Richland Adjunct Faculty Association s Spring 2016 Survey Responses richlandcollege.edu/rafa 972-238-6361 rafa@dcccd.edu We received fourteen responses. Questions 1-8 required a reply, and question 9 was optional. Below are the unedited responses. We appreciate your time and good thoughts. 1. Do you rely on your teaching position at Richland as your primary source of income? If 'yes', please elaborate. 1. YES, I am adjunct. 2. Yes, I am working as a adjunct faculty and able to meet the required hours. It is great to work here. 3. No 4. No. 5. Yes; semi retired from a profession so still needed income for basic monthlies. 6. No. 7. No. 8. Yes, it is my primary and only source of income. I know I need to find additional job, since this one is a part time (contracts). I'm constantly looking for it, but didn't find anything yet. Probably I need to do more intensive search to improve my financial situation. 9. No 10. No 11. NO 12. no 13. Yes, along with my recent application to collect SS. 14. No Page 1 of 9
2. What are your thoughts regarding SB11? 1. n/a 2. I am not in favor of this since it will increase the risk of violence in the campus. 3. I am not familiar with SB11. 4. I would prefer not having any weapons on campus. 5. Guns on campus? Ridiculous, scary, and bound to be a killing. 6. Open and uncertain at this point. Good and bad on both sides. Has to be very closely reviewed. 7. What a bad idea! 8. I think guns should not be permitted on campuses. It is better to have more police officers. 9. No one but a police officer should be allowed firearms on campus, concealed or open carry. 10. No clue what it is 11. Guns? Worst idea ever. I'm sure if we took a survey as private colleges can do, we would show the same percentages of 80% against and only 20% or so for as has happened on every college allowed to make its own choice. Classroom discussions on controversial topics will be stifled, professors in their own offices will feel threatened, and students in common areas will be in danger from carelessness. And we have high schoolers on campus.. 12. Love it! Should have happened sooner. I am looking forward campus carry 13. I am very uncomfortable with carrying guns on campus. 14. I am truly concerned about this issue due to the large number of high school students on campus. Page 2 of 9
3. If plagiarism occurs in your classroom, what is an appropriate action? 1. I teach digital media, online. 2. We as a faculty should follow out policy. Since we in our first very class discuss syllabus and talk about Academic Dishonesty. Scholastic dishonesty is a violation of the Code of Student Conduct. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. As a college student, it is considered a responsible adult. Their enrollment indicates acceptance of the DCCCD Code of Student Conduct and we as a faculty will take appropriate action based on our policy. 3. 0 on the assignment and referral to counseling and learning center resources 4. There should be levels of plagiarism based on percentages. In some cases, it may be an honest mistake, with 15% or less for example. However, if large percentages 35% or greater, there should be a DCCCD policy in which the dean intervenes. Programs such as turnitin.com may be helpful as documentation of percentage of plagiarism. 5. First offense a warning, then failing grade. Third offense reported to Dean. 6. Call the student in and ask them to explain. Use adroit questioning to get them to disclose. 7. First time, zero on the assignment. Second time, zero and referral to the Department. Third time, final grade of F. 8. An appropriate action would be to take off points from that "work". 9. Report to the Honor Council and receive a zero for that assignment. 10. Forces rewrite or failure of assignment 11. Zero on the assignment 12. Report them 13. I require citations as a graded aspect of an assignment, if a student does not identify sources, it hurts their grade. 14. I truly feel that we need to develop alternative means of assessment. We are not able to truly prevent this issue from happening. Page 3 of 9
4. In your opinion, has the landscape of plagiarism changed in the past few years? 1. yes. students don't care. 2. Yes, students assignments if are not considered appropriately and given very generic that can be a precursor for the potential increase in plagiarism. 3. Not in just the last few years, no 4. I believe plagiarism has gotten more lazy. With the invent of information databases since the 1990s, students are simply cutting and pasting passages. With that being said, perhaps steps need to be taken at the college in terms of deliberate lessons to show how to avoid plagiarism, in which all students must go through. Even a 10-15 minute online course could be of benefit to vastly reduce plagiarism issues. 5. Yes. Too many ways to click and drag. Inadequate tools or time to detect. 6. YES! 7. No. 8. I think it changed in the way that it can occur now in the area of Internet. 9. Yes, people don't realize what is considered plagiarism. Or do not care. 10. Yes 11. Yes, my ESOL students easily find "example" paragraphs or journals on internet sites. 12. no 13. Obviously, the Internet and the ability to cut and paste encourages the opportunity to use others work. 14. Yes, the landscape of plagiarism has changed tremendously. There are more innovated tools for students to use and they are using them. Page 4 of 9
5. What professional development topics would you like to see discussed at Richland? 1. Advertising for your class, beyond the campus website. 2. -Use of technology in teaching 3. "Flipped" classrooms 4. 1:1 instruction using technology is certainly a "hot educational topic" right now. How can ipads and tablets be utilized in the classroom to enhanced instruction, not simply provide for substitution? What are some apps that are suitable for higher education for formative assessments and collaborative learning? 5. Better listening and speaking skills, especially for those teachers who speak English as a second or third language. 6. Interpersonal skills in dealing with students. 7. Effective use of discussion boards that generate genuine and productive online give-and-take between students and the professor. 8. Any topics on pure science, like main problems and developments in Physics, Mathematics, and Chemistry. Also topics about different scientific organizations and their work. 9. More professional development geared towards the sciences. 10. None 11. teaching strategies 12. Classes that promote teacher initiatives in the classroom. get away from standardization. encourage instructor creativity 13. Topics are already addressed. 14. Distance learning topics that will allow Adjuncts the opportunity to improve their teaching skills and reduce work loads. Page 5 of 9
