
Full-time Lecturers earn $2,969 per section
Adjunct Lecturers earn $2,293 per section
Adjunct Lecturers earn 77% of what
Full-time Lecturers earn for equal work
EQUITY GAP = $739. per course
Full-time [Tenure-track]
Assistant Professor [as of 11/1/94]
[3rd step within schedule]
$32,373.00 annually
plus health & retirement benefits
Contractural Responsibilities
[Senior Colleges]
Teaching duties:
Administive duties:
Research duties:
7 sections annually
Yes (unspecified)
Yes (unspecified)
I have translated administrative duties to
an equivalent of 1 section per year &
research duties to an equivalent of 1 per
year.
Full-time Assistant Professors teach an
9 sections annually
$32,373.00 9=9$3,597.
Full-time Asst Profs earn $3,597 per section
Adjunct Asst Profs earn $2,528 per section
Adjunct Asst Profs earn 70% of what
Full-time Asst Profs earn for equal work
EQUITY GAP = $1,069. per course
These are actually UNDERCALCULATIONS OF THE EQUITY GAP because:
1) Movement from step to step in the salary schedule is more frequent for full-time facuty, thus an
adjunct and a full-time faculty employed for the same number of semesters would be at different steps
within their schedule.
2) This does not include the differences in benefit packages. Adjuncts receive no pension benefits,
their health coverage is significantly inferior and they do not begin receiving health benefits only after
teaching for one and a half years.
INEQUITIES IN ADJUNCT COMPENSATION
‘, Adjunct Lecturers are paid roughly $4,434. per year less (assuming 3 courses per semester) than tenure-
track [certificate of continuing employment] faculty who teach in identical rank, after adjusting for administrative
duties they are not responsible for. In addition, they do not receive equal health benefits and receive no pension
benefits. [ % of the adjuncts at John Jay are Adjunct Lecturers]
Conservatively speaking this results in a 33% gap in pay within rank and job seniority.
2 Adjunct Assistant Professors are paid roughly $6,414. per year less (assuming 3 courses per semester)
than tenure-track faculty who teach in identical rank, after adjusting for administrative and research duties they
are not responsible for. In addition, they do not receive equal health benefits and do not receive pension
benefits. [ % of the adjuncts at John Jay are Adjunct Assistant Professors]
Conservatively speaking this results in a 42% gap in pay within rank and job seniority.
3. Adjunct Associate Professors are paid roughly $11, 768.10 per year less (assuming 3 courses per
semester) than tenure-track faculty who teach in identical rank, after adjusting for administrative and research
duties they are not responsible for. In addition, they do not receive equal health benefits and do not receive
pension benefits. __ [ % of the adjuncts at John Jay are Adjunct Associate Professors]
Conservatively speaking this results in a 72% gap in pay within rank and job seniority.
(10M) ¢ nay 7 fall! bag MBEOCIEN OW
a Silin Wee (Mege/C0 wy
ADJUNCTS ARE APPEALING TO THE UNION THAT REPRESENTS THEM
FOR NOTHING MORE THAN “EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK”
As evidenced by the accompanying documentation, the pay gap between adjunct and tenure track faculty
within identical rank and years of service ranges roughly from 33 % to 72%. [This is after adjusting for the
additional contractural responsibilities of tenure-track faculty and covers only the disparity in direct financial
compensation, Health and pension benefits are a source of additional inequality. ]
This inequality has persisted despite the fact that both sets of professionals are unionized and
represented by the same union. Continuing such a practice is unethical and contrary to the union ideal.
Additionally, upholding this two-tier system undermines the power of the union itself.
A very significant and growing portion of the faculty are adjuncts. This is, and for the last two decades
has been, the structure of the faculty. The potential of the union to grow in membership and power rests on
incorporating the adjunct faculty in an authentic way into the union. We believe, closing the pay gap is an
important begining of such a process.
Furthermore, the educational mission of the university would be enhanced by such a policy since it would
sharply reduce turnover of adjunct faculty, increase their accessibility to their students, and integrate them more
meaningfully into the life of the university.
PRECISELY WHAT ARE WE ASKING FOR?
SALARY:
For each 3 credit course an adjunct teaches, he/she should be paid should be 1/10 of the
annual pay of a full-time Lecturer.
The adjunct should be moved along the Lecturer schedule based on the number of semesters taught, at
the same pace as the full-time lecturers. Adjunct faculty with doctorates would fall under the Lecturer [Doctoral
Schedule], adjunct faculty without doctorates would fall under the Lecturer schedule.
Any percentage increases granted to the full-time faculty in the new contract would likewise be applied to
the Lecturer schedule.
3 2 2K 2 2 9k 2k 2k 2k 2k 2K 2k 2k ak ok ok
If, and only if, this salary adjustment were made, adjunct faculty would be contracturally responsible,
just as full-time faculty for office hours based on the number of courses taught [One hour per week for each 3
credit course taught].
