Columbia walked back a proposal that would have required all staff to return to campus full time, ending a flexible remote work arrangement in place since the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the staff union raised concerns, the college will now only require the seven members of the president’s cabinet — all top leaders — to be present on campus five days a week, starting this week on Wednesday, Oct. 1.
“Senior leadership’s in-person collaboration and accessibility will help ensure alignment, strengthen engagement with students, faculty, and staff and position the college to respond quickly to new opportunities,” Lambrini Lukidis, associate vice president of strategic communications and external relations, said in an email.
For everyone else, the college’s flexible workplace policy remains unchanged. “No new requirements are being introduced at this time,” she said.
Like many organizations in the years following the pandemic, Columbia had hybrid work arrangements, with some staff and administrators allowed to work from home part of the week, depending on the position. But as the job market has tightened and companies try to re-establish in-person workplace culture, that has shifted, often causing friction between employers and workers.
The United Staff of Columbia College, which represents 178 full-time and 29 part-time employees, found out about the potential policy change after the college had already moved to put it in place this week. Supervisors had approached their staff about it, sources told the Chronicle.
At a recent Town Hall, the flexible work policy change dominated the conversation. Union members raised job security concerns, citing the college’s investment in AI systems they fear could eliminate more jobs.
The number of staff at Columbia has continued to shrink as the college tries to address a budget shortfall. In May 2024, the college laid off 70 staff, as the Chronicle previously reported.
Allison Geller, president of the staff union, said the proposed policy would also violate the college’s contract with the union.
“The union stands firmly opposed to all plans related to ending work from home at Columbia,” Geller said in an email, offering a statement from the union. “This is an employee benefit covered by our contract language, and one which is strongly valued by all employees of this college.”
Geller said the union approached the administration after learning of the proposed change in policy.
Under the USofCC collective bargaining agreement, the college must give the union at least 10 business days notice before changing the flexible work policy, a requirement that had not been met.
The policy cannot be fully revoked while covered under the agreement, which also outlines how flexible work arrangements are requested, approved and adjusted, Geller said.
Jenna Davis, president of the Student Government Association, said that being in person is important for building relationships but having the option to work from home is still beneficial when needed.
“As for administrators and professors, I think they need to be on campus, for class and for their office hours at the very least,” Davis said. “I think students prefer face-to-face over anything, especially after being in the pandemic.”
Like many colleges, Columbia expanded flexible work options during the pandemic, when remote learning and online platforms became central to campus operations.
While the number of virtual courses has since declined, remote and hybrid arrangements have remained in place for some staff positions. The college lists flexible work alongside health coverage, retirement planning and wellness programs, highlighting its importance as a quality-of-life benefit that many employees say is central to their work experience.
Patricia Olalde, senior director of human resources, did not respond to multiple emails requesting comment.
As supervisors started informing their staff about the possible change a few weeks ago, some began to petition for exceptions for a host of reasons, including their commute and childcare arrangements that would have been unexpectedly impacted as quickly as the policy was going to be implemented.
Kathie Koch, associate vice president and head of Columbia’s technology, a unit that has positions with flexible work schedules, declined to comment. She referred the Chronicle to Lukidis.
When asked whether any exceptions would be made for cabinet members or the president’s direct reports, Lukidis said she was not aware of any.
The members of the president’s cabinet are:
- Suzanne McBride, interim provost
- Emmanuel Lalande, senior vice president of enrollment strategy and student success
- Jerry Tarrer, senior vice president and chief operating officer
- Adriel Hilton, vice president of institutional strategy and chief of staff
- Dirk Matthews, interim vice president of development and alumni relations
- Adam Weiss, interim vice president of legal affairs and general counsel
- Laurent Pernot, vice president of strategic partnerships and civic engagement.
McBride declined to answer questions and referred the Chronicle to Lukidis.
The college’s decision to require senior leadership to return on campus reflects a trend seen across the post-pandemic workplace.
As of early 2025, 55% of employees with jobs that can be done remotely work in hybrid arrangements, while 26% work fully remote, and 19% are on-site full time. This trend reflects a broader move away from traditional office settings, influenced by the flexibility and autonomy that remote work offers.
However, the transition is not without challenges. Employee engagement has declined, with only 32% of U.S. employees feeling engaged at work, a stagnation that points to bigger organizational challenges.
Columbia’s initial attempt to push staff back on campus full-time reflects this broader trend, as the college aims to balance flexibility for employees with visibility and increased student interaction.
Copy edited by Brandon Anaya
