We also discussed our previous request for information, and asked for more clarity on a few subjects that the administration has so far declined to provide. SVA agreed they could share additional course cancellation data, which will help inform our future economic proposals.
Finally, we responded to and expressed dismay regarding SVA’s former counterproposal on Harassment and Discrimination. While SVA has indicated that they're committed to a respectful work environment, their proposal would prohibit faculty from the option to seek recourse for bullying, harassment and discrimination through a neutral third party arbitrator, with the help of union representatives. Instead, faculty would only be able to address workplace harassment through Human Resources (HR), or the legal system – a process which is not only potentially expensive, but could take many years before a resolution.
Two faculty members joined us Monday to describe their personal experience of harassment, discrimination, bullying, and retaliation, and how the existing mechanisms to address this behavior at SVA were inadequate.Their testimonials were stirring, vivid examples that pointed directly to faculty need for protections in the workplace. If SVA is truly committed to meaningful protections for bullying, harassment and discrimination, they would engage with us more around this critical part of our proposal.
SVA's team listened carefully to our colleagues' testimonials, and we hope they will take it to heart as they prepare their counterproposal.
Watch Union! hosted by SVA Faculty United-UAW! Join colleagues for a movie night on February 26th at 6:30PM (Room 101C, 133 West 21st Street) to watch the film Union! about Amazon workers’ organizing victory and long-term campaign.
ICYMI: Add your name in support of a fair contract, and to urge the SVA administration to restore raises and retirement benefits. Sign our petition here.
Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or thoughts, or if you wish to get more involved in our effort.
Best,
Edwin Rivera-Arias, Humanities & Sciences on behalf of SVA/FAC-UAW Bargaining Committee
As we continue bargaining our first contract with the SVA administration, please take a moment to sign our open letter calling for the restoration of previous changes to our annual raises and 401k benefits, and in support of a fair first contract. Help demonstrate that a strong majority support our effort, and that we’re all engaged in bargaining.
The administration’s unilateral decision to eliminate key benefits last summer damages the total compensation of our work, even though the value we bring as the entire faculty body means our teaching is more critical than ever. Eroding the faculty’s financial security only serves to undermine our ability to focus on the fulfillment of SVA’s important mission.
In May, faculty voted by an overwhelming majority of 77% in favor of forming a union. We were encouraged by how quickly the administration recognized our majority and committed to bargain in good faith. However, many faculty are now facing a far more precarious financial position in fulfilling our critical teaching duties – both due to the rising cost of living in the tri-state area, and without annual increases and stable benefits to help plan for the future. This contributes to the urgency of reaching a strong contract, and addressing the suspension of last year’s annual raises, and benefits.
We therefore urge SVA to make all efforts to reach a strong contract that enables faculty to continue fulfilling the school’s educational mission in the arts.
If you are interested in getting more involved in our union’s ongoing efforts, please click here to let us know, or respond directly.
Best,
Hans Tammen, MFA Computer Arts on behalf of SVA/FAC-UAW Organizing Committee
During this session, the committee presented two counterproposals: Grievance and Arbitration and Union Management Committee. We reiterated why the timeline in our Grievance and Arbitration proposal matters, emphasizing that faculty should have the fullest possible opportunity to raise and resolve concerns at each step of the process. We also asked follow-up questions regarding Employment Records and requested that the administration bring a response to our initial proposal.
We also want to note the broader momentum for faculty unionization across the city. Most recently, workers at The Metropolitan Museum of Art voted in favor of forming their union, joining a growing number of cultural and educational workers organizing for a stronger voice on the job. These wins underscore the importance of the work we are doing together at SVA.
Our next bargaining session will take place Monday, February 9th at 4:00pm. We strongly encourage faculty to attend as observers and to invite a colleague to join you. Faculty presence at the table continues to be an important show of support as we negotiate our first contract.
As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or feedback.
Justin Elm VCS, Art History, Honors On behalf of SVA/FAC-UAW Bargaining Committee
Happy New Year! In 2025, SVA faculty voted overwhelmingly to form our union by 77%, a majority of faculty helped develop, and ratified, our initial bargaining goals, and we began to negotiate our first contract. This year, we are looking forward to reaching a contract that reflects the immense value we bring to SVA as an institution, as both artists and teachers.
On Wednesday, our elected bargaining committee met with the SVA administration for our fourth session. We are happy to share that we have reached a tentative agreement on two more articles, Union Access, and Successorship.
In addition, we brought counterproposals on Health and Safety, Discipline and Discharge, Bulletins and Posting, Generative AI, and Meeting Space. We had a productive discussion with the administration on the importance of strong health and safety protections for SVA faculty; in particular, for faculty who are working in environments with hazardous materials. We expect to receive the administration’s response to this article in upcoming sessions.
At our third bargaining session, SVA’s bargaining team responded to our proposals from December 8th with seven (7) counterproposals, and informed us they were working on additional responses to others. Watch our most recent bargaining update on Instagram here.
We are happy to announce that we quickly reached tentative agreements (TAs) on two of our initial proposals: Severability, and Recognition. We look forward to continued progress in our negotiations towards a strong first contract with the SVA administration in the future. You can review all our proposals and the SVA administration's proposals here.
