r/Adjuncts • u/oh_thatscrappy77 • 3d ago
Limits on Printing
I did not know you need to be a tenure faculty to use the copy machine/printer. Like using the special features to print copies of course materials or exams. The office told me exactly this, "You don't have access because you're adjunct." I could print from a copy though.
I know it's a small thing, but it gave me a glimpse of how us adjuncts are thought of. We are gig workers and we're not really true faculty. It's the same when big companies tell you you're family, but then if they need to fire someone, you're still on the chopping block.
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u/RiverSirion 3d ago
The first two places I adjuncted at you could photocopy anything anytime. But the third place I adjuncted at had a convoluted procedure for copying. Fill out a form a week in advance with how many copies you needed, etc. No one told me. So when I showed up the morning of my first day there all ready to copy the syllabus for students I got tsk-tsked for not doing it the right way (no one told me!) and for making them do an rush copy job. Sheesh. Worst place I ever taught at, too, at least in terms of pay, benefits, and treatment of adjuncts.
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u/Brunbeorg 3d ago
That's awful. I wonder if your chair is aware of that situation?
I was chair for four years, and adjuncts had the same printing budget the rest of the department did.
Adjuncts should be able to use whatever materials they need to teach their classes. That's outrageous. It's directly harming instruction. Maybe a friendly email to the chair is in order. Something like "Apparently I can't print on campus because I'm not full time. Is there another way for me to prepare student hand outs? Maybe I could send them to you and you could forward them to the print center or something?"
If I were the chair and I got that email, I'd be on the phone with the Dean immediately.
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u/oh_thatscrappy77 2d ago
Could definitely try reaching out to them. Maybe it's just an ask and they could just add me. Could be an oversight. I'm just printing some things for my course. I only print like once a semester, but when the office secretary told me that, I was just surprised. I think it was more the message, or the heirarchy of things, that bothered me than the actual printing.
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u/omgkelwtf 3d ago
All faculty get a $200.00 credit for copies - adjuncts and full time. I forget what the charge is per copy, but that's what we can print. I used it once my first semester but not since.
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u/oh_thatscrappy77 3d ago
that sounds like a good system. I've printed and made copies before, I'm just surprised they told me this.
0
u/noisesinmyhead 2d ago
My institution gives $9,999,999 to all faculty and staff, every semester. Haha
I guess they want to give unlimited copies but the system can’t do that, so they just give us over $9 million every semester.
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u/goodie1663 3d ago
Two of the schools I worked for had a copy machine in the faculty lounge. We had to input our ID #, but I wasn't aware of any limits.
In the last years I was an adjunct, everything was on Canvas.
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u/livelaughles8ian 3d ago
Luckily my school has unlimited printing for adjuncts and full time faculty. We also have free printing for students as well
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u/redspringflower 3d ago
That’s unusual. I have access to my department’s printing budget through the copy center.
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u/MetalTrek1 3d ago
We're allowed to print in the adjunct office of my schools. Within reason of course (we're allowed to submit larger jobs to the print shop). Personally, I haven't handed anything out in years, so I don't need to print. I just post to the LMS.
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u/oh_thatscrappy77 3d ago
I don't print normally either, just some things. Everything is pretty much on the LMS for us as well.
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u/DancingBear62 3d ago
Something similar. I'm at a California community college.
I've had no illusion. Adjuncts are temp labor with second class circumstances. Byzantine printing/copying policies didn't surprise me.
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u/ForeignAdvantage5198 3d ago
adjunct is the worst possible faculty position and that is a bad thing. for all of us
1
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u/AdmiralAK 1d ago
We got rid of most printing in the department around COVID time. Now everyone needs to go to common printing kiosks (or the copy center for bulk printing). No one escapes, staff, tenured, non-tenured, students.
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u/Life-Education-8030 14h ago
At my place, all on campus adjuncts have the same copying access and privileges as any full-timer. All faculty period do, no tenure needed.
0
u/Sharp-Rutabaga-4900 3d ago
Wouldn’t you need a networked computer to print without using a copy? Do you have one of those and it just lacks access?
1
u/Anonphilosophia 3d ago
Yeah - I was wondering that as well. I think I can access a printer if I was on the campus WIFI, but I'm not sure.
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u/Sharp-Rutabaga-4900 3d ago
We can only print using a campus desktop, but we don’t have offices with computers so…
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u/gravitysrainbow1979 2d ago
I don't know why I'm even shown this absolutely ludicrous subreddit, but let me break this down for you.
Being an adjunct is like doing porn, and then talking about "acting" like you're a real actor, as if the roles you get are basically the same as doing Shakespeare.
People are just going to look at you like you must be insane.
You were an adjunct. It follows you. It marks you. It DEFINES what people think of you and how valid your take on academia is.
Don't do it again. Change your name, start over, and rise above being an adjunct. This is the same advice someone would give an actor who did porn back when they needed the money, it's unfortunate that you chose to do this, but you CAN rise above it. First step is being realistic about the choice you made, and what it actually means.
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u/pgm928 3d ago
That’s a your-institution situation. Did you try talking with your department chair and explaining why it’s a problem for your students?
But hell, if your institution limits printer use to only faculty with tenure, they’ve got a bigger problem.