6. In your opinion, what can adjuncts do to make Richland a better college? 1. Keep their course instruction and materials current! 2. -Involve more actively in face to face monthly meetings and having a faculty council and charter and gudelines. 3. Be involved in professional development as well as student organizations and events. 4. Adjuncts have a wealth of knowledge that can be shared. Some of our full-time employment includes industry, applications of our degrees, and full-time education. It would be worth looking into having genuine educational discussions, rather than "sit and get" professional development. For example, some industries and educational institutions simply have topics to discuss in small groups without a formal presentation, i.e. "If you would like to meet in a small group and discuss ideas for collaborative grouping...meet here for 20 minutes". 5. Enforce stricter standards of punctuality, attendance, classroom comportment, and participation. Further, realize and promote the "internationalism" available here. 6. Learn the supporting systems which will help improve teaching prep, delivery, and grading; see also no. 5. 7. Do your best. 8. Ideally some adjuncts could bring some grants to Richland. 9. N/A 10. Demand more governing power and more teaching time 11. All adjuncts should be as dedicated as most are. 12. Promote instructor creativity in the classroom 13. I think the adjunct in my department are doing adequate work. Perhaps as a whole, adjuncts should be better supervised and provided better guidance. 14. Adjuncts need to have their own required or mandatory staff development. This forum will allow RAFA to assess the needs of our colleagues. Page 6 of 9
7. Do you aspire to teach full time at Richland or another college? If 'yes', please elaborate. 1. no. 2. Yes. I definitely would like to be full time. I can teach all the clinical and medical topics and it will a cost effective for the institute 3. No 4. No. 5. No. 6. No--not seeking one but would if an attractive situation arises. 7. No. 8. Yes. If you are a full time, then you have an office where you can keep books and other materials to help students better. Also you are more stable financially, of course, so you can participate in more scientific conferences. That way you can learn more about frontier of the subject you are teaching and advise your students with perspective employment. It should be mentioned advantage of Health benefits as well. If you are adjunct you can't have one, because it is expensive for your income. 9. Yes, I enjoy teaching and would like a full time position. 10. Yes. I don't want to be dependent on enrollment for my classes 11. NO 12. no 13. No 14. No, to much bureaucracy. I did at one time but the more I get engage, I become so disappointed with the system. Unless things become more streamline, I may reconsider. My goals was to become a full time distance learner instructor or specialist in a area of need with the College. I have since changed my mind and I have decided to focus more on outside ventures, Page 7 of 9
8. Do you have suggestions relative to using Blackboard / ecampus shells to enhance courses and submit grades at the end of the semester? 1. Need to be able to take a completed online course and SAVE AS a course Template!!!!! 2. Self learning tool and updates webinars auto assignment for the faculty, monthly newsletter via email as well 3. No as mail on new updates will be helpful. 4. I currently have no issues with this system. 5. No 6. No--good as is. See no. 6. 7. The discussion board issue I have mentioned. 8. No, everything is fine. 9. N/A 10. No 11. Be able to add or delete several columns at once and have the weighted columns able to do more calculations, for example, figure 60% of a named column. 12. none 13. No 14. Yes, the technology should be integrated so the instructors can easily submit grades and where other tools of learning should be incorporated into the system to make the job of the Adjunct or Full-time instructor easy as well as accessible. Page 8 of 9
9. Please add any comments you'd like to share such as the excellent ideas discussed during RAFA's recent "Let's Chat" sessions. My course IMED 1301 (Intro to Digital Imaging) can't be found through a normal web search on the campus website. I need to be able to "tag" my course with "key words" (Digital Imaging, Intro to digital skills, Intro to multimedia, etc.) so that website visitors can find it. Please tell me how I can do this. None I believe there should be some loyalty standards in place in terms of number of years employed as an adjunct. If our service has been of benefit and our student surveys and dean review has been good or better, more opportunities should be afforded to adjuncts. For example, I have been with Richland for over a decade; however, I was not offered a summer 2016 session because I was told that new adjuncts should be afforded the opportunity. I would think that with the fast pace of summer school, deans would prefer to have experienced adjuncts that have proven experience. Pay is still not comparable to full time professors; only difference is they sit in their offices sometimes. I see no greater contribution. Academics would implode without Adjuncts. Reducing hours to avoid insurance was a scam, an affront to dignity, and lowered what little income was available. You asked. It's great to have RAFA because adjuncts have for too long carried a heavy load and been treated as second class citizens in the district. Access Center is very helpful for Adjuncts. Thank you for your concerns about us in general, and with this Survey in particular. No insight here. I love RAFA's Chat sessions it is a great opportunity to exchange thoughts and ideas. Page 9 of 9