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RESOURCES
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EDUCATION
Newsletters:
Advice on Hiring Part-Time Distance Faculty
Madison, Wis.—August 22— There are distinct advantages to hiring distance faculty to teach courses, says John Orlando, the instructional resource manager at the Norwich University School of Graduate Studies. However, there are negatives, too, so an institution or program must plan thoroughly to overcome these negatives.
Orlando offered advice on how to overcome these challenges during the recent online seminar, “Managing Faculty at a Distance.”
For example, Orlando recommended using a formal application for part-time distance faculty. On-campus faculty searches tend to be informal, but that approach doesn’t work for distance faculty, Orlando cautioned. For example, if the application process is handled informally over the phone, and an applicant misrepresents his or her experience, there’s no record of that misrepresentation. “You may find yourself in a legally tenuous position if you need to dismiss” that faculty member in the middle of the term, Orlando said.
In contrast, a formal application captures any possible misrepresentation on paper. In addition, the line “incorrect information is grounds for dismissal” can be added to the application itself.
Here are his best suggestions about hiring off-campus faculty:
1. Chat with the applicant’s references to double-check they are who they say they are.
“It’s not uncommon to be given phony references,” Orlando said.
2. Conduct a criminal background check.
In one case, an institution found out purely by chance that an online instructor was in jail at the time of employment, Orlando said.
3. Ask open-ended questions during the phone (or face-to-face) interview.
Use the interview not to review the details of the applicant’s experience but to learn more about the applicant’s expectations and teaching philosophy. Open ended-questions help get at qualities such as enthusiasm and communication skills.
During the seminar, Orlando also spoke about helping online adjunct faculty become a part of the institution, rather than portraying themselves as hired guns. Although distance faculty often make a distinction between themselves and the institutions, students don’t, Orlando said.
If you missed the live seminar and would like to order a transcript or CD of the event, visit on our online catalog.
Magna Publications is a leading publisher of newsletters and other information products in the higher education segment. Magna also manages onsite and online conferences on topics of interest to higher education.
For more information please contact David Burns, Publisher, Magna Publications, Inc., at 608-227-8109, or dburns@magnapubs.com.
