Granted, but assuming we continue to provide such nonsense (a.k.a. PC) courses, let’s do it for less than half the current cost. Indeed, a “freeway flyer” instructor who spends no time writing obscure edubabble “research” papers costs less than ONE THIRD the cost of a full-time professor.

Too many nonsense courses. .

“Freeway flyer” adjunct professors — independent contractors that often teach at two or more universities in the same timeframe — make about $40K a year for teaching a full five courses per semester — more classes than most full-time professors teach.

Moreover, most such professors receive no benefits. And perhaps best of all, they are “at will” employees — subject to dismissal for less than satisfactory instructing, or not rehired because better instructors were found.

We’d be better off is we exclusively hired such contractors for at least most of the undergrad curriculum — certainly so in the liberal arts. There’s a huge surplus of such talent out there who were never told in college that their chances of getting a tenured professor position were slim to none. Supply and demand dictates that taxpayers deserve a break — and the students will arguably get more informative, motivated instructors.

Let the faculty go on strike, and switch over totally to the oft-denigrated “freeway flyer” professors.