Get more involved in our effort to win a strong first contract! Here are a few upcoming opportunities:
Join bargaining as an observer: Our next bargaining sessions will be January 6th, January 22nd, February 9th, and February 17th, all from 4:00-6:00pm - please save the date to join our session as a faculty observer.
Share a faculty testimonial: Follow us on Instagram to hear from more SVA faculty on why winning a strong contract will help improve our experience – and that of our students – at SVA. Reply to this email to share your own testimonial on what matters to you.
This week, SVA’s bargaining team presented counterproposals to our articles from the previous week: Non-Discrimination and Harassment; Health & Safety; Generative Artificial Intelligence; Meeting Space; Discipline and Discharge; Union Access; and Academic Freedom and First Amendment Rights. They also rejected our proposal on Employment Records. We are in the process of reviewing these proposals to determine a response.
We are disappointed by SVA’s initial counterproposal on non-discrimination and harassment. We proposed an efficient and fair process that would allow faculty to take claims regarding harassment, discrimination, or bullying behavior to a neutral, third-party arbitrator with the support of union representatives. SVA’s counter would bar this, instead potentially forcing faculty seeking recourse into lengthy and burdensome court or government agency processes.
Finally, you can find a brief summary of the proposals we have discussed with SVA’s administration so far below. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions or thoughts.
Summary of SVA/FAC-UAW Proposals:
Recognition (TA): would codify official recognition of our union (SVA/FAC-UAW)
Severability (TA): would protect remainder of contract if one provision is declared unlawful and ensure our right to bargain over any impacts
Employment Records: would ensure faculty access to accurate employment records
Meeting Space: would allow faculty adequate space at SVA for future faculty union meetings
Prohibition Against Discrimination and Harassment:would ensure protections against discrimination, harassment, bullying, or abusive conduct and enshrines the right to seek recourse for such behavior through a fair, efficient, and neutral process
Grievance and Arbitration Procedure: would allow faculty to take a grievance to a neutral third party if they were unable to reach a satisfactory resolution with the School, establishing a fair process in which provisions in our future contract can be enforced
Discipline and Discharge: would enshrine due process rights and create a fair process for progressive discipline in the case that the School is contemplating disciplinary action
Union Access: would guarantee our union representatives access to SVA to assist and meet with faculty regarding union matters
Bulletins and Posting:would ensure faculty have the same communication access as the School and other groups for notices, and allow space for union representatives to post union-related notices in School buildings and online platforms
Job Posting: would establish fair and transparent policies for the filling of vacant faculty positions
Faculty Appointments:would establish standards for job security and clear expectations around appointment, including minimum appointment and reappointment lengths, predictable schedules, protections against course cancellation, timelines and content for notifications of offers of appointment and description of assignment
Health and Safety: would present safety measures that SVA will enact and continue to maintain to keep faculty members safe, healthy, and prepared, which allow us to focus all our efforts and attention on our teaching
Academic Freedom: would align our contract with those principles already stated in the SVA policy handbook to ensure faculty speech is protected on campus
Bargaining Unit Information: would ensure that our faculty receives basic benefits information and regularly updated lists once our contract is in place, so we can effectively communicate with unit members
Union Security and Checkoff: would ensure that faculty contribute equally to the cost of representation once we have ratified our contract
Successorship:would preserve our contract if ownership of SVA is transferred
Faculty Rights and Administrative Transparency: Establish structures that will uphold SVA’s core value of citizenship, as articulated as accessible leadership, minimal hierarchy, and a spirit of mutual respect and cooperation
Wishing you all a restful break. Happy Holidays!
Joan Hilty, BFA Comics On behalf of SVA/FAC-UAW Bargaining Committee
On Monday, our elected bargaining committee had its second negotiation session with the SVA administration. This was a productive meeting in which we presented a range of non-economic articles related to our workplace rights, and explained the reasoning behind each of them. You can follow along to see what proposals were passed during our session here. Watch our Bargaining recap on instagram!
Our next bargaining session will take place tomorrow–Monday, December 15th at 4:30PM. You can RSVP here to attend the session as a faculty observer.Join us at Peter McManus (152 7th Ave) at 7pm after observing Monday’s bargaining session to celebrate the end of the semester and our organizing progress this year.
In response to our proposal on faculty appointments – which asks for a minimum level of job security, predictable schedules, and protections against course cancellation – we were surprised and disappointed when SVA’s administration said our proposal is at odds with SVA’s traditional philosophy of hiring working professionals and artists as teachers. In fact, our proposal takes common concepts of professional job security and codifies them so that we are adequately empowered to be both professional artists, creatives, designers, and faculty. You can review all our proposals and the SVA administration's proposals here.
SVA’s bargaining team informed us that they will review our proposals and intend to respond to some, though likely not all at our next bargaining session.We re-emphasised the urgency of both economic and non-economic topics, and our goal to reach a fair agreement by the end of Spring 2026.
As always, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions or thoughts,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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: protectagainst 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.
