CFA This Week

HIGHER EDUCATION UNDER ATTACK · RECAP

Building solidarity. Defending higher education.

CFA hosted an excellent forum on October 13 featuring national, state, and campus education leaders. The conversation highlighted how union membership can help us defend higher education and build a stronger collective voice.

Photo: Stephanie Fortado

Illinois Federation of Teachers President Stacy Davis Gates spoke about the safe space union membership provides:

“A labor union gives you a safe space with guardrails, leadership and process rooted in democracy that gives you that chance.”

Stacy Davis Gates · President, Illinois Federation of Teachers

Photo: Stephanie Fortado

American Association of University Professors President Todd Wolfson warned about the shutdown of current and future scientific research during the second Trump administration:

“I think every single one of us in this room has lost at least one year in our life expectancy because of the Alzheimer’s therapy, the cancer therapy, the diabetes research that will not be there when we need it because they closed our labs,” Wolfson said.

Todd Wolfson · President, AAUP

Check out coverage of the event below in “In the News.”

TALKING POINT OF THE WEEK

Faculty unionization is increasing nationally

As of the beginning of 2024, approximately 27% of faculty members were represented by unions: 402,217 faculty at more than 600 institutions across 30 states and the District of Columbia. Nationwide, there were 775 faculty bargaining units at public and private institutions.

The number of represented faculty grew 7.5% between 2012 and 2024. Read the 2024 research report from the National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions.

International faculty have the right to organize, too. Faculty organizing rights at UIUC include protections for international colleagues. See our materials for more details:

CFA’s unionization FAQ
IFT legal letter on protections for international faculty

ASK OF THE WEEK

Join BSFR’s October 21 march

Join BSFR and UIUC students on Wednesday, October 21, to demand justice for Nolan Wells and an end to the war on Black America. Stand in solidarity with Black youth and our campus community.

Come to the march and share the organizers’ announcement with colleagues and friends. #justicefornolanwells

IN THE NEWS

Our campaign in the headlines

CFA’s Higher Education Under Attack event on October 13 was covered by both Illinois Public Media and Fox Illinois.

Read the coverage and share it with a colleague who wants to learn more about our unionization campaign.

REGIONAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEES

Find your place in the union. ROCS NEED YOU!

Regional Organizing Committees (ROCs) bring colleagues together to organize across campus. Join yours to help build a strong union.

Contact your ROC lead for meeting details and remote-access information.

All times Central.

Not sure which ROC to join? Email CFA to get connected. You can also meet the ROC leads on our website.

CALENDAR

Get involved this week

Check out the CFA calendar to find out how you can get more involved in the union. ROCs (Regional Organizing Committees) are meeting weekly and organizing all over campus. Join yours to help build a strong union.