If this salary adjustment were not to be accomplished, then adjunct should be paid for holding of office
hours at the rate of 60% of their hourly rate. Monitoring of such office hours would be no different than
monitoring of tenure track faculty office hours.
a ee es ae RR spear ae
JOB SECURITY:
Following a probationary period of 2 consecutive semesters during which an adjunct faculty member would have
at least one student evaluation and 2 faculty observations:
* ‘2 One year contracts be offered in place of one semester appointments. |p
° If an adjunct’s course is cancelled during registration, they would not be disqualified for any health —
benefits they were entitled to if this course they were scheduled to teach had run.
$< $$ _—_____
| ° Seniority [within departments/divisions and courses previously taught] be respected if there is a reduction |
in overall section offerings. li en
at Adjunct faculty to be eligible for a Certificate of Continuous Employment for any course previously i ¥*
taught for 6 consequtive courses. wD:
° Disciplinary actions and arbitration regarding adjunct faculty be the same as that for non-tenured tenure
track faculty as detailed in Article 21 (rather than Grievance and Arbitration Article 20).
GOVERNANCE INCLUSION:
° Adjunct faculty be invited [notified as tenure track faculty] of all department meetings.
JOB FLEXIBILITY:
° Adjunct faculty could teach up to 12 contact hours plus office hours at combined CUNY campuses, but
up to 9 contact hours plus office hours at any one campus.
[This would enable an adjunct to teach two three credit courses at two different campuses which is not
presently possible. ]
° If an adjunct faculty member is hired for other than teaching duties, such as student advising, registration,
etc., they would be paid at 60% of their imputed hourly rate.
Their imputed hourly rate would be - their compensation rate per course divided by 3 credits.
SUPPORT FOR SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES:
° 20% of the CUNY/PSC grant funds would be set aside for adjuncts to compete for on equal terms along
with tenure-track faculty. The readers of grant applications would be blind to the adjunct or tenure track
status of the applicant.
RATIONALE FOR THIS SALARY INCREASE:
It is the full-time Lecturer schedules [non-doctoral and doctoral] that should be used as a basis for adjunct financial compensation
since they, like adjunct faculty, are hired without research responsiblities, and are evaluated on the basis of their teaching contribution.
At present, full-time lecturers are contracturally responsible for teaching 27 credit hours [9 courses] per academic year, holding
office hours and undertaking administrative responsibilities. We consider administrative responsiblities to be the approximate equivalent
of 1 course per academic year, so that their annual compensation covers the equivalent of 10 courses [30 credit hours] per academic year.
We believe it would be only equitable if adjunct faculty were compensated at the rate of 1/10 of the Lecturer compensation for
each course [3 credit hours] taught, and that adjunct faculty would be contracturally responsible for the same amount of office hours per
course as full-time faculty.
For example: A full-time Lecturer [as of 11/1/94 at the Ist step within schedule] receives $27,454.00 a year. Thus,
an adjunct without a doctorate who is at the Ist step within the schedule [based on their years of service] would receive 1/10 or
$2,745 per course [3 credits].
Full-time Lecturers teach an equivalent* of 10 sections [3 credit courses] annually at $29,694
. Which equals $2,969 per section (or equivalent).
* 9 sections [3 credit courses] annually plus administrative responsibilities equivalent to 3 credits per year
IDENTIFYING INEQUITIES
COMPARING FULL-TIME AND ADJUNCT FACULTY COMPENSATION
Adjunct Lecturers [as of 11/1/94]
[3rd step within schedule]
$49.54 (contact hr)x 45 hrs = $2,229.30
ae ee ee
Full-time [Certificate of Continuting Employment]
Lecturer [as of 11/1/94]
[3rd step within schedule]
$29,694.00 annually
plus health & retirement benefits
Contractural Responsibilities
[Both Senior & Junior Colleges]
Teaching duties: 9 sections annually
Administrative duties: | Yes (unspecified)
Research duties: None
I have translated administrative duties to
an equivalent of 1 section per year.
Full-time Lecturers teach
equivalent of 10 sections annually
$29,694 10=2,969.00
Full-time Lecturers earn $2,969 per section*
Adjunct Lecturers earn $2,293 per section
Adjunct Lecturers earn 77% of what
Full-time Lecturers earn for equal work
Adjunct Assistant Professors [as of 11/1/94]
[3rd step within schedule]
$56.18 (contact hr)x 45 hrs = $2,528.
Full-time [Tenure-track]
Assistant Professor [as of 11/1/94]
[3rd step within schedule]
$32,373.00 annually
plus health & retirement benefits
Contractural Responsibilities
[Senior Colleges]
Teaching duties: 7 sections annually
Administive duties: | Yes (unspecified)
Research duties: Yes (unspecified)
I have translated administrative duties to
an equivalent of 1 section per year &
research duties to an equivalent of 1 section per
year.
