Philosophy in the Contemporary World

Volume 21, Issue 1, Spring 2014

The Value of Philosophy in the Contemporary World: Special 20th Anniversary Issue

Chris Nagel
Pages 12-25

College Faculty Professionalism: Ethical Responsibility And Precarious Work

Discussions of college faculty professionalism most often address the ethical responsibilities or failures of "professors." Yet the majority of college faculty are not "professors," and work in conditions that preclude or prevent acting in accordance with high-minded statements like the AAUP's Statement on Professional Ethics, In addition, ignorance of the actual working conditions of both tenure-track and tenuous-track faculty has induced a crisis of ethical responsibility for all college faculty. Because official statements about college faculty professionalism neglect the reality of college faculty work, the ethical responsibility of faculty requires a new basis.