How heartbreaking is the report of the situation of Margaret Mary Vojtko, a longtime adjunct professor of French at Duquesne University who recently died impoverished and near-homeless ("Death of an Adjunct," Sept. 18 Perspectives). What a preventable tragedy! Over the past two decades I myself have lost full-time professorships at three institutions of higher education due to changing institutional circumstances, and I am far from alone.

Higher education is currently facing a challenging season. Not only Duquesne University but many academic institutions are responding by increasing their ranks of contingent and adjunctive faculty, who are typically poorly compensated and lack job security. It is certainly a vexing task for our colleges, universities and seminaries to develop the flexibility to meet the variables of a changing student population and uncertain external financial support, while still providing a living wage to their faculty members and maintaining a quality education for their students. Yet especially for institutions that have a religious affiliation, we are called to engage this difficult undertaking with justice and compassion.

For those of us in higher education, I urge us to work to find equitable and functional solutions so that the experience of Professor Vojtko is not repeated.

REV. LINDA DAY
East Liberty

First Published: September 21, 2013, 4:00 a.m.