To the Editor and the Kent State Community,

After more than 20 years of continuous adjunct teaching, originally under the auspices of Evening and Weekend College, due to the new policy (see below) in the history department, I will not be returning for a Spring 2014 course.

“Under the new policy, approved by the department on February 8, 2013, those coming off PhD appointment will be assured of only two years of teaching support (2 courses per semester capped at 40 students), those who are ABD beyond the two years cannot be assured of any teaching assignments, and any additional adjunct courses will be assigned on a need basis from the pool of part-times instructors available and in consultation with the undergraduate coordinator. This is for both CORE and upper division courses. This policy will be enacted beginning Fall 2013.”

I would like to thank the College of Arts and Sciences and my department for more than 20 years of adjuncting. I came to Kent State in 1979 to pursue my Ph.D in American diplomatic history and began teaching part-time in summer of 1987 as I was graduating with my Ph.D. For many years, I taught more than 100 students a semester with back to back evening courses and a Saturday morning class. Budget cuts in the past three years have eliminated the Saturday course in history and eliminated one course on the evening agenda, and now have eliminated the one evening course I am teaching.

It has been a joy — both professionally and personally — to work at Kent State with the faculty, staff and students. I have learned a lot through my teaching, not only of the American history I love, but about human nature and life from my colleagues, the staff and always from my students. I have made many friendships and have been helped through many trials due to those friendships.

I am hopeful I will be able to find one more course to qualify me for some STRS matters — please keep me in your thoughts.

I wish the department, the College of Arts and Sciences and the university the best in the future and hope that enrollment increases and budgetary restrictions decrease!

— Kate Kellner

Adjunct professor

Department of History