California Faculty Association

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CalFac
California Faculty Association
Founded1983
HeadquartersSacramento, California
Location
Members
29,000 (As of 2019)
AffiliationsService Employees International Union and American Association of University Professors
Websitewww.calfac.org

The California Faculty Association (CFA) is an American labor union that represents lecturers, professors, counselors, librarians and coaches from the 23 campuses of the California State University (CSU).[1] It is the exclusive collective bargaining agent for all faculty in the CSU system. In 2022, their annual revenue was $18.1 million.[2]

Structure and governance[edit]

CFA has a board of directors which is composed of a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, associate vice president of northern campuses, associate vice president of southern campuses, council representatives, lecturer representatives, and campus chapter presidents.[3] In addition to the board of directors, CFA contains caucuses, councils, and committees that conduct aspects of CFA work and a student organization, Students for Quality Education.

History[edit]

After the State Employer-Employee Relations Act of 1978 was passed in California allowing for union representation of state employees, two unions competed to become the exclusive bargaining agent of the CSU. The Congress of Faculty Associations prevailed in a close 1982 election over the United Professors of California, and then changed their name to the California Faculty Association.[4] Prior to 1986, librarians had a dual-track system with some librarians having faculty status and others classified as staff. All librarians were incorporated as faculty when newly represented by CFA.[5]

The Women's Caucus was CFA's first caucus, formed in the late 1990s with its first Women's Conference held in 2000. In 2002, the Latina/o and African-American causes were created.[6] The Indigenous Peoples Caucus was formed in 2019. The first equity conference was organized in 2004 and the keynote was delivered by Justice Cruz Reynoso about CA Proposition 209 and its impact on students of color in the CSU.[6]

In 2019, CFA disaffiliated with the California Teacher's Association and the National Education Association.[7][8]

On 22 January 2024, the CFA went on strike to protest low starting pay among other issues. This came after negotiations for a 12% pay increase ended with no agreement. The university leaders said that the system already spends 75% of their budget on staff compensation and that they cannot afford a 12% increase in pay.[9] Later that day, the CFA reached a tentative agreement with the CSU system.[10]

Composition[edit]

CFA represents all California State University Faculty. As of 2018, the faculty were 56.17% lecturers, 37.9% tenured or tenure-track professors, 1.4% coaches, 1.3% librarians.[11] While all faculty members are represented by CFA, only those who complete their membership applications may vote on CFA business. As of Fall 2015, 61% of all CSU Faculty are registered CFA members.[12]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Who is the California Faculty Association?". California Faculty Association. Retrieved 2019-04-25.
  2. ^ Roberts, Andrea Suozzo, Alec Glassford, Ash Ngu, Brandon (2013-05-09). "Service Employees International Union, Full Filing - Nonprofit Explorer". ProPublica. Retrieved 2023-12-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "CFA Board of Directors". California Faculty Association. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  4. ^ Hoffman, Elizabeth; Hess, John (2004-08-02). Contingent and faculty organizing in CFA: 1975-2005 (PDF). Conference on Contingent Academic Labor VI. Chicago, IL.
  5. ^ Shadwick, Ann; Parker, J. Carlyle; Rohde, Gladys J.; University, California State; Association, California Faculty (2014). "A brief summary of the struggle for faculty status for librarians in the California State University system, 1950s-1991". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. ^ a b Canton, Cecil (2020). Journey toward a more perfect union: Dismantling racism - becoming anti-racist. Sacramento, CA. p. 25. ISBN 9780578814179.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ^ "California Teachers Association loses thousands of members after faculty association decides to 'disaffiliate'". EdSource. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  8. ^ "Cal State's faculty union suddenly disaffiliates with the state's largest K-12 teachers union". www.insidehighered.com. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  9. ^ Karlamangla, Soumya (22 Jan 2024). "Cal State Faculty Begin Largest U.S. Strike of University Professors". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 Jan 2024.
  10. ^ Hatfield, Michelle (2024-01-23). "Tentative Agreement Reached Ending CFA Members' Historic Systemwide Strike". California Faculty Association. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  11. ^ CFA Research (2018). "A snapshot of Bargaining Unit 3 Faculty, Fall 2018" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-10-05.
  12. ^ CFA Research (2016). "Changing Faces of the CSU Faculty & Students Vol. VI" (PDF).

External links[edit]