| The future of business is not in brick and mortar | | | | worldwide locations of BU students.Probing deeper, |
| institutions as historically viewed. The proliferation and | | | | email use is actually higher from instructor to student. |
| miniaturization of communications mediums, cellular | | | | Within the Cyberactice(R) environment there is a tab |
| telephone, fax, Internet, personal data devices, and lap | | | | titled "Communication." Within this link is an option to |
| top computers, make offices available where people | | | | send an email to all or select users. All adjuncts |
| are - not where the office is. | | | | confirmed this option is the choice they use to send |
| Carpenter (1998) wrote the internet is more versatile | | | | messages to individuals, select groups, or an entire |
| for communication than any medium available today. | | | | class. When probed, instructors agreed they use this |
| People can interact with individuals or groups, they can | | | | email option regularly. After another query into |
| identify by name, pseudonym, or be anonymous. She | | | | percentage of communication by email using the |
| says the internet is "...a virtual community where people | | | | Cyberactive(R) email option, instructors replied their |
| meet, engage in discourse, become friends, fall in love, | | | | email communication is higher, up to 50 percent. It is |
| and develop all of the relationships that are developed | | | | important to clarify that instructors did not directly |
| in physical communities" (pg. 1).However, the internet | | | | associate email in the Cyberactive(R) environment with |
| may not be a panacea. The internet goes beyond | | | | other email engines.There were very broad concerns |
| technology into social interaction. Organizations face a | | | | expressed by the interviewees and all were technical, |
| dilemma of encouraging successful interactions and | | | | from needing more technical support to wanting less |
| community building online. Statistics suggest almost ten | | | | technical support. This question needed more |
| million people work in virtual offices and that 40 | | | | clarification. The respondents confirmed their meaning |
| percent of large organizations have policies on | | | | of technical support as surrounding the electronic |
| telecommuting. Yet, Carpenter (1998), cited above, | | | | classroom. Although all online instructors must complete |
| says virtual employment equals only seven to ten | | | | the Online Facilitators Course, four of the five realized |
| percent of the work force.Why hasn't the virtual office | | | | their attention to it was not the best possible. |
| flourished? Sociologists suggest it is the need for | | | | Challenged for why the four did not participate more in |
| informal interaction - office banter. Organizations are | | | | the facilitator course, they admitted to "filling a square" |
| stubborn to accept virtual teams believing team | | | | to teach online. All replied there are times when they all |
| projects work best carried out over conference tables | | | | call or email the Cyberactive(R) Help Desk for |
| and virtual workers can only participate in individual | | | | assistance.Another unanimous concern was how well |
| assignments. Still other organizations believe virtual | | | | prepared students are to enter an electronic |
| workers do not receive adequate supervision. | | | | classroom. Each respondent related at least one story |
| However, is the problem supervision or trust?Kohrell | | | | of a student ill prepared to study online. Instructor |
| (2005), an adjunct professor at Bellevue University, is | | | | receives a profile of each student in class, therefore a |
| president of Technology As Promised. He is a | | | | follow up question on student age suggested age was |
| specialist in developing virtual teams and addresses | | | | less a concern than students' career and regular use |
| developing trust on virtual teams. He explains virtual | | | | of computers for email, topic research, and |
| trust in simple terms. Virtual trust is getting on an | | | | understanding of inter- versus intra-net. |
| airplane, not knowing the air traffic controllers, yet | | | | Feeling as Part of a TeamThe adjuncts all feel they |
| trusting they are doing their jobs correctly. He explains | | | | are part of a work team. Specifically, they felt part of |
| building virtual trust through communication - frequently, | | | | their work team, part of the Cyberactive(R) classroom |
| with integrity, with certainty and predictability.Other data, | | | | group, but not closely connected to the University. The |
| taken with Kohrell's, also supports the economics of | | | | reason given is distance from the physical location - |
| the virtual office. Verma (2005) offers some | | | | Bellevue, Nebraska. They did report steps taken by the |
