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There’s a Larger Problem

At the beginning of this year, State Representative Dave Yaccarino (R-87) proposed forcing all adjunct professors at state universities to become independent contractors. Now that the session is over, I’m pleased to see that the proposal wasn’t adopted by the legislature.

Adjunct professors have increasingly become the go-to instructors at colleges. They’re part time, poorly paid, and generally have no pensions or medical benefits. Adjuncts have master’s and doctorate degrees, but are working several jobs to make ends meet.

The Yaccarino proposal to make them independent contractors, would have saved the state money by forcing adjuncts to contribute double the amount of social security that employees contribute. The savings he cites is simply pushing these costs onto workers.

The proposal would be a clear violation of federal labor laws, but there’s a larger problem here. Lawmakers can look at the state university system and see many, many problems. The number of administrators has soared, along with their pay. Building on campus is booming even as they lay off staff. Tuition costs are going up. At no point has anyone suggested that the number-one problem facing the state universities is that we pay adjunct instructors too much.

I hope that in the next session, Republicans will focus more on solving the problems of higher education in Connecticut, and less on paying the lowest paid instructors less money.

Steve Gifford

New Haven

Steve Gifford is the Democratic candidate for 87th District state representative serving North Haven.