Our next bargaining session with the SVA administration will take place Monday, December 8 from 4-6PM.

You can RSVP to join the session as a faculty observer here.

On Thursday morning, our elected bargaining committee, all proudly wearing our beautifully-designed SVA-FAC t-shirts, took their seats at the table with representatives of the administration and their counsel. The meeting was cordial overall. We began by introducing ourselves, speaking about our distinct backgrounds and accomplishments, and expressing our strong commitment to the university, our students, and the work that we cherish in our respective fields. Both sides were amenable to a positive and constructive working relationship, especially in light of the current challenges facing higher education and the arts, so it is no exaggeration to say that this was a fruitful beginning.

Click here to watch BFA Comics faculty and Bargaining Committee member Joan Hilty recap our first session!

We next presented our Initial Bargaining Goals to SVA, which a majority of faculty voted to ratify by an overwhelming 98%. We carefully explained why each goal is a priority for our first contract, and declared our timeline: we will work unrelentingly to achieve a first contract by the end of this academic year, taking pains to emphasize the importance of negotiating for essential improvements and protections. After a brief discussion, we presented two standard contract proposals, revolving around Severability and the Union-Management Committee.

Summary of SVA/FAC-UAW 11/13 Proposals:

Severability: would protect the remainder of the contract if one provision is declared unlawful and ensure our right to bargain over replacement language.

Union-Management Committee: creates a joint committee including the administration and faculty to meet regularly during the life of the contract to discuss matters of mutual concern.

Nearing the end of this meeting, we emphasized the urgency of both our non-economic and economic demands (such as salary and expanded access to benefits), and we urged the SVA administration to schedule sessions with this in mind. We informed SVA's bargaining team that we expect to make a substantial number of concrete proposals on non-economic issues at our next session. We wrapped up this productive meeting by scheduling two more sessions in early December, so stay tuned if you wish to attend as an observer, or provide a testimonial in order to demonstrate the necessity for a strong first contract.

We expressed disappointment that SVA did not respond to our two initial proposals, and we were taken aback when they referred to our goal of achieving a contract by next Spring as "aggressive." Despite this, we are confident that if both teams work in good faith, and build on the precedent set by arts faculty at NYU, The New School, and beyond, we can reach a fair agreement by the end of the Spring semester.

We walked away from this session feeling elated, because this was undoubtedly a positive start. We certainly hope that the productive tone continues. SVA's bargaining team agreed with us on a framework for faculty observers to attend future sessions, so rest assured that the administration understands that they are contending with power.

Our next bargaining session will take place on Tuesday, December 8th from 4-6 pm, and is open to faculty members to attend as observers. RSVP here to save the date for our next bargaining session!

SVA/FAC-UAW files Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge over SVA’s unilateral changes to faculty raises and benefits

Finally, due to the SVA administration’s continued lack of response to engage with us on unilateral changes made to our annual raises, sabbatical, and 401K matching benefits over the summer; last month, we filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge to address this at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). We would have preferred to resolve these issues with the administration constructively, and attempted to do so by reaching out to discuss next steps. However, SVA has denied their responsibility to bargain with us over these changes and refused to produce evidence that would demonstrate that these changes were decided upon prior to our filing for a union election.  

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or thoughts.

In solidarity,

Edwin Rivera-Arias, Humanities & Sciences
on behalf of SVAFAC-UAW Bargaining Committee

Our initial bargaining goals have been ratified by 98% (423 voting yes to 9 voting no), with a majority of all faculty participating. This result builds on our 77% ‘yes’ vote to form our union. It also gives us a strong mandate to negotiate for needed improvements and protections that would enhance our experience at SVA.

The goals were developed based on bargaining surveys filled out by a strong majority of faculty, as well as from town halls and in-person discussions. Thank you to everyone who participated in the vote!

ICYMI: We have initial bargaining dates!

We are excited to announce that we have our preliminary bargaining session with the SVA administration this Thursday, November 13th!

We hope that the administration will work with us to schedule timely and consistent bargaining sessions so that we can move efficiently toward a fair agreement. As the Bargaining Committee, we will also continue urging everyone to participate in this process and make every effort to keep everyone informed. Click here to get more involved in building power to win a strong contract, or reply directly to this email.