| information that shows senior executives from Europe, | | | | College of Professional Studies as helping them |
| Asia, and the Unites States report cost savings (69 | | | | become more connected. One example they all like is |
| percent) and increased productivity (64 percent) when | | | | the weekly email of the campus bulletin, another is |
| using telecommuting. Verma cites comments of Joe | | | | periodic email messages of faculty development |
| Roitz, AT&T. Roitz said, "Telework alone generates | | | | seminars. Faculty development seminars are now |
| over $150 million annually in productivity increases, real | | | | video taped, converted to digital media, and available in |
| estate savings, and enhanced retention for AT&T." | | | | streaming video online or DVD format |
| These statistics suggest business recognize change | | | | mailed.Supporting some of the research reported |
| and develop strategies for successful change.Tucker, | | | | earlier, the respondents felt disconnected from the |
| Kao, and Verma (2005) write there are trends in | | | | University and more connected if they could make |
| employment that organizations cannot ignore. One | | | | trips to the campus, meet with program directors, |
| point they make is the work force globally is getting | | | | deans, and fellow faculty members. Clarifying this point, |
| smaller. They also recognize that cultural norms are | | | | they did not feel under supervised, rather did not feel a |
| different now, more loose. Adding to the mix is more | | | | personal (personally) connected. An expectation was |
| freedom for people to move globally. They point out | | | | that those now adjuncts who were Bellevue University |
| there are personnel trends that organizations can | | | | students would feel more connected. While the former |
| count on | | | | students felt more connected, they too did not feel a |
| 1. Smaller and less sufficiently skilled2. Increasingly | | | | close bond.The discussion moved to questions of |
| global3. Highly virtual4. Vastly diverse, and5. | | | | leadership. Specifically asked was how well do they |
| Autonomous and empoweredThey conclude that | | | | know (know of) the University leadership team. All |
| leadership focus within these trends "demand a new | | | | knew names and positions of the president, provost, |
| generation of talent management." This new talent | | | | deans, and program directors. They did not know any |
| management has to take some strategic steps to | | | | of the names associated with positions of senior |
| manage the new work force in future oriented | | | | administrative people and senior people outside their |
| organizations. Those steps are:1. Predictive Workforce | | | | particular college. Asked if they knew any names of |
| Monitoring and Strategic Talent Decision Making2. | | | | board members, each knew U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel |
| Flexible and Anticipatory Talent Sourcing3. Customized | | | | is a board member. Others knew names of |
| and Personalized Rewards and Communications4. | | | | benefactors thinking they were board members.Tying |
| Distributed and Influential Leadership5. Unified and | | | | the interviews together, the discussion turned to |
| Compassionate CulturesComputer-mediated | | | | specifics of communication. The focus at this stage |
| Communication (CMC)It is important to discuss CMC | | | | was the level of interdepartmental communication |
| as virtual workers depend on - rely on - | | | | compared to intradepartmental communication. Those |
| computer-mediated communication. Jones (1998) cites | | | | interviewed commented that intradepartmental |
| Patton (1986) in discussion about highway building as a | | | | communication was good. Adjuncts knew, through |
| means to connect people to one another. Patton | | | | email and/or telephone communication, their program |
| observed that highways have not connected us rather | | | | director, some or all the department faculty. All |
| increased our sense of separateness. Cities are | | | | reported a lack of knowledge outside their program |
| divided, neighborhoods split, city intimacy destroyed. | | | | area. An adjunct in healthcare administration is unlikely |
| From this negative view, Jones concludes the internet | | | | to cross-communicate with faculty from management |
| may actually do what highways failed to do | | | | or leadership. An instructor in business administration |
| Computer-mediated communication, it seams, will do | | | | will not know anyone teaching in human resources or |
| by way of electronic pathways what cement roads | | | | security management. Distant adjuncts in the College |
| were unable to do, namely, connect us rather than | | | | of Professional Studies seem isolated from faculty |
