by P.D. Lesko

IN THIS ISSUE of the magazine, Assistant Editor Chris Cumo caught up with five very special people. The individuals profiled in this issue prove conclusively that adjunct faculty can lead full and rich professional lives. "Gypsy Scholar" is a frequent term applied to adjunct faculty, along with the moniker "Freeway Flier." I rather prefer the former to the latter, though feel I am choosing between the lesser of two evils. Frankly, adjunct faculty are not "Gypsies" in the sense that they move from job to job.

A study conducted by the National Education Association found that the average temporary faculty member stayed longer with a teaching job than did the average tenure-line faculty member. Are adjuncts, then, "Freeway Fliers?" Some, yes, of course they are. But just as generalization is useless in describing most groups, it is particularly ineffective when describing temporary faculty. Would a visiting assistant professor fall into the "Freeway Flier" category? I think not, but the individual would be classified as a temporary employee nonetheless.

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