Unity Environmental University Announces 8% Retirement Match for All Part-Time Employees

University Reinforcing Commitment to Employee Support and Student Success

Unity Environmental University is proud to announce that starting on January 1, 2025, the university is offering an 8% retirement benefit match to all part-time employees, including adjunct faculty members—the same generous benefit provided to full-time employees. This initiative underscores the university’s dedication to supporting all faculty levels and enhancing the educational experience for students.

This comes at a critical time when adjunct faculty across the nation face significant challenges. According to a recent report by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), more than one-quarter of adjunct faculty respondents earn less than $26,500 annually, highlighting the financial uncertainties many educators face. Unity’s initiative aims to help address these issues by offering greater financial stability and recognition to its adjunct faculty.

“At Unity, we believe in investing in all our employees because they are the cornerstone of our mission,” said Dr. Melik Peter Khoury, President of Unity Environmental University. “By extending the same retirement benefits and maintaining our industry-leading $50,000 minimum salary for full-time employees, we demonstrate our commitment to fairness, inclusion, and the long-term well-being of our entire institution.”

Elevating Adjunct Faculty Support

Adjunct faculty nationwide often face a lack of benefits and limited job security. Unity Environmental University recognizes these challenges and is taking a bold step to address them.

“This move is on-brand for us,” said Michaeleen Gerken Golay, Distance Education Dean of Baccalaureate Programs … It just makes sense to ensure our adjunct instructors have the same access to planning for their future financial stability as the rest of our faculty and staff.”

Adjunct faculty at Unity bring a wealth of real-world experience to the classroom, enriching student learning. The university’s model leverages this unique advantage by allowing adjuncts to focus on student engagement without the additional burdens often placed on part-time instructors at other institutions.

“In Distance Education, we built our model around adjuncts because we understand that they bring diverse and rich experiences that would be impossible to provide to our students if we were constrained by a more traditional faculty model,” said Dr. Jennifer Cartier, Executive Vice President of Distance Education. “Our adjunct faculty are highly valued professionals. It is a privilege to be able to offer them compensation that reflects this.”

This sentiment was echoed by Unity Environmental University Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Erika Latty.

“Our adjunct faculty are not just part-time educators; they are vital contributors to our mission of environmental stewardship and education. They are integral to our innovative programs, bringing fresh perspectives and specialized expertise that enrich our curriculum. This initiative not only

values their contributions but also fosters a more engaged and dedicated academic environment, which ultimately elevates the learning experience for our students,” said Dr. Latty.

Real-World Impact on Students

Adjunct faculty and part-time employees, who embrace the gig economy approach, not only benefit from this initiative but also enhance the educational journey of Unity’s students by bringing practical insights and opportunities. Unity Environmental University’s adjunct faculty bring professional, field-based knowledge to the classroom, providing students with a unique blend of academic rigor and real-world application.

“Our adjuncts more often than not have other careers as well. They are practicing veterinarians, conservationists, field researchers, and small business owners,” added Gerken Golay. “Instructors with real-world experiences bring a richness to their courses through anecdotes and experiences they share with students that just don’t happen when all of the faculty are full-time academics instead of practitioners.”

Setting a New Standard in Higher Education

Unity Environmental University’s commitment to equitable treatment of employees sets a new standard in higher education, aligning with its mission and core values.

“This move solidifies our position as an industry leader in supporting our people. In an era where many institutions treat adjunct faculty as second-class citizens, Unity Environmental University is committed to providing equitable treatment and benefits to all members of its academic community,” said Dr. Khoury.

“Educators’ teaching conditions are students’ learning conditions,” noted Dr. Cartier. “Our commitment to these faculty increases the likelihood that they will be invested in our students and provide the best possible learning experience.”

Deeper Dive

Recently, some of our Distance Education team sat down to discuss this new benefit and adjunct faculty at Unity Environmental University. The discussion delves deeper into the motivations behind the initiative and its anticipated positive impact on our academic community. You can read more by following this link.