Goals of the Surveys

The Professional Division of the American Historical Association seeks to collect and collate information about the working conditions of historians employed as contingent faculty. We have developed two surveys, one for non-tenure-track faculty (NTT) and one for department chairs. The goals of the surveys are:

  1. To collect quantitative and qualitative data that will document the range of positions, remuneration, and professional treatment of contingent historians in the academy
  2. To frame a conversation about improving labor conditions for historians in the academy
  3. Most importantly, to provide individual historians with the data they need to make employment decisions, negotiate contracts, and advocate for themselves and their colleagues

The results of the surveys will provide individual NTT faculty members with a clearer sense of the “industry standard” NTT conditions, so that they can make more informed decisions about their career paths. We hope the survey results will empower faculty to engage in evidence-based negotiations about their working conditions.

Details on the Surveys

The Professional Division invites historians working in NTT positions and department chairs to complete the appropriate survey. We will work with AHA staff to review the data, which will inform the Association’s continuing efforts to advocate on behalf of historians in contingent positions. We plan to publish the aggregate data for public use. The Professional Division also will apply the survey results in reviewing the AHA’s guidelines on hiring and employment practices for historians.

The questions in these surveys use the term non-tenure-track faculty (NTTF) to describe educators who work at postsecondary institutions who are not employed in a tenure-track capacity and are not currently enrolled as graduate students. This includes a variety of types of employment and working conditions, ranging from short-term, single course adjunct labor to full-time renewable faculty members with benefits, and many other categories in between.

We expect to keep the surveys open until May 1, 2025.

NTT Faculty Survey

We are interested in hearing from historians working in postsecondary institutions in any department or program. Please note that this survey is not intended for graduate students teaching at the institution at which they are currently enrolled or a candidate for a degree.

If you teach at multiple institutions, please answer the survey for whichever institution you are currently employed with, have been employed by the longest, or know the best for questions referring to “primary employing institution.”

Take the Faculty Survey

Chairs Survey

We are interested in hearing from chairs or heads of departments, programs, or disciplines (hereafter, units) that include historians among their faculty in postsecondary institutions. Please note that this survey is not intended to include graduate students teaching at the institution at which they are currently enrolled or a candidate for a degree.

Take the Chairs Survey

Resources for Non-Tenure-Track Faculty

Explore the AHA's resources to support historians off the tenure track.

Access the Resources