Dive Brief:

• Adjunct, part-time and full-time non-tenure track professors at Vanderbilt University are seeking to unionize; supporters say a union could help ensure better pay and a better quality-of-life, according to The Nation.
• Professors were originally supposed to vote in April, but it was moved back after the college’s administration announced it would challenge the ballots cast. Some professors believe the administration is trying to intimidate supporters of unionization through the threat of legal challenges.
• Though the administration has not taken a public stance on unionization, it did establish a website and hire attorneys to relay negative messages about the prospect of unionization. Tennessee is a right-to-work state, so professors could opt-out of union membership.

Dive Insight:

The effort at Vanderbilt follows news that resident advisers and college athletes are also fighting their own battles for unionization at campuses across the country. The calls for unionization, particularly among non-tenured faculty, come as the higher ed industry continues to undergo stark transitions due to the preponderance of alternative credentialing providers, among other disruptors.

The education industry has increasingly taken on attributes of the “gig economy,” with the industry one of the top five in the country, in terms of demand for freelance workers. Meanwhile, adjunct professors report that they feel disconnected and undervalued in comparison to full-time educators, and feel pressed for time when preparing for courses. This volatile combination of industry movements and loss of stability can make unionization seem like a viable option for a teaching force which feels their needs are not being met.

But rather than employing intimidation tactics which could complicate future recruiting efforts, prudent leaders should sit down with faculty before such efforts gain steam. Sometimes, simply asking how you can make someone's job easier is enough reassurance that their contributions are valued. And even where budget cuts mean perhaps salaries will remain stagnant, other gestures, like ensuring access to administrative facilities or computer labs and office space after normal hours, could go a long way. 

Autumn A. Arnett contributed to this piece.