Difference between lecturers, professors often unnoticed

While many students are aware of the well-publicized University
of California’s lecturer strike at five campuses earlier this
week, many don’t realize some of the people they call
“professor” at UCLA are actually lecturers on
short-term contracts poised to strike themselves.

“Most students think all of their classes are taught by
professors and that we are going to be around for a while, but many
are non-tenureable,” said Lisa Gerrard, a writing programs
lecturer in her 22nd year at UCLA.

The title “professor” refers to tenure-track or
tenured faculty responsible for all elements of UCLA’s
three-pronged mission statement: teaching, public service and
research. If a professor scores well on his peer reviews, he or she
will likely be granted tenure, which translates into solid job
security.

On the other hand, lecturers are temporary faculty hired only to
address the first two elements ““ teaching and public service
““ most often in the humanities and social sciences.

The UC originally created lecturer positions to expand class
offerings in specialized areas and hire teachers who didn’t
always fit the typical scholarly profile, such as a pianist or a
lawyer, Gerrard said.

As university budgets tightened, the lecturers’ union said
the UC saved money by replacing professors with lecturers. The UC
argues that its use of lecturers has remained relatively level over
the last 20 years, though it has added about 400 lecturers
system-wide in the last few years.

Lecturers currently account for 12 percent of all UC
faculty.

According to the university, lecturers’ focus on classroom
instruction allows other faculty to engage in research, publishing,
academic policy creation and review responsibilities, public
service and other activities that contribute significantly to the
the UC and surrounding communities.

Fourth-year history student Mike McFadden was surprised to learn
that lecturers teach roughly 50 percent of undergraduate classes at
UCLA.

“I think lecturers are sometimes better ““ often
younger,” McFadden said. “Maybe if undergraduates knew
what their teachers had to deal with, they would support the
strikes a lot more.”

Today lecturers perform comparable work to tenure-track
professors, but make half as much salary with little job security,
said Elizabeth Barba, a University Council-American Federation of
Teachers representative.

Some might say lecturers do more work than tenured faculty,
though they aren’t compensated for it. Many lecturers conduct
their own research in addition to the classes they teach.

Gerrard, a published author who also teaches writing classes for
online media, said she didn’t think she would be an effective
teacher if she didn’t keep up to date with current technology
and academics relating to her classes.

“Teaching and research go hand in hand,” she said,
adding that one doesn’t go well without the other.

Gregory Rasmussen, a second-year international relations
lecturer who recently received his Ph.D. from UCLA, said he spends
about half of his work week on informal research. He would like to
do more but he said he doesn’t have enough time, teaching two
classes this quarter.

UC-AFT has been in contract negotiations with the UC for more
than two years. The recent strikes are to increase public awareness
about their lack of job security and the UC’s illegal moves
to stall negotiations, union leaders said.

The UC considers the strikes to be illegal and has filed a
formal complaint with the Public Employment Relations Board for
strikes at the Berkeley campus last month.

Lecturers, clerical workers, teaching assistants, nurses,
technical workers and municipal employees unions are holding a town
hall meeting next week to discuss UCLA strike options.