Dive Brief:
- A newly released study published in the journal Frontiers of Psychology shows that non-tenure-track faculty are more likely to have negative psychological experiences.
- The nature of the positions makes them more likely to contribute to stressors and adverse health effects.
- Universities, the study says, should attend to the needs of these faculty and consider that the long-term increase in available non-tenured positions isn't necessary.
Dive Insight:
Demographic characteristics associated with negative outcomes included lower income, an inability to find a permanent faculty position, disengagement coping mechanisms such as giving up and denial, and organizational commitment. The negative outcomes included depression, anxiety, and stress. The study also notes that non-tenure-track faculty are disproportionately female, and more likely to be black, Latino, or American Indian than white or Asian, and that the disparity with tenured faculty in pay, benefits, power, and academic freedom has created a faculty caste system.