| atomize us, put us at the controls of a "vehicle" and | | | | members of other colleges. Generally, faculty |
| yet not detach us from the rest of the world. (pg. | | | | members in one college do not teach in other |
| 3)CMC offers new realms for social scientists to | | | | colleges.The interviewees made recommendations to |
| study. Traditionally, social scientists observed | | | | improve communication ranging from more email |
| communities within certain identified boundary. | | | | communication to making trips to the campus to meet |
| However, new cyber societies exist without bounds | | | | the staff. Trips to campus from distant locations |
| and determination of membership in cyber society | | | | seemed impractical from a cost aspect because such |
| does not satisfy traditional categories given | | | | a trip would not be at university expense. Asked how |
| community.Education in Cyber SocietyWhat does this | | | | to improve electronic communication, all agreed more |
| mean in terms of education? The United States | | | | is better. Citing an example of missed opportunity, they |
| Department of Education (US-DOE) provides a look | | | | said the university produces a faculty roster and |
| into higher education statistics for twelve months 2000 | | | | places it on the server "shared drive." However, distant |
| to 2001. US-DOE figures from that period show 56 | | | | locations do not have access to the internal system. |
| percent (2320) post-secondary two- and four-year | | | | Personal ExperienceStated early in this paper, I am an |
| schools had online courses. Another twelve percent | | | | online adjunct but live in the community the university |
| desire to go online within the next three years. Finally, | | | | calls home. This gives me a different perspective |
| 31 percent said they would not go online. Clearly, | | | | because I can personally interact with instructors from |
| two-thirds of colleges and universities have or want | | | | different colleges and programs. After five years in |
| online educational opportunities for students. What | | | | administration as a graduate enrollment counselor, I |
| does this mean for faculty? The following paragraph | | | | developed personal networks with many senior |
| addresses that question.The Higher Learning | | | | program directors and deans. For nearly the same |
| Commission accredits Bellevue University in Nebraska. | | | | period, I was an adjunct, first in the College of Arts and |
| It has an online presence offering 17 undergraduate | | | | Sciences and now in CPS. I taught Organizational |
| degree completion programs online and 7 graduate | | | | Communication in a face-to-face classroom and |
| degree programs online. The College of Professional | | | | Leadership online.Validating the interviewees' |
| Studies (CPS) of Bellevue University administers all of | | | | comments, communication to adjuncts has been |
| the undergraduate degree programs. CPS administers | | | | limited. One limiting factor was the capability of the |
| three of the seven graduate degrees, MBA and | | | | university email server to support several hundred |
| Master of Arts in Management reside in the College of | | | | email addresses. This problem is resolved with the |
| Business, and MS Computer Information Systems and | | | | installation of a new larger email server. Another limiting |
| MS Management of Information Systems reside in the | | | | factor was not all adjuncts had a "(name) @" |
| College of Information Technology. Although the | | | | university email address. An initiative of the Quality |
| College of Arts and Sciences administers no online | | | | Council was requiring all adjuncts have an internal email |
| degrees, it does administer several course clusters and | | | | address and remote access to the email server. This |
| individual online courses. Therefore, Bellevue University | | | | initiative is now complete with separate distributions for |
| is an example of an institution highly oriented to the | | | | "all campus," "all adjuncts," and "all (college specific) |
| online student.Online, mostly adult learner, students | | | | adjuncts."An advantage to being an online adjunct in |
| equal approximately 40 percent of the University | | | | the same community where the university is located is |
| population. Bellevue University also has both traditional | | | | proximity. With proximity, there is access to many in |
| four-year campus students and non-traditional in class | | | | leadership positions and interaction with peers. A closer |
| adult learners making up the rest of the University | | | | connection with faculty peers allows a support system |
| student population. A boast made during the 2004 | | | | to develop face-to-face that a distant adjunct cannot |
| 2005 academic year was that Bellevue University has | | | | as easily develop. Proximity allows faster |