As faculty and as leading artists and professionals in our respective disciplines, we are dedicated to the school’s core mission, and our ability to enhance the learning environment of our students. Let’s leverage our power together in the coming negotiations to improve not only our working conditions but also lift standards for faculty and arts professionals in New York City and beyond.

Faculty from across SVA joined our Town Hall in September to discuss initial bargaining goals, and other next steps!

Best,

Lee-Sean Huang, MFA Design for Social Innovation
Member of SVA/FAC-UAW Bargaining Committee

Welcome to the new school year, and to our inaugural newsletter! 

This summer, we reconstituted the Organizing Committee of our union, which works in support of centralizing info and communications, supporting departmental organizers, and liaising between the Bargaining Committee and our members. Relatedly, we elected a Bargaining Committee of nine members. These trusty representatives will negotiate with the SVA administration to ensure we have a good first contract. 

To this end, our bargaining survey is the best way for union members to help the Bargaining Committee represent our interests. We ask you to help this out for two reasons. First, the more people respond, the better the BC can represent our collective priorities. Second, the more people who complete the survey, the stronger showing we can make in the bargaining process and ultimately win a better contract. Please kindly fill out the survey if you have not.

The Bargaining Committee has reached out to the SVA administration about the pay freeze and cancellation of 401(k) matching. The administration has stonewalled. This is a tacit admission that the administration is unwilling to consider the many faculty who are now facing an even more precarious finnancial position. Please sign this open letter from faculty to demand that the SVA administration dialogue with the Bargaining Committee and restore these critical benefits.

As many of us already know, 30 SVA staff and numerous faculty members have been laid o or had classes canceled at the last minute. The reasoning from the SVA administration has been opaque at best. This is why we formed a union: to have a voice in decisions like these, rather than ensuring them from below. Further down, you can find testimonials from a few people affected by the cuts.

The Department of Homeland Security has announced a proposed change to F and J visa rules to limit visa lengths, require a complex process to extend them, prevent international graduate students from changing programs for any reason, and shorten grace periods. F and J visas are the two most common international visas, and they are integral to our students’ lives. We categorically oppose such changes. Here is an explainer outlining the reasons why. We encourage you to stand with our international students by submitting a comment against the changes here. Please feel free to forward these links to your students, as well, who are welcome to leave a comment.

Last, we held a town hall meeting at 12pm on Saturday, September 27th, where faculty gathered to discuss our initial bargaining goals, get answers to questions, and hear more next steps for us to win. a strong first contract. Remember, our union strength is you. Your voice, your insight, your wisdom. Make your voice heard.

I started working for SVA around 2012 as a visiting crit in MFA Art Practice, and later became a faculty member and Thesis advisor for 13 years. In this time, I managed to get many of my students to write outstanding thesis and win our internal “Thesis Award”. Unfortunately, I also directly experienced  how faculty at SVA had no power compared to the administration, who exercised complete control over our work.

This past summer, I was told to be on a zoom, with no information about what content would be discussed. I assumed that I was being called in to chat about “new” structural changes of the program. Instead, I was told my teaching was great, but I was let go because WE [the School] needed to save money.

None of us thesis advisors saw a pay raise in 13 years, but there was money for two new administration positions during this time. I am glad that I was able to be a small part in creating a Union before I was red, and hope for all of the workers at SVA to be treated better than my own experience.

– Steffan Saffer / SVA Faculty 2012-2025

In solidarity,

The SVA-FAC Organizing Committee

Homepage

Vote on our initial bargaining goals here!

This weekend, faculty from across SVA came together at our Faculty Town Hall to discuss our initial bargaining goals and learn about our next steps to win a strong contract. These goals were developed based on the responses to our bargaining survey as well as hundreds of conversations throughout our campaign. 

Voting for these initial bargaining goals sends a strong signal to the SVA administration and gives us more power to win critical improvements and protections at the bargaining table.

Click Here to Access Your Ratification Ballot

—

SVA Faculty United - UAW
Initial Bargaining Goals

In May 2025, SVA’s all-adjunct faculty voted by a resounding 77% to form our union,  SVA-FAC UAW. A majority of faculty have also participated in shaping our bargaining agenda by filling out preliminary surveys.

