???When Pete Howard, a former adjunct professor in UB's Department of English, made claims of unfair treatment by his employers, he was one of hundreds of adjunct professors across the country asserting inequity in the university setting.
???The Modern Language Association (MLA), a national association for teachers of modern languages and literature, has continuously encouraged universities to improve benefits and working conditions for adjunct professors.
???The MLA promotes departments cutting back employees so that classes, benefits and wages do not have to be spread thinly amongst professors.
???"We are attempting to move in that direction," wrote Cristanne Miller, chair of the Department of English, in an e-mail. "Whenever possible [we] assign adjunct instructors at least two courses so that they will be entitled to health insurance by university policy."
???Miller said that the decision of which adjuncts teach which course is decided by conversations between the professors and the English Department administrators. However, according to Miller hiring and promotions within the department is "based on the department's desire to maintain or raise the quality of education provided."
???Howard believes he has been treated unfairly because the department does not favor his teaching techniques.
???Howard feels that peer editing and portfolios do not help students improve their writing. It is his opinion that students should not be treated as though they cannot write, but rather, that they are learning to become better writers.
???"It is imperative to us that we make our composition classes as good as they can be," Miller said. "We are in an ongoing process of evaluating the program and its instructors in order to improve the quality of instruction."
???In a previous article in The Spectrum, Howard discussed how he believed adjuncts within the English Department should be paid more for each class because of how much each student pays in tuition for the courses.
???To counter Howard's claim, Miller said that tuition fees are not directly implemented toward the courses students are paying for.
???"Tuition fees do not come directly to any university department," she wrote. "Tuition fees go to the SUNY system. [And] a portion of the tuition paid is returned to the University at Buffalo."
???The funding that the English Department receives is negotiated between the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Provost's Office, according to Miller.
???"The English Department receives no direct return from any tuition fee paid, nor does the College of Arts and Sciences," Miller said. " The English Department has no control over the size of the budget for hiring instructors or the salaries of individuals; these are determined by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences."
???Howard stated that the department is trying to avoid the topic by using bureaucratic jargon.
???"The English Department employs corporate speak to try to mask their powerlessness in the university system," Howard said. "They have no control over pay of those who work in their own department, and that is just sad."
???Howard said he does not want to protract the public fight with Miller and other department officials any longer, and feels overwhelmed by all of the recent attention he has received. However, he said something still needs to be done to correct the way adjunct professors are treated at both UB and at universities nationwide.
???"Not only do they ignore us as employees, but as human beings," Howard said.
