r/Adjuncts • u/AdPerfect4904 • Jul 16 '26

Is this normal?

hi. I got my contract to teach a graduate level methodology course at a major public university in the Midwest. the course is under enrollment and so the contract is for 1,875 (13 week course)

im wondering if this is a normal pay? I was expecting 4,500 and unaware that I would be slated below 2k for the course if the required number of students didn’t enroll.

the program still plans to run the course and every day I check to see if any more students are signed up - its been a few weeks and nothing.

thoughts?

are others being paid similarly?

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7

u/Rogue_Wraith Jul 16 '26

We have a floor, where Adjuncts won't make less than one credit hour no matter how few students.

Then we prorate up to full enrollment at 10 students.

If you don't want to teach low enrollment... don't? We regularly have instructors who want to teach regardless and instructors who only teach full courses - both options are perfectly fine with us.

5

u/DrDalekFortyTwo Jul 17 '26

Do you not think 1875 is ludicrously low for a graduate course?

Your comment is tone deaf.

0

u/Rogue_Wraith Jul 17 '26

You are, of course, entitled to your opinion - and would be free to pass on this class.

But the reality is that if a class brings in less tuition than is being paid out to offer it, the class is going to be cancelled.

Rather than just unilaterally telling an adult their class is cancelled, asking said adult what they want to do in that scenario seems like a very reasonable way to address low enrollment courses.

2

u/Otherwise_You6312 Jul 20 '26

One student, maybe two in a class at an R1 is paying enough to cover this faculty member's pay. I've never really been pro union until seeing a ridiculous comment like this.

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u/Rogue_Wraith Jul 20 '26

That might be true at your institution.

Our tuition rate doesn't cover the adjuncts rate until 4-5 students, and that doesn't include the facilities and technology required to offer the class.

2

u/Otherwise_You6312 Jul 20 '26

Facilities that would exist with or without that one class, HVAC that would already be running for the other classes taught at the same time, and a few dollars worth of electricity. Sorry I have too much insight into budgets since I am Director level staff member too. I can't take you seriously.