Dive Brief:

• Three-quarters of college instructors teach part time, a fact that may save universities and students money but has been attracting more attention for the low wages it affords those adjuncts.
• One adjunct English instructor has spent 20 years teaching at several Ohio colleges; her best year's earnings were $21,000. (Ohio's minimum wage works out to about $16,500 for a 40-hour week.)
• As with many teaching jobs, an adjunct's pay often takes into account only classroom hours, though much of the preparation and grading is done outside of class.

Dive Insight:

While the subject of adjunct pay and working conditions has received attention in academic circles, a media outlet such as NPR picking up on the story could help nudge the topic into more mainstream discussion. Between this attention and ongoing unionization efforts by adjuncts at some institutions, expect to see more of this issue in coming months.