The Columbia Chronicle

CFAC refuses to return to campus until ‘fundamental COVID-19 safety concerns’ are addressed

September 22, 2020

Four days after the college announced changes to its reopening plan due to ongoing air assessments and a delay in receiving Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) units, Columbia’s part-time fa...

Diana Vallera, President of the Part-Time Faculty Union, facilitates the collaborative conersation between Columbia students and faculty at the Save Columbia forum Nov. 2 in the 8th floor lounge of 600 S. Michigan Ave.

Illinois coalition of faculty and staff demand remote college instruction for fall

July 24, 2020

Unionized faculty and staff from various public and private Illinois colleges and universities throughout the state—including Columbia's part-time faculty union—are demanding an entirely remo...

Columbia part-time faculty union president Diana Vallera.

Part-time faculty to receive additional payment for online transition; college to limit ‘surveillance’ of instructors

April 14, 2020

Part-time faculty will receive an additional week of compensation for their work in transitioning courses online during Columbia's three-week "pause." The union representing part-time faculty member...

College and CFAC agree to working conditions during ‘extraordinary circumstances’

March 27, 2020

"Extraordinary circumstances" have propelled the college and the part-time faculty union to agree to a memorandum of understanding outlining expectations regarding remote learning and compensation....

Staff members march in front of 600 S. Michigan Ave., where President and CEO Kwang-Wu Kim's office is located, after widespread staff layoffs during the summer.

Staff union negotiations ‘productive’ despite delays

January 15, 2020

The United Staff of Columbia College, the college’s staff union, has been negotiating its contract for more than a year, but the end may be in sight. USofCC President Craig Sigele, who is also an adjunc...

Letter to the Editor: After CFAC election, ‘it’s time to move on,’ says adjunct

December 16, 2019

I’m going to ask for a cease-fire in union wars with no more commentary on either sides’ motives or dedication to Columbia. It’s time to move on. If anyone wants to know what support and tangible...

Letter to the Editor: The future of CFAC and adjuncts, as told by biology

December 12, 2019

The votes are in, and the incumbent union leadership has managed to maintain control of CFAC, but that is not really what I want to write about here. Instead, I want to offer [readers] some thoughts about the...

Representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor count ballots for the CFAC election in the CTU Headquarters, 1901 W Carroll Ave, Monday, Dec. 9.

Standing United slate maintains hold of CFAC leadership positions

December 9, 2019

Updated 12/10/19 at 2:22 p.m. with comment from the Standing United slate and official results from the Department of Labor. After weeks of contentious campaigning in an election overseen by t...

Part three: CFAC candidates address concerns, issues

December 4, 2019

Editor's Note: This is part three of a three-part series introducing the part-time faculty members running for leadership positions for CFAC in the December election. Part one addresses the candidates' journeys to teaching at Columbia; part two addresses the chan...

Part two: CFAC candidates on the future of the union

December 2, 2019

Editor's Note: This is part two of a three-part series introducing the part-time faculty members running for leadership positions for CFAC in the December election. Part one addresses the candidates' journeys to teaching at Columbia; part three will address all...

(From left on couch) Derek Fawcett and Christopher Thale are two of four members running on an opposition slate called Reform CFAC for the December union elections.

Reform CFAC slate addresses concerns from union members: dues, officer compensation, transparency

November 27, 2019

The first thing Derek Fawcett will do if he is elected president of the Columbia part-time faculty union in December is release the union’s financial books to demonstrate how much debt the union is ...

Part One: CFAC candidates on teaching at Columbia

November 27, 2019

Editor's Note: This is part one of a three-part series introducing the part-time faculty members running for leadership positions for CFAC in the December election. Part two will address the candidates' ideas for the union, if elected; part three will address alle...