Changing Faculty Workforce Models

Liberatory design thinking—a way to address equity challenges and change efforts in complex systems—can help campus leaders rethink policy and practices for non-tenure-track faculty.

Short-term appointments in the academic workforce account for roughly two thirds of all faculty positions. Yet little is known about this segment’s financial needs, experiences and professional stability.

Many higher education leaders believe any student should be able to attend any university without taking on unmanageable debt. Demographic trends suggest reaching this goal will be challenging.