Full-time Assistant Professors teach an
an equivalent of 9 sections
$32,373.00 9 =$3,597.
Full-time Asst Profs earn $3,597 per section*
Adjunct Asst Profs earn $2,528 per section
Adjunct Asst Profs earn 70% of what
Full-time Asst Profs earn for equal work
Adjunct Associate Professors earn $2,725.65 per section
Full-time Associate Professors earn $4,687.33 per section*
Adjunct Associate Professors earn 42% of what
Full-time Associate Professors earn for equal work
Full-time [Certificate of Continuting Employment]
Lecturer [as of 11/1/94]
[3rd step within schedule]
$29,694.00 annually
plus health & retirement benefits
ntractural R: nsibiliti
[Both Senior & Junior Colleges]
Teaching duties: 9 sections annually
Administive duties: | Yes (unspecified)
Research duties: None
I have translated administrative duties to
an equivalent of 1 section per year.
Full-time Lecturers teach an equivalent of:
10 sections annually
$29,694 10=2,969.00
Full-time Lecturers earn $2,969 per section
Adjunct Lecturers earn $2,293 per section
Adjunct Lecturers earn 77% of what
Full-time Lecturers earn for equal work
EQUITY GAP = $739. per course
Full-time [Tenure-track]
Assistant Professor [as of 11/1/94]
[3rd step within schedule]
$32,373.00 annually
plus health & retirement benefits
Contractural Responsibilities
[Senior Colleges]
Teaching duties:
Administive duties:
Research duties:
7 sections annually
Yes (unspecified)
Yes (unspecified)
I have translated administrative duties to
an equivalent of 1 section per year &
research duties to an equivalent of 1 per
year.
Full-time Assistant Professors teach an
9 sections annually
$32,373.00 9=9$3,597.
Full-time Asst Profs earn $3,597 per section
Adjunct Asst Profs earn $2,528 per section
Adjunct Asst Profs earn 70% of what
Full-time Asst Profs earn for equal work
EQUITY GAP = $1,069. per course
These are actually UNDERCALCULATIONS OF THE EQUITY GAP because:
1) Movement from step to step in the salary schedule is more frequent for full-time facuty, thus an
adjunct and a full-time faculty employed for the same number of semesters would be at different steps
within their schedule.
2) This does not include the differences in benefit packages. Adjuncts receive no pension benefits,
their health coverage is significantly inferior and they do not begin receiving health benefits only after
teaching for one and a half years.
INEQUITIES IN ADJUNCT COMPENSATION
‘, Adjunct Lecturers are paid roughly $4,434. per year less (assuming 3 courses per semester) than tenure-
track [certificate of continuing employment] faculty who teach in identical rank, after adjusting for administrative
duties they are not responsible for. In addition, they do not receive equal health benefits and receive no pension
benefits. [ % of the adjuncts at John Jay are Adjunct Lecturers]
Conservatively speaking this results in a 33% gap in pay within rank and job seniority.
2 Adjunct Assistant Professors are paid roughly $6,414. per year less (assuming 3 courses per semester)
than tenure-track faculty who teach in identical rank, after adjusting for administrative and research duties they
are not responsible for. In addition, they do not receive equal health benefits and do not receive pension
benefits. [ % of the adjuncts at John Jay are Adjunct Assistant Professors]
Conservatively speaking this results in a 42% gap in pay within rank and job seniority.
3. Adjunct Associate Professors are paid roughly $11, 768.10 per year less (assuming 3 courses per
semester) than tenure-track faculty who teach in identical rank, after adjusting for administrative and research
duties they are not responsible for. In addition, they do not receive equal health benefits and do not receive
pension benefits. __ [ % of the adjuncts at John Jay are Adjunct Associate Professors]
Conservatively speaking this results in a 72% gap in pay within rank and job seniority.
Title
"Equal pay for Equal Work"
Description
This 1994 flyer, produced by the Adjunct Faculty Association (AFA) at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, was an appeal to the Professional Staff Congress (PSC) to stop supporting a two-tiered salaru system. The document detailed inequities in adjunct compensation. Specific demands included salary adjustments, paid office hours, job security, governance inclusion, job flexibilit, and support for scholarly activities by adjuncts.The Adjunct Faculty Association (AFA) formed shortly after the failure of the Part-time Instructional and Research Staff Union (PTU) to achieve the right to form a separate union.
Contributor
Professional Staff Congress
Creator
Adjunct Faculty Association (AFA) of John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Date
1994
Language
English
Rights
Obtained from Contributor - Copyright Unknown
Source
The Tamiment Institute Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Original Format
Report / Paper / Proposal
Adjunct Faculty Association (AFA) of John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Letter. 1993. “‘Equal Pay for Equal Work’”, 1993, CUNY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE, accessed March 10, 2026, https://stephenz.tailc22a4b.ts.net/s/cdha/item/1477