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TCU 360

TCU 360

All TCU. All the time.

TCU 360

Students discuss religious topics in a small group. (Photo courtesy of tcuwesley.org)
Wednesday nights at TCU’s Methodist campus ministry provide religious exploration and fellowship
By Boots Giblin, Staff Writer
Published Mar 27, 2024
Students at the Wesley said they found community on Wednesday nights.

Adjuncts don’t always cut it

TCU beat Southern Methodist University and Baylor once again, but this time the victories may have some mixed consequences.TCU employs significantly more adjunct instructors than both SMU and Baylor.

Most adjuncts teach one to two classes and make much less money than tenured professors, making them financially enticing alternatives to a tenured faculty member who would be a six-figure hire.

Many are also working professionals who come to TCU to teach about the field in which they are actively work. Many are highly respected in their fields and bring to the university years of experience that an academic can’t be expected to have.

As great as that real world experience is, though, there is a clear downside when adjuncts are overused.

Hiring an adjunct simply because a traditional academic isn’t available doesn’t serve students’ academic needs, especially when tuition is continually on the rise.

Also, at a university that is obligated to produce research and contribute to the larger academic community, hiring adjuncts who don’t do research doesn’t always help.

The greater effect on students, though, is that adjuncts simply aren’t as available as professors who have on-campus offices with regular hours and are involved with the TCU community.

Adjuncts, many who have full-time jobs outside the university, simply can’t be expected to sit around on campus and wait on students.

The real world connections and

professional exposure adjuncts bring to the university are without a doubt invaluable, but sometimes students just need an office door to knock on.

Editor in Chief Andrew Chavez for the editorial board.

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