Perceptions concerning part-time teaching by part-time faculty at a large metropolitan university were studied. The respondents were divided into two groups: those who wished to teach part-time (the willing) and those who were teaching part-time because of their inability to find full-time work (the reluctant). In addition to questionnaire responses from 253 part-timers, in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 respondents. Attention was directed to: reasons for teaching part-time, perceived advantages/disadvantages, career expectations, job and career satisfaction, and commitment to the university and to respondents' professional discipline. Reluctant part-timers felt they were at the bottom of the university system, since they received fewer material rewards than full-time faculty, taught more than a full course load, and had little time for research and publishing and little access to research funds. For willing part-timers, the joys of teaching, the opportunity to keep up in one's field, and the prestige of association with the university outweighed the low pay and low status of part-time work. Views of academic deans who were willing or reluctant to use part-time faculty were also identified in a related study. (SW)