SEIU 1021

California College of the Arts Faculty and Students to Rally Tuesday over Planned Closure, Demand Support for Students and Staff

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MEDIA ADVISORY FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3 

Contact: Chelsea Fink, SEIU 1021 – (510) 435-8282, chelsea.fink@seiu1021.org

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Faculty, students, and staff will rally on Tuesday to demand that CCA President David Howse and San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie cease their celebrations at the sale of the CCA campus and turn their efforts toward supporting the college community now facing layoffs and disrupted education due to the school’s closure.

“If President Howse and Mayor Lurie value the legacy of CCA, they will prioritize the people. Retaining the workforce and recognizing the unions is the first step toward continuity for current students, and the future of art and design education in the Bay Area,” said Piper Alldredge, vice president of the SEIU 1021 CCA chapter for staff and adjunct faculty.

The group’s demands include: 

  • Ensuring educational transitions for the CCA student body
  • Retaining CCA faculty and staff 
  • AND supporting laid-off staff with severance pay and benefits to allow them time to find new work


WHO: CCA faculty, students, and staff 
WHAT: Rally demanding CCA President David Howse and San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie create a transition plan for CCA students, faculty, and staff
WHEN: Tuesday, February 3 at 2:45 pm
WHERE: 80 Carolina Street, San Francisco 
VISUALS: CCA faculty, students, and staff wearing union t-shirts and buttons, holding signs that say “Save Our College.”

Following Vanderbilt University’s acquisition of the California College of the Arts earlier this month, faculty and staff are facing layoffs, while students are facing disruptions to long-standing programs and support services. Students also face uncertainty, as there have been no announcements about the continuation of CCA academic programs or about guaranteeing student transfers.

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SEIU Local 1021 represents nearly 60,000 employees in local governments, nonprofit agencies, health care programs, courts, and schools throughout Northern California, including seven private colleges and numerous community colleges.