We are an organization by, for, and of SVA faculty in many different fields, but our dedication to teaching unites us all. We are committed to significantly improving our employment experience at SVA, which in turn will create a better experience for our students and enhance SVA’s reputation as a leading school for the creative arts. Given the unprecedented attacks on higher education, these issues are more critical than ever. 

SVA was founded in part upon the principle of learning from a faculty of working professionals. Our union seeks to uphold that principle by making it far easier for us to connect as a community and model professional self-determination to our students, while ensuring that we don’t have to choose between teaching and keeping up with the careers that make us so valuable to SVA.

We believe that the achievement of these goals will facilitate the recruitment and retention of the most dedicated, diverse group of faculty and therefore enrich our ability to fulfill SVA’s mission. 

• Adopt a first contract in a timely manner and in good faith.

• Establish compensation that reflects the value of our work and the high cost of living by increasing minimum pay, scheduling regular raises, and honoring long-time faculty members’ experience and contributions to SVA.

• Establish compensation for teaching work performed outside of scheduled class time such as course prep, student conferences, and grading.

• Strengthen job security and establish reappointment rights: protect against arbitrary dismissal, unjust discipline, and termination; establish strong and transparent reappointment rights; and issue course cancellation fees and severance.

• Ensure minimum courseloads and predictable schedules from year to year to ensure that faculty are not left guessing about course assignments and can balance teaching with professional practice.

• Ensure faculty rights to intellectual property, academic freedom, and freedom of artistic expression.
  
• Protect and expand benefits like tuition remission, healthcare options, and retirement savings options, including a significant expansion to healthcare access and affordability.

• Restore and secure benefits such as sabbaticals and professional development funding for faculty, enabling greater opportunity to recruit, teach, and develop our pedagogy nationally and internationally.

• Ensure an equitable and inclusive workplace by ensuring strong protections against discrimination and harassment.

• Establish a clear grievance and arbitration process, with access to a neutral third party to ensure enforcement of our contract.

• Ensure equity across compensation, benefits, and workplace accessibility, especially for faculty members of marginalized or underrepresented groups.

• Mandate transparency, collaboration, and accountability from the SVA administration in all matters, including timely notification and documentation of pay and class assignments.

• Increase support for SVA’s vital, near-majority international community by providing faculty with more resources for teaching international students and stronger protections for visa-holding teachers.

• Enhance the faculty’s ability to provide quality teaching by ensuring reasonable maximum class sizes.

• Establish a process for faculty to have a meaningful voice in curriculum ensuring that all department members are informed of and given the opportunity to participate in department- and program-level committees.

Mark your calendar and RSVP for a Town Hall discussion on our initial bargaining goals and next steps!

Last spring, we won our union election by an overwhelming 77% mandate. Now, a majority of faculty have completed an initial survey about what matters to them – including nearly 500 of us since our election. These results give us more power to advocate for improvements as we are now entering negotiations with the SVA administration. 

Join our virtual Faculty Union Town Hall on Saturday, September 27th at 12pm, as we present an overview of our initial bargaining priorities. You’ll get to engage with other faculty, be part of the discussion regarding next steps as we prepare for bargaining this fall, and get answers to any questions you may have about the process and how to participate. Click here to RSVP. 

The more of us helping to talk with coworkers, the more we can build strong participation by faculty in upcoming phases of our campaign, including ratifying our initial goals for bargaining, which will be based on surveys, town halls, and other sources of feedback. Click here to get more involved in improving our experience at SVA and winning a strong first contract! 

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or thoughts - you can also contact us at info@svafacultyunited.org, and follow along for updates on our campaign on our instagram. 

If you have not completed a bargaining survey, you may still do so here. 

Best,
Joan Hilty, BFA Comics
on behalf of SVAFAC-UAW Bargaining Committee

Take a moment to fill out our faculty union bargaining survey

After we won our union by an overwhelming majority last spring, the bargaining survey is an important step as we prepare to negotiate with the SVA administration. In order to win the strongest and most representative contract, it is important that as many of us as possible fill out the survey. If you haven’t already. please complete a bargaining survey here.

NYC Faculty Union Summer Picnic 

Join colleagues at Parsons (The New School), NYU, and other unionized faculty with UAW Local 7902 for a summer picnic in prospect park on August 13th 4-7pm! RSVP here to attend. 

