> These positions are short term contract (6 months-1 year) and are not meant as long term employment.
They are short term contract, but lots of colleges and universities are using them for a large portion of their faculty, so that they have the option year-to-year of renewing employment without dealing with tenure, and to never have to deal with "firing" faculty. Also, not having to deal with benefits.
> Many of the people in adjunct positions have a completely separate full-time jobs, or perhaps are retired.
The vast majority do not.
> Offering them health-care seems silly, because a large number of them already receive health care.
The whole employment-based model of health care that is dominant in the United States is silly, but given the way that many colleges and universities in fact use adjunct positions, having them be covered by employer-provided group insurance isn't silly within that employment-based model of health care.
They are short term contract, but lots of colleges and universities are using them for a large portion of their faculty, so that they have the option year-to-year of renewing employment without dealing with tenure, and to never have to deal with "firing" faculty. Also, not having to deal with benefits.
> Many of the people in adjunct positions have a completely separate full-time jobs, or perhaps are retired.
The vast majority do not.
> Offering them health-care seems silly, because a large number of them already receive health care.
The whole employment-based model of health care that is dominant in the United States is silly, but given the way that many colleges and universities in fact use adjunct positions, having them be covered by employer-provided group insurance isn't silly within that employment-based model of health care.