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VCUarts adjunct workers' protests

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VCUarts adjunct workers' protests
Part of the 2018 teachers' strikes in the United States
DateDecember 4, 2017 (2017-12-04) – May 10, 2018 (2018-05-10)
Location
Caused by
  • Long hours
  • Low pay
  • No health benefits
  • No tenure track
Goals
  • Increase in pay from $800 per credit hour to $2,000 per credit hour
Methods
Resulted in
  • Increase in pay from $800 per credit hour to $1,000 per credit hour
Parties
Lead figures
  • Shawn Brixey
Number
200 adjuncts
15 supervisors

The VCUarts adjunct workers' protests were a series of protests in late 2017 into early 2018 by adjunct professors employed by Virginia Commonwealth University, VCU full-time, tenured professors, and VCU students protesting over low pay, lack of benefits, and long working hours.

Background

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The VCU School of the Arts is the art school for Virginia Commonwealth University, a public-research university located in Richmond, Virginia.[1] The School of the Arts, branded as VCUarts, is a nationally recognized art program,[2][3] which employs around 400 professors on its academic staff. Approximately 202 of these teachers in VCUarts are adjunct professors,[4] who are contractual professors who are paid by credit hour and do not receive employee benefits.[5]

Most adjunct professors at VCU, including the School of the Arts are paid about $800 per credit hour they teach, and are limited to two or three classes they can teach per semester. This ultimately leaves them earning a potential annual salary of approximately $15,000, which is just above the federal poverty line.[6] According to a report from Style Weekly, most VCUarts adjuncts make about $10,000 per year, which ranks last of the Top-10 art schools from U.S. News & World Report.[4] In the fall of 2017, adjunct professors began organizing and formed a coalition known as "VCU Adjuncts for Fair Pay".[7]

In December 2017 and again in February 2018 the group protested the lack of pay, and protested in the propose raise in adjunct pay from $800 to $1,000 per credit hour, demanding that it is raised to $2,000 per credit hour. Such a raise would allow a full-time adjunct professor to earn close to $36,000 per year.[8][9] The group further attacked Michael Rao and his administration for having nearly $1 billion in endowment and used monies to purchase a night club off the VCU Campus.

Reactions

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VCU administration

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VCU's Vice President for Finance and Budget Karol Kain Gray said in response that the low pay for adjunct faculty was becoming a morale issue.[10] The Board of Visitors approved a budget for the 2018-19 school year that increased adjunct pay from $800 per credit hour to $1,000 per credit hour, which was about $1,000 less than what the VCU Adjuncts Organizing For Fair Pay demanded.[10]

VCU students

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The reception from students, especially art students, was positive. Most of the people in the protests were reported to be students in the VCUarts program.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "About VCU". vcu.edu. Virginia Commonwealth University. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  2. ^ "U.S. News & World Report".
  3. ^ Carrigan, Margaret (29 August 2017). "The 15 Top Art Schools in the United States". Artsy. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  4. ^ a b Baldwin, Brent (December 4, 2017). "VCU Adjunct Art Teachers Holding Campus Rally for Better Pay". Style Weekly. Landmark Media Enterprises. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
  5. ^ Mattingly, Justin (December 8, 2017). "VCU adjunct arts professors, community protest low wages". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Berkshire Hathaway. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
  6. ^ Ashworth, Madelyne (December 11, 2017). "VCU Arts Adjuncts Rally For Fair Pay Outside Cabell Library". Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  7. ^ Wilder, Drew (February 28, 2018). "VCUarts teachers protest for higher pay". WWBT. Raycom Media. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
  8. ^ a b Ahmad, Hiba. ""We're talking about someone's life": VCUarts adjuncts plan a day of action to demand equitable pay". commonwealthtimes.com. The Commonwealth Times. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  9. ^ Pauly, Megan (December 8, 2017). "VCU Adjunct Arts Professors Rally For Higher Pay". WCVE-FM. Commonwealth Public Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  10. ^ a b Mattingly, Justin (May 11, 2018). "VCU raises tuition 6.4 percent for 2018-19". The Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
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