BY COLUMBIA FACULTY UNION, COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO
This statement was submitted by the Columbia Faculty Union, Local 6602 IFT/AFT, representing part-time faculty at Columbia College Chicago, on Monday, October 30, as they began a strike.
In the heart of Chicago, the Columbia Faculty Union (CFAC) represents a diverse group of faculty members, many of whom are high achievers in fields such as media arts, music, dance, fine arts, cinema, photography, theater, and arts management at Columbia College Chicago. It was founded as a liberal arts, arts school serving Chicago communities that centers social justice and relies upon working professionals for their dedication to both their students and their professions.
Because we are deeply committed to upholding the quality of education for our students, CFAC finds itself at a crossroads, facing significant challenges to our core values and the quality of education we aim to provide. The Columbia administration, led by the board of trustees, President Kwang-Wu Kim, and Provost Marcella David, are plowing ahead with unethical measures to address what they have deemed to be a “financial crisis” at the college, including cancellation of some 350 enrolled classes (all taught by part-time faculty) and significantly increasing class sizes. Just last year this “financial crisis” was called a “strategic deficit.” These management decisions have resulted in real and significant harm—and occurred while the union was actively engaged in contract bargaining—yet the administration has shown little regard for labor law or interest in working with us and other stakeholders to find equitable and effective solutions that do degrade academic integrity.
In response, our union has taken legal action, filing Unfair Labor Practices and authorizing a strike, which begins on Monday, October 30th. We have called for an immediate stop to the provost’s so-called “section elimination project” and, most importantly, we demand that equity, student learning, mental health, and quality of education be at the forefront of the decision-making process.
This strike emerged from the president and provost’s decision, made only two weeks before the start of fall semester without the involvement of any academic stakeholders, to eliminate courses and increase class sizes in the 2023–24 academic year. This unilateral decision, made without any prior notice or consultation, unfairly places the burden of mismanagement squarely on the shoulders of the most vulnerable: the students and part-time faculty, who already work without benefits and struggle to earn a living wage. The president and provost’s actions, which have direct consequences on academic learning and retention, are unethical and unjust, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, our strike extends beyond these immediate concerns, shedding light on larger issues tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the management of higher education. Members of our union teach 67 percent of the classes offered at Columbia and is disproportionately composed of women and women of color, and yet we are denied basic safety nets like healthcare and job security. We have to question our college’s commitment to DEI when budgetary decisions disproportionately affect marginalized groups while top administrators receive hefty bonuses. Our struggle reveals the existence of systemic inequities within the institution.
CFAC’s strike is a clarion call to hold the administration accountable, advocating for transparent financial decision-making and equitable budget cuts that prioritize the most vulnerable faculty and with the best interests of our students in mind. Our fight reflects broader issues in education across the nation, where we are seeing politically motivated decisions aimed at dismantling the power of unions and restructuring the educational landscape, shifting our institutions from being in service of the public good to making profits for a few. We will not allow that to happen at our college. Not in our union town.
The situation at Columbia College Chicago is more than a faculty strike. It is a battle to protect education, uphold core values, and preserve equitable, diverse, and inclusive learning environments. And it serves as a warning about the shift towards corporate models that have stymied innovation and equity in the landscape of higher education. Our strike is a call to action for all who value education as a public good. It is an invitation to stand in solidarity with us as we champion our students, faculty, and the future of higher education in Chicago and beyond.
Write a letter to John M. Holmes, chairman of the board of trustees.
