Many engineering technology programs in the United States employ part-time faculty to augment the work of full-time faculty, manage enrollment and employment fluctuations, and provide subject-matter-expertise that may otherwise be lacking in a particular context, among other reasons. The preparation, performance, and impact of part-time faculty is significant, as higher education leaders and external stakeholders press for quality, accountability, and continuous improvement of programs and institutions. Thus, a challenge for engineering technology programs is to make certain that part-time faculty members possess both the academic and professional qualifications for employment, and to ensure that these colleagues are appropriately supported in order to be effective in their role. This paper presents results of a qualitative study of part-time faculty members in engineering technology and other disciplines, notably liberal arts, at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). The rationale for employing part-time faculty, institutional types that most heavily rely on part-time faculty, the strengths and challenges associated with part-time faculty, and the relationships between full-time faculty and part-time faculty will be described. Specific attention will be paid to the reasons part-time faculty seek affiliation with the institution, the expectations part-time faculty have concerning their role, and the self-reported satisfaction levels of part-time faculty. Examples of part-time faculty perspectives from engineering technology will be examined, compared, and contrasted with those of other disciplines, and a series of recommendations for key stakeholder groups will be provided.
