We voted overwhelmingly to form our Union to establish a meaningful say about what it looks like to be valued by our employer.  We spent months drafting our contract proposals based on hundreds of comments and contributions from over a majority of faculty members. SVA’s most recent counter-proposals make it clear that they want to maintain the status quo and their sole discretion over the vast majority of our contracts and benefits.

We acknowledge that these are really challenging times for higher education in the United States, specifically in arts programs. Yet, we continue to affirm that the whole point of collective bargaining is to work together to make a better SVA for everyone. Unfortunately, the messaging that we’ve received from SVA through their counter-proposals is that they want to maintain the power to give and take away as they see fit. SVA included language that would preserve their ability to do this under our contract, which is antithetical to the spirit of collaboration under which our Union was formed.

Last week, we received an initial set of responses from the SVA administration on our economic proposals. Please find an overview below, and the full proposals on our bargaining tracker:

We proposed Faculty health insurance with premiums equal to staff health insurance for those with 225+ teaching hours - with higher (but feasible!) premiums as teaching hours decrease. In this plan, Faculty who teach 3 classes per semester would pay a premium of $6,864 for the Integrated OAP Family Plan.

SVA rejected this proposal, and dismissed the notion that instructors teaching less than 3 courses need access to more affordable healthcare options through SVA. They countered with the same health insurance plan we currently have - one in which Faculty who teach 3 classes per semester pay a premium of $40,273 for the Integrated OAP Family Plan. They also proposed that they have sole discretion to modify or eliminate health insurance without negotiation with the faculty.

We proposed a fund for Faculty Professional Development. SVA rejected this proposal.

We proposed Faculty Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts. SVA rejected this proposal.

We proposed that all benefits not addressed in our contract shall be continued unless otherwise agreed upon by the School and the Union. SVA rejected this proposal.

We proposed that SVA will continue to provide sabbaticals, sick and safe time leave, paid family leave, short-term disability leave, museum benefits, and TransitChek pre-tax transportation benefits to Faculty Members.

SVA countered that these benefits may be paused, modified, or eliminated without negotiation with the Union, under sole discretion of SVA. They provided no criteria for adjustment to these policies.  


We proposed that SVA shall make an annual non-elective 5% contribution to each employee’s 401(k), plus an additional matching contribution up to 5% should we choose to contribute to our own 401(k) plans.

SVA countered that they will not provide a non-elective contribution, and will only provide a matching contribution if they do so for non-managerial staff. They added that these benefits may be paused, modified, or eliminated without negotiation with the Union, under sole discretion of SVA.

We proposed that Faculty Members have the presumption of reappointment to a teaching baseload of two or more courses per academic year, unless we want to teach fewer than two courses. A Faculty Member may only be non-reappointed for just cause, at request, or if a Faculty Member’s department is eliminated, at which point the internal Lookaround process for a new appointment for which we are qualified in another department would begin.  If a Faculty Member’s baseload cannot be fulfilled, then we shall be issued a baseload non-fulfillment fee. If a Faculty Member is assigned a course over our baseload, which is then canceled, we shall receive a cancellation fee. Any open courses should be first offered to qualified current Faculty Members before hiring a new Faculty Member to teach the course. We proposed an April 1st deadline for issuing Faculty contracts, union authorization cards, and faculty resource guides for the following academic year.

SVA countered by completely eliminating the concepts of presumption of reappointment and teaching baseloads, thus also eliminating baseload non-fulfillment and course cancellation fees. They changed the Lookaround process to being “preferred consideration for other teaching opportunities for which the School, in its discretion, determines they are qualified.” They removed any reference to seniority from the Appointments article. They changed the April 1st contract deadline prior to fall semester to August 1st. SVA eliminated the inclusion of union authorization cards and faculty resource guides as provided with contracts.

We proposed that SVA shall provide all materials, equipment, facilities, classroom space, and software required to effectively teach a course at no cost to the Faculty Member. If SVA makes changes to instructional facilities that impact teaching conditions, they must inform us with at least four weeks notice. We shall retain access to our SVA email for at least three years post-separation from SVA. Each instructional building shall have a shared Faculty office space. SVA shall continue to cover the cost of approved field trips.

SVA countered that they will provide materials, equipment, facilities, classroom space, and software “that SVA, in its sole discretion, determines” is required to teach a course effectively. They removed the responsibility to inform us of changes to instructional facilities, and to provide us with shared Faculty office spaces. They removed any reference to us retaining access to our SVA email addresses after separation from the School.

Unfortunately, we are still waiting for the SVA administration to get back to us fully regarding our compensation proposal. We hope that they will provide a comprehensive response at our next session.

Given the discussion at our last bargaining session, building our participation across the School is more important than ever this fall. Interested in joining our effort?

Adding your voice to our campaign helps send a strong message to the SVA administration and community about the value of our work as artists and teachers, and why we need a strong contract.

Best,

Stephanie Stavropoulos
MFA Design for Social Innovation

On behalf of SVA/FAC-UAW Bargaining Committee

Published by svafacultyunited in General Updates