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