Adjunct faculty often teach high-enrollment, gen ed courses with the most vulnerable students coming into college. Yet, they can feel disconnected from their department and receive inequitable support from campus. OLC and WCET conducted a national study examining how institutions support online adjunct faculty. They found that the most effective strategy for supporting adjuncts is individual or small group mentoring programs to create structured connections with adjunct faculty (Davis, McGuire & Poulin, 2022). Based on this research, Fort Lewis College initiated an Adjunct Faculty Learning Community for those teaching gen ed courses. This session will be a facilitated discussion to explore how institutions create professional development structures for adjunct faculty that focus on student success. In this data-informed session, we will share the structure, topics, successes, and challenges to this new learning community.
