CFAC Strike
During the Fall of 2023, adjuncts from Columbia College Chicago went on an seven-week-long strike, the longest adjunct strike in U.S. history.
Columbia’s Part-Time Faculty Union went on strike due to the lack of financial transparency and changes to class sizes and workloads. During the strike, classes were either halted or switched to Zoom by a full-time professor.
Since the strike had ended before final exams, students had to attempt to take their finals with the knowledge they had from the few weeks with their adjunct professors.
Dance adjuncts improvise a line dance while on the picket line on Monday, Oct. 30, 2023, the first day of the part-time faculty's strike outside of 600 S. Michigan Ave.
Columbia students sit down together to make picket signs in support of the Columbia Faculty Union and Student Body Coalition on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023 at 600 S. Michigan Ave.
Students and part-time faculty join the picket line on Oct. 30, 2023 in support of Columbia Faculty Union fighting for fair labor practices outside of 600 S. Michigan Ave.
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, told striking part-time instructors that the administration was pitting them against tenured professors outside of 600 S. Michigan Ave. on Nov. 3, 2023.
Full-time faculty member, Jim DeRogatis teaches his Music and Media In Chicago course on Oct. 30, 2024, the first day of the strike. DeRogatis usually teaches about 100 students per course.
Columbia students sit down together to make picket signs in support of the Columbia Faculty Union and Student Body Coalition on Oct. 24, 2023 at 600 S. Michigan Ave.
Students and part-time faculty gather outside of President Kwang-Wu Kim’a residence in the Gold Coast neighborhood. Protesters participated in an “art build” outside of his residence on Nov. 10, 2023. It was later removed
Columbia part-time faculty and students join the picket line on Monday, Oct. 20, 2023 outside of 600 S. Michigan Ave. This marks the first strike at Columbia since 2017.
On Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, students and faculty rallied outside 600 S. Michigan in support of the part-time faculty union. Many people are wearing red and holding signs to show support for the upcoming strike starting Monday, Oct. 30.
Dozens of students and part-time faculty walked about three miles from the 600 S. Ave. building to the Gold Coast residence of President and CEO Kwang-Wu Kim on Friday morning, Nov. 10, 2023
Stacy Davis Gates, president of the Chicago Teachers Union and executive vice president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, spoke at the rally as more than a hundred CPS students attended a high school fair hosted by the Communication Department at 1104 S. Wabash.
According to the reporting of Vivian Richey and Alli Shelton, two current Chronicle staffers,
“Over the summer, the college laid off 70 staff members, including four therapists in the Counseling Center, four librarians, two academic advisors and nine staff in the tutoring center. Six people who worked in student financial aid also lost their jobs. In August, the college closed the on-campus health center. The college now plans to eliminate 18 of its 58 majors.”
Read more from their reporting here.
While balancing my coursework, I spent almost every day anticipating the possibility of a strike and reporting for The Columbia Chronicle on the picket line. As I was pursuing my passion for my work, I faced backlash from many picketers, some of whom were my own professors and classmates. One professor told me not to take their class the following semester.
One of my courses that was affected by the strike was called “History of The Future” where we were just about to discuss dystopic societies, little did I know I was going to live in one for the next two months.
From this experience, I feel like I built thicker skin and learned how to stand my ground as a reporter.