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Conference on Contingent Academic Labor

Are you a full- or part-time non-tenure-track faculty member who is tired of being marginalized by the institutions you serve? Are you dismayed by the working conditions and lack of academic freedom protections that come with being hired on a contingent status? Are you concerned about what the corporatization of the university is doing to the teaching profession and to students’ learning conditions?

I am. That's why I'll be joining hundreds of my colleagues from the United States, Canada, and Mexico at the ninth conference of the Coalition of Contingent Academic Labor (COCAL), in Quebec City, August 13–15, 2010.

The conference is run by contingent faculty activists and will feature practical workshops and sessions on topics including the following.

  • Academic freedom for contingent faculty
  • Bargaining for fair compensation
  • Communicating to the public about contingent faculty issues
  • Building alliances on campus and mobilizing faculty
  • Developing solidarity on all levels
  • Progress and prospects for unionization
  • Sustainable development and the environment
  • Recognition of adjunct faculty and the quality of education
  • Stabilizing jobs
  • Social programs such as unemployment benefits
You Talk, They Listen
Leaders of major higher education unions will participate in the conference, both to discuss their views on prospects for improving conditions for contingent faculty, and to hear your views on the subject. Plenary speakers will include Cary Nelson, president of the AAUP, as well as leaders of the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, and major Canadian and Mexican faculty unions.

Social and Recreational Events
Included in the price of registration are a cocktail hour and supper, a bus tour of Old Quebec City, an outdoor multimedia show, and a dinner cruise on the Saint Lawrence River. Take advantage of the down time to enjoy beautiful Quebec and continue the day's discussions with your fellow activists.

More Info
Register for the conference or learn more. Early registration rates end July 2.

Learn about the AAUP’s work on issues affecting contingent faculty.

COCAL Conferences are held every other year, usually alternating between the United States and Canada. Conferences feature simultaneous translation into English, French, and Spanish. Accommodations will be available in student residences or nearby hotels.

Be part of an international movement to save higher education and the academic profession. Join us at the Université Laval in Quebec City for COCAL IX, August 13–15.