We, the students at Skidmore College, wholeheartedly support the efforts of the non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty to form a union. Until recently, we were unaware that around 50% of the faculty at Skidmore are NTT, most of whom work without job security, all of whom work without representation.
NTT faculty face a variety of challenges including unfair wages and unequal access to institutional support. Yet, in spite of their limited benefits and long-unchanging levels of compensation, many NTT faculty invest a disproportionate amount of time both inside and outside the classroom for their students. That investment also includes academic advising. One professor reported that they could not agree to be a student’s advisor because their contract was up at the end of the year. From a student perspective, this can be heartbreaking. For some of us, choosing a major and an advisor is just as stressful as committing to a college. We search for someone who understands us and who will be our guide, helping us navigate the challenges that come with growing as scholars and as global citizens. For some students, their decision to declare the pursuit of a major is heavily influenced by their desire to work with specific faculty, many of whom are often NTT; thus, we urge Skidmore College to consider their students’ needs and acknowledge that the NTT faculty can further contribute to the college’s mission only with the support and stability that comes with their forming a union.
We firmly believe that NTT faculty are best served by a union in making decisions that affect their employment and contracts. The need for more representation and change regarding NTT contracts is pressing, and we want to hold the administration accountable to these growing concerns that have been present for decades.
Signed,
The Students
Click this link to sign and support.