Looking through the windows of the new part time faculty office, new tables, chairs and computers are visible.

The chairs have not yet been sat in, the tables have not yet seen students focused on their work; the computer keyboards have not been tapped or pounded on in frustration.

The new office, set to open Monday for part-time and evening instructors and their students, hasn’t been utilized since the departure of the aviation program, which was cut from the catalog last year.

The new part-time faculty contract, which was ratified over the summer, took effect July 1, includes a pay increase for part time faculty and required office hours for part time instructors.

This new requirement created a need for space for instructors to meet with students that was more extensive than the space allocated in each division along the Spine. Wendy Schissel, dean of ­­­­­­­­­humanities, said of the new contract, “We did this in the spirit of professionalism that includes our part-time instructors.”

According to Marilyn Pitts, part-time faculty and tutor association president, “Because many of the part-time instructors knew the importance of office hours for their students, they provided them, unpaid for, in the St. Helen’s Room, Vista, divisional offices and before and after class, in addition to hours spent online or on the phone.”

Part-time faculty will still have the room in each division in the Spine, but according to Schissel, ““This could be a place where all faculty could meet with students in the evening.” Schissel also said, “The Spine has no place to meet after 5 p.m. In the interest of security for everyone, full-time [instructors] could go there [part-time faculty office] as well.”

The evening class coordinator will also be set up in the new location. The hours will be Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pitts said,

“This is the term for getting it all pulled together.”