Building a Better Adjunct Faculty Experience: Lessons From Three Campuses

Adjunct faculty make up about 40% of the higher education faculty workforce (or more than 650,000 instructors) in the United States, according to a February 2026 report from the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR). They teach courses, mentor students, and bring real-world expertise into academic settings. Yet, for years, many have operated without a clear sense of institutional belonging, navigating complex bureaucracies on their own and piecing together courses at multiple schools just to make ends meet.

The conversation around adjunct support often defaults to compensation-and rightly so. Pay and compensation remain central concerns, and the CUPA-HR data makes clear how significant those disparities are. At the same time, particularly as institutions navigate financial pressures and budget constraints, a growing number are asking a broader question: What does it look like to invest in adjunct faculty as educators and as people? What structures, programs, and cultural shifts help part-time instructors feel prepared, valued, and genuinely connected to their institutions?

At the 2026 AAC&U Annual Meeting, leaders from three institutions offered answers. Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) and Montclair State University (MSU) were co-recipients of the 2025 Delphi Award – which recognizes institutions for their support and advancement of contingent faculty. At the meeting, representatives from both universities shared their approaches during the session “Institutional Transformation to Support Contingent Faculty.” The same day, the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) presented its 360-degree Wraparound Model in “Positioning Adjunct Faculty for Success.” Together, their stories form a case study in what intentional, systemic support for adjunct faculty can look like.

Closing the Distance Between Adjuncts and Campus Life

Perhaps the most persistent challenge for adjunct faculty is also one of the most human: feeling like they belong. Teaching part time — sometimes at multiple schools, often without a permanent office or a seat at department meetings — can be isolating. All three institutions have made belonging a deliberate institutional priority.

At CCBC, the Institute for Transformative Teaching, Learning, and Leadership (ITTLL) serves as a hub connecting adjunct faculty to resources, people, and opportunities across the college. Adjunct faculty centers on each major campus offer 24/7 access to workspace, computers, copiers, lockers, and coffee. Monthly newsletters and weekly emails keep adjunct faculty informed and engaged.

“Belonging is further reinforced through recognition efforts including annual awards ceremonies, milestone celebrations, and opportunities to present their work,” said Dr. Dallas Dolan, dean of teaching and learning at CCBC. For example, every year one adjunct from each of CCBC’s seven academic schools is honored at an Adjunct of the Year ceremony.

At FGCU, the Lucas Center for Faculty Development has worked to make sure adjunct faculty are welcomed into the same spaces as their full-time colleagues. A dedicated workspace in the campus library, a bi-monthly newsletter, an adjunct faculty advisory board, and a podcast called “Adjunct Files” all contribute to a culture where part-time faculty are visible and heard. The creation of a coordinator for adjunct faculty position in December 2024 provides centralized leadership and advocacy for FGCU’s adjunct instructors.

“Quite frankly, few people realized how the adjunct faculty contingent grew to over 400 instructors teaching 20% of the courses,” said John Roth, coordinator for adjunct faculty at FGCU. “The assumptions were that adjunct faculty were ‘temporary’ and incidental rather than central to the success of many departments and programs.”

At MSU, belonging starts before the first day of class. Dr. Courtney Glore Crimmins, faculty developer and adjunct liaison in the Office for Faculty Excellence (OFE), receives a list of every new adjunct hire and sends a personalized welcome email with a curated overview of available resources.

“The hope is that this personalized outreach signals to new hires our sincere investment, interest, and commitment in the success of every adjunct faculty member at Montclair,” Crimmins said.

Adjunct faculty also hold three voting seats on the University Senate. Students can submit notes of appreciation through the “Thank a Professor” initiative, and adjunct faculty are regularly spotlighted in the university’s weekly “In the Know” newsletter alongside full-time colleagues.

Professional Development: Investing in Growth

All three institutions have built accessible professional development options for adjunct faculty that go well beyond the occasional workshop, creating structured pathways for ongoing growth.

CCBC offers faculty learning communities, ACUE mini-courses and certifications, an annual winter adjunct conference, and access to the Adjunct Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship (ATLAS) program, which comes with a $400 stipend. Adjunct faculty can also publish their scholarly work in the college’s peer-reviewed journal, TALES.

“Professional development is directly tied to advancement pathways, including pay increases and participation in initiatives like the Faculty Fellows Program, reinforcing a clear connection between learning, recognition, and career progression,” Dolan said.

FGCU’s flagship offering is the Adjunct Faculty Academy, launched in 2022 with support from the university president. The Academy delivers a structured sequence of pedagogy workshops, advanced Canvas training, peer observation, and targeted professional learning.

“Adjunct faculty who complete the Academy receive approximately a 22% increase in per-course compensation,” said John Roth and Dr. Bill Reynolds, director of the Lucas Center for Faculty Development. “Together, these offerings promote continuous growth, strengthen teaching quality, and deepen adjunct faculty’s sense of identity within the institution.”

At MSU, the OFE offers a series of “Just for Adjuncts” faculty development sessions– born directly from feedback from part-time faculty — designed to address the specific needs of adjunct instructors and build community among them. In a newer initiative, the university allocates $10,000 annually for the Adjunct Research and Professional Development Fund, supporting scholarly projects, professional development, and artistic work by part-time faculty.

“It’s meaningful to provide financial support to adjunct faculty for their scholarly pursuits,” Crimmins said.

Lessons for Other Institutions

The work at CCBC, FGCU, and MSU shares principles that institutions of any size can draw from.

Start by listening and gathering data. FGCU’s transformation began with an adjunct faculty survey that achieved nearly a 50% response rate. MSU’s OFE conducted a needs assessment in 2022 that directly shaped subsequent initiatives. Asking what adjunct faculty actually need — rather than assuming — is the foundation. Build structure, not just goodwill. Belonging and support don’t happen by accident. Dedicated spaces, staff positions, formal advisory boards, and scheduled communications all signal institutional commitment in ways that informal gestures cannot. Start small and build. As Crimmins put it: “Our experience has been to start small and build from there. Survey adjunct faculty, find out what actually needs to be addressed: What support is lacking, what information is needed, and what ideas do adjunct faculty have to improve their experience teaching at the institution?” Tie professional development to real rewards. Both CCBC and FGCU have linked participation in professional development to pay increases and advancement pathways — reinforcing that growth has tangible value.

A New Standard for Support

The work at CCBC, FGCU, and MSU shows what is possible when institutions treat adjunct faculty not as temporary help, but as essential members of the academic community. From CCBC’s 360-degree wraparound model to FGCU’s Adjunct Faculty Academy and MSU’s “Just for Adjuncts” programming and research fund, each institution has built something distinct — and each offers something transferable.

The 2025 Delphi Award recognized FGCU and MSU for this kind of intentional transformation. CCBC’s model reflects the same commitment. For colleges and universities looking to expand support for adjuncts, these three institutions offer a concrete place to start.

“Some efforts will require more time and resources than others,” Dr. Crimmins said, “but the value in supporting adjunct faculty is immeasurable.”