California part-time college instructors and adjunct professors are making headlines by teaching dozens of online courses simultaneously across multiple universities, pulling in hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Some professors handle more than 1,000 students in a single semester. Meanwhile, university authorities often fail to properly track these heavy teaching loads, sparking widespread debate regarding a potential decline in the quality of education.
According to the non-profit journalism foundation CalMatters, at least 70 part-time instructors and professors received pay from five or more campusesβincluding community colleges, California State University (CSU), and UC campusesβduring the 2024 calendar year. Many of these educators taught more than 10 classes concurrently in a single term.
CalMatters analysis revealed that Tien-Huong Nguyen Villarreal earned approximately $800,000 in 2024. This figure surpasses the compensation of any community college system chancellor or administrative head within the state. Villarreal taught 30 sociology, ethnic studies, and business courses across multiple institutions, including UC Berkeley and California State University, Sacramento, instructing about 1,100 students this fall semester.
The Rise of Online Teaching Systems
The ability for a single professor to manage such a massive course load is largely driven by online learning systems that became mainstream following the COVID-19 pandemic. Instructors frequently pre-record lectures for students to watch at their convenience, utilizing automated computer systems for multiple-choice exams and assignment grading.
Cases of instructors residing out-of-state while managing California university courses have also emerged. Andrew Vanden Heuvel, a part-time astronomy instructor operating from his home in Michigan, runs roughly 50 online classes and lab sessions across nationwide universities, teaching up to 1,000 students in a single term. Vanden Heuvel utilizes automated computer grading for multiple-choice tests and algorithmic checks for select written assignments. He collected about $32,000 from California colleges alone in 2024, with total earnings across the country reaching $758,485.
Lack of Oversight and Quality Concerns
Despite these massive workloads, universities often remain unaware of the total number of classes their faculty teach elsewhere. Because California’s 73 community college districts operate independently, there is no integrated system to verify outside employment or teaching loads. Furthermore, no specific regulations currently limit or ban part-time instructors from moonlighting at multiple institutions.
This structural gap has fueled deep concerns over compromised instruction. Sarah Thompson, president of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, voiced strong concerns regarding educational quality, stating that no one has enough time to effectively teach 30 classes a week.
Conversely, the educators involved defend their practices by highlighting the efficiency and accessibility of online education. Vanden Heuvel argued that online courses provide more students with affordable learning opportunities. He noted that he maintains educational quality by sharing his personal mobile phone number and promptly responding to student emails.
Structural Issues in Adjunct Employment
Some experts point out that the root cause of this phenomenon lies in the precarious employment structure of adjunct professors. Because most part-time instructors receive course assignments on a semester-by-semester basis without job security or health insurance benefits, they are practically forced to juggle multiple colleges just to make a living.
K. Prindell, president of the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges Independents, emphasized that before debating high-income anomalies among a handful of professors, the core issues of low wages and unstable employment for adjunct instructors must be addressed.
