Historically, higher education has led social change not just in the U.S., but worldwide. As American universities face challenges in maintaining their relevance in society and education, a key question is how to foster innovation among instructors and students. Recognizing part-time faculty with instructional grants could be a solution to promote excellence and prevent burnout.
Since 2017, WashU’s Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS) in St. Louis has awarded the Marion Horstmann Online Teaching Innovation Grant annually to a part-time instructor who has taught for at least two semesters. This $5,000 grant encourages instructional creativity and excellence. The Horstmann grant proposals are evaluated based on their potential impact on student learning, scalability, and the instructor’s teaching record.
The Horstmann grant is a modest investment that inspires instructors to innovate and redesign courses. It also helps administrators identify teaching trends. The grant was established with funds from Marion E. Horstmann, a WashU alumna. Each year, a committee awards the grant to support resource and course development. Past projects include creating best practices and service-learning projects.
Instructional development grants have been used to encourage teaching innovation and student retention since the late 20th century. Previously, faculty development was primarily for full-time, tenure-track faculty. Today, incentives are often directed at tenure-track faculty, but CAPS focuses on supporting part-time instructors who play a crucial role in teaching.
In the fall of 2025, most of the 116 instructors at CAPS were part-time faculty. A program evaluation of the Horstmann grant conducted in summer 2025 involved a survey of previous grant recipients. Respondents indicated that the opportunity to enhance courses and try new approaches motivated them to apply for the grant.
The survey revealed that most participants felt the grant renewed their creativity in teaching. This finding highlights the importance of supporting instructors, especially part-time faculty, who often lack institutional support. Previous grant winners found the process rewarding and recommended it to others.
Supporting contingent faculty financially and recognizing their contributions are essential. Adjuncts make up 47 percent of the U.S. academic workforce. Initiatives like the Horstmann grant should be emulated and funded to continue acknowledging the critical role of adjunct instructors.
Original Source: facultyfocus.com
