By Kim Jae-heun
Part-time lecturers at universities will be recognized as faculty members and they will be contracted for at least one year, an extension from the current six months, according to a proposal for revision of the law on the employment of part-time lecturers.
The proposal was announced Monday by a 12 member-council, comprising representatives of lecturers and universities, which was established to improve the job security of part-time instructors. It came after the effect of the law had been delayed since 2011 due to protests from both groups.
"We will submit the proposal to the National Assembly and the Ministry of Education in early September, so the law can be revised soon and take effect in January," the council said during a press conference at the Government Complex in Sejong.
Under the proposal, universities will have to hire their part-time lecturers for at least one year, up from the current six-month contract. The universities will have to guarantee the extension of the contract for at least three years unless the lecturers cause particular problems.
Part-time lecturers will work no more than six hours a week but the school can extend the time to nine hours under certain circumstances according to the regulation.
They will also be recognized as faculty members, and receive pay during the school vacation. They will also receive severance pay and insurance.
The law was initially passed in 2011 to provide more stable job security following the suicide of a part-time lecturer at Chosun University. He failed to make ends meet while being under pressure to provide kickbacks to earn a permanent position at the university.
However, the enforcement of the law, which was scheduled for January of 2013, was postponed four times because schools began to terminate contracts with the part-time lecturers under the graver burden of their budget management. Lecturers also claimed the law would cause a massive dismissal of employees in the non-regular positions.
Part-time lecturers at universities will be recognized as faculty members and they will be contracted for at least one year, an extension from the current six months, according to a proposal for revision of the law on the employment of part-time lecturers.
The proposal was announced Monday by a 12 member-council, comprising representatives of lecturers and universities, which was established to improve the job security of part-time instructors. It came after the effect of the law had been delayed since 2011 due to protests from both groups.
"We will submit the proposal to the National Assembly and the Ministry of Education in early September, so the law can be revised soon and take effect in January," the council said during a press conference at the Government Complex in Sejong.
Under the proposal, universities will have to hire their part-time lecturers for at least one year, up from the current six-month contract. The universities will have to guarantee the extension of the contract for at least three years unless the lecturers cause particular problems.
Part-time lecturers will work no more than six hours a week but the school can extend the time to nine hours under certain circumstances according to the regulation.
They will also be recognized as faculty members, and receive pay during the school vacation. They will also receive severance pay and insurance.
The law was initially passed in 2011 to provide more stable job security following the suicide of a part-time lecturer at Chosun University. He failed to make ends meet while being under pressure to provide kickbacks to earn a permanent position at the university.
However, the enforcement of the law, which was scheduled for January of 2013, was postponed four times because schools began to terminate contracts with the part-time lecturers under the graver burden of their budget management. Lecturers also claimed the law would cause a massive dismissal of employees in the non-regular positions.
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