| students in all 24 time zones around the world and the | | | | communication and reaction to communication. |
| North and South Poles.CPS accounts for the largest | | | | Closeness permits attendance to faculty development |
| number of faculty members. Of CPS faculty, about | | | | live rather than streaming video or DVD.While the |
| 150 are adjunct and one-third of those are faculty | | | | advantages of proximity seem favorable, there are |
| members at distant locations teaching online | | | | some downsides. There are greater expectations that |
| (information provided the Assistant College | | | | a local adjunct spends time on campus when there |
| Administrator).However, this is not unique to Bellevue | | | | primary job allows. The faculty resource center offers |
| University. A web search of colleges with online | | | | an adjunct an office environment where one can have |
| offerings returns dozens of institutions. Narrowing a | | | | the office time expected. College meeting attendance |
| web search to fully accredited schools with online | | | | by local adjuncts is not mandated; however, it is more |
| offerings returns numerous hits. Well known in the | | | | favorable to attend. Those operating at a distance |
| online arena are University of Phoenix, Capella, Nova | | | | desire to attend meetings and cannot have it. |
| Southeastern, and Walden. Among these, University of | | | | ConclusionThe interview process with adjunct |
| Phoenix is very aggressive in both student and faculty | | | | instructors working at a distance offer supporting data |
| recruitment. It is not unusual for students to transfer | | | | to the statistics reported earlier in this paper. The |
| between online schools searching for lower tuition | | | | adjuncts interviewed are part time virtual employees |
| rates and/or more liberal credit transfer policies. In | | | | who feel less a part of the University team than |
| addition, it is likely an adjunct professor may instruct in | | | | someone local. They reported incomplete |
| multiple universities. | | | | communication with and knowledge of many key |
| Online Faculty InterviewsOf the about 50 online distant | | | | leadership people.Communication seems the center of |
| faculty members at Bellevue University, five responded | | | | disconnect. The Academic Quality Improvement |
| to invitations for phone or email interviews. Another | | | | Process also recognized this problem and implemented |
| interview with an online adjunct that lives in the Omaha | | | | institutional change to tie all members to campus life. |
| metro area serves to validate other faculty comments. | | | | Although more effort is underway for broader |
| One distant faculty member does teach at two other | | | | communication, distant employees do not have access |
| institutions, one online, and one face to face. Finally, I will | | | | to local systems through remote means.Considering |
| submit personal observations, my experiences, as an | | | | these elements and considering the U. S. Department |
| online adjunct, face-to-face instructor and one that | | | | of Education's statistics, online education is likely to |
| taught in multiple institutions.All those interviewed were | | | | flourish. Bellevue University attracts students from |
| unanimous in answering why they are adjunct college | | | | around the world with many of them earning degrees |
| professors, they like teaching. The responses varied | | | | online from their home countries.Despite the |
| from "I like sharing what I've learned," to "It is fun to see, | | | | drawbacks, virtual professors as virtual team |
| through their postings, how they (students) grow and | | | | members are successful at Bellevue University |
| change over the year period of a degree program." | | | | because of the expressed desire to teach and watch |
| To follow up, they answered teaching online is new to | | | | their students grow and learn. The professionalism and |
| them, an interesting way to link students, and a way to | | | | expertise these professors exhibit in the online |
| connect people geographically separate for a common | | | | community of students supports the data from |
| goal (education).One interviewee, a medical doctor in | | | | industry executives indicating improved productivity and |
| Indiana teaches healthcare administration at Bellevue | | | | cost savings.Pfeffer (1998) identifies the use of |
| University to "stay connected with nurses and other | | | | sub-contractors in the work force. Adjuncts are |
| medical administrators. A hard lesson for doctors to | | | | sub-contractors. The adjuncts serve in non-traditional |
| learn is they don't run anything." In addition to teaching | | | | ways contrary to how professors previously served. It |
