ADJUNCT FACULTY – KEY TERMS
UNDER THE 2009- 2011 IFO/MnSCU MASTER AGREEMENT

Adjunct Status

• Faculty who teach ten (10) or fewer credits per academic year at any of the MnSCU universities other than Metropolitan State University are classified as adjunct faculty. Adjunct faculty who teach at least four (4) semester credits or two (2) classes per year (even if the two classes total less than four credits) are part of the Inter Faculty Organization bargaining unit (even if they also belong to another bargaining unit) and are covered by the IFO contract. At Metropolitan State University, such faculty are classified as community faculty. For information on community faculty rights, click HERE.

Compensation

• Adjunct faculty must be paid no less than:
• $1,200 per class credit

(Art. 11, Sec. M)

• A graduate multiplier applies to compensation for graduate courses, including online graduate courses. A three (3) credit graduate course is equivalent to a four (4) credit undergraduate course, and a four (4) credit graduate course is equivalent to a five (5) credit undergraduate course. All other graduate courses are treated as one and one quarter (1.25) undergraduate credits per graduate credit. (Art. 10, Sec. A, Subd. 1(a))

Tuition Waiver Benefits

• Adjunct faculty are entitled to tuition waiver benefits equaling the number of credit hours taught.  For purposes of tuition waiver, the applicable year begins on the first day of fall semester and ends the day before the succeeding fall semester. (For example, if an adjunct faculty member is assigned to teach 10 credits during the academic year and another 6 credits during the following summer session, she would be entitled to up to 16 credits of tuition waiver to be used during that same period.)

• Tuition waiver benefits may be used to cover tuition and fees (other than laboratory and special courses fees) for undergraduate or graduate courses, including doctoral courses at any of the MnSCU four-year universities -- not just at a faculty member’s home institution.

• A faculty member’s spouse or dependent children may use any portion of the tuition waiver benefit not used by the faculty member. However, such benefits cover tuition only (not fees) for spouses and dependents.

(Art. 27, Sec. G)

Since spring of 2009, MnSCU has instituted an online tuition waiver benefit application system. To apply, please click here and you will be routed to MnSCU's website for access to this system. You will need your ID, password, and home institution information.

Contact the Human Resources office on your campus for more information:

Sick Leave Benefits

• Adjunct faculty earn pro rata sick leave calculated at the rate of one day of sick leave per month x  Full Time Equivalent (FTE) worked. (Art. 17, Sec. A, Subd. 4)

Retirement Benefits

• Adjunct faculty who work at least twenty five percent (25%) time per academic year (i.e., 6 credits) are eligible for pension benefits. Once eligible, faculty are automatically enrolled in a self-directed defined contribution Individual Retirement Account Plan (IRAP) through TIAA-CREF. Under IRAP, the adjunct faculty member will contribute 4.5% of salary and the employer will contribute 6% of the adjunct faculty’s salary to the faculty member’s retirement account.

• Faculty have up to one year from their date of eligibility to elect to switch to the Teachers Retirement Association (TRA) plan, a defined benefit plan, as their main retirement program. If adjunct faculty switch to the TRA plan, the employer and employee will both contribute 6% of salary to the retirement plan.
  
  
  • Once faculty members qualify, they will continue to accrue pension benefits even if they fall below the initial qualifying threshold of six credits in subsequent years.
    

• Regardless of the number of credits they teach, adjunct faculty are also eligible for two voluntary tax sheltering programs accomplished through payroll deductions (as regulated by state and federal law). For the 2009 calendar year, the maximum that could be tax sheltered by participating in both programs would be $33,000 -- $44,000 for faculty age 50 and over.

  • Tax Sheltered Annuity Program (also known as the 403(b) Plan)
  • State Deferred Compensation Program (also known as the 457 Plan)

  For the 2011 calendar year, the maximum amount that can be tax sheltered by participating in both programs is $33,000; and the maximum for faculty age 50 and over is $44,000. For 2012, the maximum that can be tax sheltered by participating in both programs will be $34,000; and $45,000 for faculty age 50 and over. Individuals may not tax shelter more than 100% of their calendar year income in either or both programs.

• For more information about faculty retirement benefits, contact Russ Stanton and /or check out the retirement link on the IFO website.

Other Insurance Benefits

• Adjunct faculty are not normally eligible for insurance benefits. However, adjunct faculty who have separate teaching appointments at a MnSCU university and one or more MnSCU two-year institutions are eligible to participate in the State Employee Group Insurance Program (“SEGIP”) if they work a combined total of at least fifty percent (50%) FTE during an academic year (i.e. fall through spring semester).  (As noted below, a faculty member who works a total of more than ten (10) credits during an academic year at MnSCU universities ceases to be an adjunct faculty member and must be reclassified.)  To be eligible for insurance benefits based on multiple appointments, a faculty member must report all appointments to the human resources office for each reporting institution. (Art. 14, Sec. B, Subds. 1 & 2(e))

• Faculty members are eligible to participate in health and dental expense account and dependent care expense account plans, and to purchase optional life and disability coverage if they are SEGIP insurance eligible. (Art. 11, Secs. G & H; Art. 14, Sec. G)

• For more information about faculty insurance benefits, contact Russ Stanton and/or check out the Healthcare & PayStubs link on the IFO website.

Teaching Workloads 

• The workload for adjunct faculty members may not exceed ten (10) credits per academic year (i.e., fall semester through spring semester) (Art.21, Sec. E, Subd.3(d); Art. 5, Sec. M). During summer session, workload may not exceed six (6) credits per session or sixteen (16) credits for the entire summer. (Art. 13, Sec. A)

• Online courses count toward the academic year and summer session workload limits.   (Art. 13, Sec. A; Art. 21, Sec. E, Subd. 3(d)) 

• If an adjunct faculty member teaches more than ten (10) credits during a single academic year, the faculty member’s status must be changed from adjunct to fixed term faculty and the individual’s pay must be supplemented to provide for full pro rata pay for the entire year based upon placement on the appropriate step in the salary schedule. (Art. 11, Sec. J)

Union Membership
The IFO represents all faculty included in the bargaining unit whether they are full members or just pay fair share fees. However, only IFO members may vote on the IFO contract, run for union office, or serve as union representatives on joint college, university or system level committees. Adjuncts are encouraged to join the IFO and to take an active role in the union. To join, click on the “Membership Application” link on the IFO web site or contact IFO Membership Coordinator Cindy Kellerman or your local Faculty Association office: