The War with Two Fronts

Everyone knows administrations stand in the way of sessional betterment. But professors pose a problem, too -- perhaps even one of similar magnitude. In many cases they're able to teach small or relatively small upper-level courses, or specialty courses of any type, because sessionals teach so many large introductory or general 1st- and 2nd-year courses. Sessional offerings also make possible teaching load reductions. In other words, professors benefit directly from sessional marginalization. In addition, many professors look down on sessionals as undeserving despite years of competent and committed service (and, in some cases, clear fitness for professorial positions). Finally, some professors are just plain uncomfortable around sessionals because they recognize sessional marginalization but are too sheepish to do anything to improve matters. (Why anyone with a good job guaranteed for life would be scared to help the battered workers who inhabit the same hallways lies beyond the ken of this commentator.) Without question, sessionals would fare much better if they had the full-fledged support of professors. For an example of massive professorial insensitivity to the often highly difficult situation of contract academic staff, see http://www.yorknothostage.com/abc-s-of-the-york-strike-for-the-general-public-gerard-naddaf-professor-of-philosophy. So while blaming administrations is easy, we need to admit frankly the reality of professorial complicity in the status quo. We'll never get far without such a recognition. But then the question is: What should, or even can, we do about it?