Good for you for taking your career into your own hands and best wishes for a successful satisfying new venture. Here's what I learned about careers in the harsh higher education environment. While teaching at an adult school I mistakenly thought higher ed would be the way to go so began and completed MA and PhD programs in higher education administration. I, too, had experienced harassment by incompetent administrators and paid premiums for my own health insurance (they promoted family and friends). Adult school colleagues who taught at local community colleges warned me that, as adjuncts: 1) They were the first to go when enrollment fell, even if they'd been around for a long time; 2) The amount of unpaid work they had to do at home grading papers, etc. was overwhelming; 3) Like you, they often weren't treated well (ranging from subtle jabs to outright disrespect). A colleague at the Educational Testing Service for which I score tests online in retirement ran a program for international students at a prestigious university near me. She said she was on the brink of a nervous breakdown due to abuse by colleagues and administrators so quit, moved far away, and is pursuing a PhD in psychology (and is happy). I'm not at all sorry I completed those degrees and am content with a pension and PT scoring of foreign student English tests. All of us must learn to adapt to varied personalities in the workplace but there is a limit to what we should tolerate to maintain physical and mental health (and benefits). Again, cudos to you for taking your career into your own hands.