| at Bellevue University, he developed a course adopted | | | | is apparent that education is no different from other |
| into the Master of Healthcare Administration in CPS. | | | | industries using virtual workers. Virtual workers, like |
| He shared that he also is a mentor for third and fourth | | | | temporary workers, feel less connected - not given |
| year medical residents working to pass their medical | | | | the same level of training.In interview, establishing trust |
| boards. He does not teach in this role, rather facilitates | | | | was critical to two adjuncts. In-person trust is much |
| medical residents' leaning and board preparation. He | | | | easier to develop than in virtual relationships. Bell (2002) |
| related that this role requires developing a trust and | | | | says trust is a leap of faith and places trust below |
| trusting relationship between him and his mentored | | | | truth, "... caringly frank and compassionately |
| doctor. He said he always begins the mentoring | | | | straightforward... in pursuit of clean communication" (pg. |
| relationship in a face-to-face environment before | | | | 9).An indirect conclusion from the interviews highlights |
| moving it to telephone or email. He told that teaching | | | | that mentoring a virtual adjunct may help develop a |
| online and handling student problems and | | | | sense of team participation through greater knowledge |
| misunderstandings is much less trying than mentoring | | | | and understanding of the institutions vision and values. |
| new doctors.The local interview, conducted in person, | | | | By developing greater emersion into the vision and |
| was with the executive assistant to the university | | | | values of the system, adjuncts may want to be more |
| president. He used to teach in the classroom; however, | | | | aware of those people filling leadership roles. |
| schedule demands took him out of class. Teaching | | | | Successful virtual workers need the same assistance |
| online lets him keep his connection to students while | | | | and opportunity for growth as the worker inside the |
| maintaining a busy travel schedule.When asked why | | | | brick and mortar institution.ReferencesBell, C.R. (2002). |
| they applied to teach at Bellevue University, the | | | | Managers as Mentors: Building Partnership for Learning |
| answers ranged widely. One instructor, an Army | | | | (2nd edition). San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler |
| retired Chief Warrant Officer, began teaching a year | | | | Publishers, Inc.Carpenter, J. L. (Fall Semester 1998). |
| after graduating with a master degree from Bellevue. | | | | Building Community in the Virtual Workplace. Online at |
| The university approached him rather than him initiating | | | | Kohrell (personal communication, September 18, 2005) |
| an application. Another, now teaching at the Atlanta | | | | noting virtual team performance.Jones, S. G. (1998). |
| campus of the University of Georgia, and previously at | | | | Cybersociety 2.0: Revisiting Computer-Mediated |
| the U.S. Air Force Academy, applied to Bellevue | | | | Communication and Community. Thousand Oaks, CA: |
| because of the University's close ties to military | | | | Sage Publishers.Kohrell, D. (2005). Effective Virtual |
| students. One respondent is an empty nester, disabled | | | | Teams [PowerPoint presentation]. PMI North Carolina: |
| from her nursing profession, and wanted to stay active | | | | Technology As Promised.Marilyn Urquhart (personal |
| pre-retirement. There was not a consistent answer to | | | | communication, October 3, 2005) noting total number |
| this question except when tying it to their enjoyment of | | | | of adjuncts and number of adjuncts teaching online |
| teaching.All those interviewed are online instructors, | | | | from distributed locations.Pfeffer, J. (1998). The Human |
| therefore, virtual to their students. All reported using | | | | Equation: Building profits by putting people first. Boston, |
| email and telephone as primary communication devices | | | | MA: Harvard Business School Press.Tuker, E., Kao, T., |
| with their students. Additionally, they all use the Bellevue | | | | and Verma, N. (2005). Next-Generation Talent |
| University Cyberactive(R) learning environment | | | | Management: Insights on How Workforce Trends are |
| powered by Blackboard to conduct classes. They | | | | Changing the Face of Talent Management. Business |
| reported highs of 40 percent and lows of ten percent | | | | Credit 107, 7. 20-27.U. S. Department of Education |
| use of email for student communication. All reported | | | | (2001). Washington, DC. Online at N. (2005). Making the |
| using the telephone to contact students; however, | | | | Most of Virtual Work. WorldatWork Journal, 14, 2. |
| telephone use was a low five to ten percent. Low | | | | 15-23. |
| telephone use is not unexpected considering the | | | | |