Perspectives On: Sessional Staff

Author: Jane Southall, Adjunct Faculty, Department of Management, Kingston Business School

Perspectives-on-L-T

This thought piece contributes to the discussion about sessional staff as valued and valuable members of HE communities. The author argues that there needs to be a change in culture. From seeing them purely as flexible and cost effective gap-fillers, business schools need to realise that many sessional staff have worked as practitioners and can provide much needed input to developing students’ employability skills. Many are committed and professionally recognised educators who have chosen to teach and many can, with the right help, support and encouragement, develop robust academic identities which in turn, allow them to fully participate in the life of a department and faculty.