Other Updates

• Feedback on social media and international scholars: As part of ongoing efforts to fight back against the Trump administration’s attacks on international workers, our union (UAW) is receiving feedback on the  impact of social media surveillance in order to explore potential actions we can take in response. You can find more information here, and a link to the short questionnaire. Responses may be anonymous.
  
• UAW Summer School and Higher Education Council: This summer, SVA faculty have joined hundreds of fellow UAW academic and arts workers to discuss how to build power at our workplaces, and beyond.
  
• Get involved in our efforts this fall: Please respond directly to this email to get more involved in our organizing  to win a strong contract, or, if you have any questions or concerns as we head into the new semester. A colleague will be in touch. 

Please don’t hesitate to respond with any further questions or thoughts, 

Hans Tammen, MFA Computer Arts
on behalf of SVAFAC-UAW Organizing Committee

We are pleased to announce the results of our SVA Faculty United–UAW Bargaining Committee Election. The following nine (9) candidates received the highest number of votes and have been elected to the Bargaining Committee:

Justin Elm, BFA VCS, Art History, Honors 
Lee-Sean Huang, MFA Design for Social Innovation; MFA Interaction Design 
Joan Hilty, BFA Comics
Edwin Rivera-Arias, Humanities & Sciences
Merlin Ural Rivera, Humanities & Sciences
Lily Padula, BFA Illustration
Stephanie Stavropoulos, MFA Design for Social Innovation
Mike Falk, BFA Fine Arts
Billy Altman, Humanities & Sciences

Thank you to all of the candidates and everyone who participated. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to svafacultyunited.uaw@gmail.com with any additional questions, or reply directly to this email.

Sincerely,
SVA/FAC-UAW Organizing Committee 

The nomination period for the SVA/FAC-UAW Bargaining Committee is closed as of Thursday, June 26, 2025. The following eligible faculty accepted nomination:

Billy Altman - Humanities & Sciences
Alper Besen - BFA Interior Design
John Bezark - BFA Design
Justin Elm - BFA VCS, Art History, Honors
Mike Falk - BFA Fine Arts
Joan Hilty - BFA Comics
Lee-Sean Huang - MFA Interaction Design, MFA Design for Social Innovation
Stephanie Stavropoulos - MFA Design for Social Innovation
Lily Padula - BFA Illustration
Carson Parish - BFA Photography and Video
Merlin Ural Rivera - Humanities & Sciences
Edwin Rivera-Arias  - Humanities & Sciences
Hans Tammen - MFA Computer Arts

Because the number of candidates exceeds the total number of positions for the Bargaining Committee, a secret ballot vote will be held electronically from 9AM July 7 2025, to 9PM July 11 2025, using ElectionBuddy. A reminder about the details of our vote, and full packet with candidate statements, will be shared Monday next week. 

Vote Method

ElectionBuddy is an electronic platform that guarantees the secrecy of ballots and ensures that no one can vote more than once.

ElectionBuddy will send you an email with a unique link to your online ballot once voting has opened on July 7, 2025. If you cannot locate the email from ElectionBuddy with the ballot, including in your spam, junk, and promotions folders, email us at svafacultyunited.uaw@gmail.com.

How to Vote

You should receive an email and text reminder from ElectionBuddy with your ballot at 9 AM ET on Monday, July 7, 2025 or soon after you sign an authorization card if the vote has already begun. Please check your spam, junk, and promotions folders, and if you cannot locate your ballot, email us at svafacultyunited.uaw@gmail.com. 

Voters shall be entitled to vote for no more than nine [9] candidates, the total number of Bargaining Committee positions. The nine [9] candidates who receive the most votes will be elected.

Voter Eligibility

Eligible voters are eligible SVA faculty who have filled out a SVA/FAC-UAW authorization card.

Best,
Jensine Eckwall, BFA Illustration
on behalf of SVAFAC-UAW Organizing Committee 

Click here to fill out our bargaining survey!

Earlier this semester, SVA faculty voted by an overwhelming majority to form our union, with over 77% voting in favor. As we move towards bargaining for our first union contract with the SVA administration, please take a moment to fill out our SVA/FAC-UAW bargaining survey.

