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