Ozarks Technical Community College is in the market for some part-time instructors for its five campuses. KSMU's Michele Skalicky tells us who the college is looking for.
OTC will hold an Adjunct Faculty Career Fair on the Springfield campus this month.
Lance Renner, OTC’s dean of general education and business, said they don’t have an exact number they’re looking to hire. The event, he says, is a chance for the community college to find qualified candidates in the areas in which there’s the greatest need.
Those interested in teaching general education courses, such as math or chemistry, should have at least 18 graduate level hours in the discipline they wish to teach. But Renner said the requirements are different for those in a technical area.
"For example, maybe automotive or welding or, you know, some area that is more skills based, they don't need to have that master's degree, they just need to have experience in the field and a bachelor's degree," he said.
Last year’s hiring fair netted 14 new instructors for OTC. Renner said there are currently nearly 700 adjunct professors at the college who he calls their “lifeblood.”
"Because the college is so underfunded in terms of support from the state, we have to rely on this to be able to, you know, we can't afford to have all the full-time faculty members," he said.
Adjunct instructors don’t have to have teaching experience, although OTC says it’s “desirable.” Renner said students benefit from learning from someone who has experience in what they’re teaching.
"Whether it's in accounting or business or whether it's one of those skills based areas, they bring that practical knowledge and that practical experience to the classroom," he said.
The pay for OTC's part-time instructors starts at $714 per credit hour and can go as high as $969 per credit hour based on years of service to the college.
The Adjunct Career Fair will be held on the OTC Springfield campus March 21st from 9 am to 1 pm.
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