In order to win the strongest and most representative contract for all faculty, it is critical that as many of us as possible fill out the survey. Feedback in the bargaining survey will help guide our bargaining committee in developing initial bargaining goals, and during our negotiations. The more of us who participate, the more power we will have going into bargaining, and the stronger message we send to SVA.

Once our elected bargaining committee has developed initial bargaining priorities, the next step is for us to ratify these goals, so we can begin negotiating with the administration with broad input and participation.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or thoughts, 

Merlin Ural Rivera, Humanities & Sciences
On behalf of SVA/FAC-UAW Organizing Committee

Nominations are hereby declared open for the SVA Faculty United-UAW (SVA/FAC-UAW) Bargaining Committee (nine [9] positions): All eligible Union supporters [all SVA faculty who have filled out a SVA/FAC-UAW authorization card] are automatically nominated for the Bargaining Committee and eligible to accept nomination.

If you haven’t yet filled out an SVA/FAC-UAW authorization card, you may do so now here: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sva-faculty-united-uaw-authorization-card/

The bargaining committee will be composed of nine (9) positions. Please see the full notice below and don’t hesitate to reach out with further questions.

NOTICE OF NOMINATION AND ELECTION FOR THE UNION BARGAINING COMMITTEE (9 POSITIONS)

Nominations are hereby declared open for the SVA/FAC-UAW Bargaining Committee (9 positions):

All eligible unit members who have signed a union authorization card are automatically nominated for the Bargaining Committee.

The Bargaining Committee will have nine (9) positions.

Any eligible Union authorization card signatory who wishes to accept the nomination for one of the written nine (9) Bargaining Committee positions listed above must indicate their intention in writing by responding to this email.

The acceptance of nomination for the specified position above must be received no later than 6:00 pm ET on Thursday, June 26, 2025: by email to SVA/FAC-UAW: svafacultyunited.uaw@gmail.com, or by hand delivery to 350 W 31st Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10016.

Details about the responsibilities of Bargaining Committee members can be found below.

Candidate Statements

Each candidate may write and submit a candidate statement of no more than 250 words. These statements will be posted on the SVA/FAC-UAW website if the number of candidates exceeds the 9 available positions and an election becomes necessary. Phone number and email address must be included to help contact candidates upon the nominations period closing, but will not be counted toward the 250 words, and will not be publicly posted.

It is the responsibility of the candidate to submit the candidate statement. All candidate statements must be received by the time nominations close at 6:00 pm ET on Thursday, June 26, 2025. See some example candidate statements from the Mt. Sinai Postdoc Bargaining Committee. 

Election Dates, Times, and Locations

In the event that the number of eligible candidates who accept nomination for the specified position do not exceed the number of open positions (9 positions), such candidates will be deemed elected by acclamation and no election will be held. 

If more than nine (9) eligible candidates accept nomination, an election will be conducted with the nine (9) candidates who receive the highest number of votes being elected. All eligible Union supporters [all faculty who have filled out and signed an SVA/FAC-UAW authorization card] are eligible to vote. 

The election will take place electronically starting 9am Monday, June 30, 2025, through 9pm Saturday, July 5, 2025. 

Members of the bargaining unit who have not done so may fill out an authorization card prior to voting.

In solidarity,

—-
Bargaining Committee Responsibilities 

The primary responsibility of the Bargaining Committee is to negotiate an initial collective bargaining agreement with the SVA administration’s team. Election to the committee obligates each member to represent and fight for the best possible contract for all members of the bargaining unit.

The committee will be trained and assisted by experienced negotiators from the Union who will also participate in the negotiations with SVA. See below for specific responsibilities.

• Develop initial bargaining goals for ratification by union supporters across campus, using surveys, other relevant contracts, membership feedback from other sources, etc.
• After ratification of initial bargaining goals, develop contract language proposals with the assistance and guidance of UAW representatives 
• Attend negotiation sessions 
• Assess, analyze, and respond to the University’s bargaining proposals and develop union counter proposals.
• Keep the membership and allies informed and educated about the negotiations and the process.
• Make  recommendations to the membership on whether to approve a contract or take other actions (e.g., a vote to authorize the committee to call for strike action, if necessary).

Committee members should assume that the time commitment will be significant. Note that the schedule of bargaining itself is subject to negotiation with the SVA  administration’s bargaining team.