Abstract
Purpose. This study addressed the issue of job satisfaction and organizational commitment in non-tenure track faculty (NTTF) in master's level universities. Theoretical Framework. Gappa, Austin, and Trice's (2007) Framework of Essential Elements for Faculty Work served as the basis for the theoretical framework of this study. This study investigated the relationship between the demographic characteristics, appointment types and the essential elements of faculty work (employment equity; academic freedom and autonomy; flexibility; professional growth and collegiality) and the two outcome variables of faculty satisfaction and organizational commitment in NTTF. Methodology. A 20 question online survey of NTTF in five universities within a single public system was used to determine the relationship of demographic characteristics (age, gender, race and ethnicity, marital status, and educational level), departmental policies and practices (academic freedom and autonomy, employment equity, professional growth, flexibility, and collegiality), and nature of appointment (full- or part-time and academic discipline) on job satisfaction and organizational commitment and to investigate relationships between the dependent variables. Data analysis consisted of bivariate and multivariate analysis. Findings and Conclusions. The overall majority of the sample was satisfied and committed to the university, with no significant differences between full- and part-time NTTF. All of the departmental policies had a medium to large effect on both job satisfaction and organizational commitment for NTTF, with employment equity being the strongest predictor. Voluntary non-tenure track status and voluntary part-time status was positively related to both job satisfaction and organizational commitment for NTTF, and explained some of the differences based on demographic characteristics. Job satisfaction had a large relationship to organizational commitment for NTTF. Intervention at the departmental level could have a positive impact on job satisfaction and organizational commitment for NTTF. Recommendations. Future research should investigate how to increase employment equity and professional growth for NTTF. Universities and individual departments need to work to ensure that NTTF feel they are treated fairly and should also work to provide professional growth opportunities especially for those NTTF whose primary work is for the university.