A combination of shrinking state revenue and exploding enrollment has led to the communications studies department hiring cheaper part-time instructors to pick up the slack.

A February memo to department chair Val Smith from Sheila M. Orman, Director of Faculty Affairs, outlines plans to hire at least 21 part-time instructors in the department for the 2002-03 academic year.

Part time versus full time faculty hiring is one of the main sticking points in the current negotiations between the faculty and administration on a new labor contract.

Dave Martin, a tenured professor in the department doesn’t like the trend of hiring more part-timers.

“Some aspects (of education) suffer,” he said. “Advising, dealing with special problems and other non-instructional activities, unlike tenured faculty, are not compensated for.”

Martin also doesn’t agree with the policy of giving part-timers one-year contracts.

“Part timers live in a kind of fear, being hired year-by-year or even semester-by-semester, keeping their mouths shut so they won’t be removed from future hiring lists,” said Martin.

Sacramento State President Donald Gerth, scoffed at that notion.

“I don?t agree with that at all,” he said. “It?s silly for anyone to think that. I?ve been a part time instructor before and I never felt any fear.”

The administration, in a report delivered Feb.13-15 to neutral factfinder John Caraway as part of the negotiation process, makes the argument that most part-timers have jobs outside of Sac State and therefore don’t need the security or benefits offered to full-timers.

In the presentation, the administration argued against increased job security for part-timers, pointing out that they are free to negotiate individually for whatever they want.

John Gilgun, a part time instructor for the last six years who began his teaching career as a Sac State grad student does not agree with current hiring practices.

“I would prefer to be full time,” he said. “I don’t like the inherent instability of the one year contract.”

Given the current budget problems at the state level and the administration’s stated stance, Gilgun doesn?t hold out hope for attaining tenure any time soon.

“If the color of the sky in my world were purple, I’d be more optimistic. I’m not bitter, just realistic,” he said.

Student reaction to this issue was difficult to find. Out of twelve students contacted by The State Hornet, none were aware of the conflict.

Senior Sidra Zumot, a communications major, had a typical response to questions about the issue.

“I?ve had classes with part and full time teachers, I haven?t seenor heard of any differences.”