save city college

Students, Faculty, Union Advocates & Community Allies Unite at City Hall Rally to Save City College of San Francisco

By Sandy Daenerys

Students, faculty, staff and union advocates unite and show support for CCSF at SF City Hall at Civic Center

Students, faculty, staff and union advocates unite and show support for CCSF at SF City Hall at Civic Center

Dozens of faculty members, students, community allies and union advocates of City College of San Francisco gathered in solidarity on a warm and sunny Saturday morning to take a stand for public education. This is the final rally and march at San Francisco City Hall to protest the college’s proposal of impending budget cuts and staff layoffs. City College’s trustees are planning to vote on budget cuts to full-time staff on May 10th.

City College student shares information about the college’s trustees and where they stand on budget cuts

City College student shares information about the college’s trustees and where they stand on budget cuts

Unfortunately, City College has lost 39% of its enrollment over the last decade β€” from 90,000 to 55,000 full- and part-time students. This steep plunge in enrollment that has not yet been recovered, is most likely due to the β€œfive-year accreditation crisis from 2012 to 2017”. This created a $33 million deficit and as such has led the trustees and administrators at City College to find ways to make up for this in a massive staff layoff. City College’s Faculty Union believes that β€œthe college should be raising this $33 million that is needed to close its deficit from federal, state and local sources” (Source: SF Chronicle).

Timothy Rottenberg, a faculty member from Skyline College and member of AFT 1493, and one of the featured speakers at the City Hall Rally on May 8th, 2021

Timothy Rottenberg, a faculty member from Skyline College and member of AFT 1493, and one of the featured speakers at the City Hall Rally on May 8th, 2021

save-city-college-san-franciso-saveccsf-cityhallrally-civic-center-aft-american-federation-of-teachers-staff-students-faculty-union-advocates-community-allies-sandy-by-the-bay-sandybythebay-blog-protest-marc (10).jpg

The proposed layoff includes over 600 teachers, librarians and counselors. 163 full-time teachers received layoff warnings and 447 part-time teachers were also expected to be part of this large layoff (Source: SF Chronicle). In addition, a large number of classes would be canceled; over 30,000 students who rely on these classes every semester would be negatively affected.

Supporters held up homemade signage in the form of posters, banners, flyers and flags that summarized more details about the impending budget cuts surrounding this ongoing crisis that was first publicly announced in 2020. Some honest and encouraging signs read: β€œFund Education Without Reservation”, β€œRestore 2019 Classes, Education is Lifelong”, β€œCut Barriers, Not Teachers” and β€œThese Cuts Won’t Heal”.

save-city-college-san-franciso-saveccsf-cityhallrally-civic-center-aft-american-federation-of-teachers-staff-students-faculty-union-advocates-community-allies-sandy-by-the-bay-sandybythebay-blog-protest-marc (7).jpg
save-city-college-san-franciso-saveccsf-cityhallrally-civic-center-aft-american-federation-of-teachers-staff-students-faculty-union-advocates-community-allies-sandy-by-the-bay-sandybythebay-blog-protest-marc (27).jpg

Select speakers were warmly greeted and supported by a great amount of captivating energy and positive vibes within the crowd of supporters of City College. 53% to 100%. This is the percent of layoffs that some heavily impacted departments are facing. The Women’s & Gender Studies Department and the Philippine Studies Department are at risk of having 100% of their department staff laid off. Other departments that were threatened with layoff proposals included English as a Second Language (ESL) (53%), Nursing (56%) and Culinary & Hospitality (61%) (Source: AFT2121.org).

save-city-college-san-franciso-saveccsf-cityhallrally-civic-center-aft-american-federation-of-teachers-staff-students-faculty-union-advocates-community-allies-sandy-by-the-bay-sandybythebay-blog-protest-marc (13).jpg

City College is known for providing free quality education for San Francisco residents and many immigrants rely on the ESL classes to learn the language skills to enable them to live and thrive in a new city with confidence. Cutting 53% of these ESL classes would devastate this immigrant population who rely on City College as a crucial resource for language education.

save-city-college-san-franciso-saveccsf-cityhallrally-civic-center-aft-american-federation-of-teachers-staff-students-faculty-union-advocates-community-allies-sandy-by-the-bay-sandybythebay-blog-protest-marc (17).jpg
save-city-college-san-franciso-saveccsf-cityhallrally-civic-center-aft-american-federation-of-teachers-staff-students-faculty-union-advocates-community-allies-sandy-by-the-bay-sandybythebay-blog-protest-marc (26).jpg

A great deal of community allies including American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 1493, CCSF Collective and Jobs for Justice, united together and were present at the May 8th rally. Timothy Rottenberg, a faculty member from Skyline College and member of AFT 1493, and one of the featured speakers at the rally, shared that β€œeven one class cut does harm to our community. Even one student’s dreams are worth protecting. With the strength of Union solidarity, let us proclaim, an injury to one is an injury to all!”

save-city-college-san-franciso-saveccsf-cityhallrally-civic-center-aft-american-federation-of-teachers-staff-students-faculty-union-advocates-community-allies-sandy-by-the-bay-sandybythebay-blog-protest-marc (19).jpg
save-city-college-san-franciso-saveccsf-cityhallrally-civic-center-aft-american-federation-of-teachers-staff-students-faculty-union-advocates-community-allies-sandy-by-the-bay-sandybythebay-blog-protest-march (1).jpg

Speakers and rally organizers at the City Hall Rally led some memorable chants to physically and emotionally engage supporters and to help the group recharge by refocusing on key takeaways and next steps. A group march throughout the city followed shortly afterwards.

Skyline College Faculty Member Timothy (Left) & Sandy By The Bay (Right)

Skyline College Faculty Member Timothy (Left) & Sandy By The Bay (Right)

A week earlier on May 1st, in celebration of International Workers Day, union advocates from numerous industries marched together in the thousands, from The Ferry Building to San Francisco City Hall at Civic Center. Faculty, staff, and students from City College have been continuously rallying with their labor colleagues and spreading awareness about the impending budget crisis facing CCSF since these proposed budget cuts were announced.

save-city-college-san-franciso-saveccsf-cityhallrally-civic-center-aft-american-federation-of-teachers-staff-students-faculty-union-advocates-community-allies-sandy-by-the-bay-sandybythebay-blog-protest-marc (11).jpg
save-city-college-san-franciso-saveccsf-cityhallrally-civic-center-aft-american-federation-of-teachers-staff-students-faculty-union-advocates-community-allies-sandy-by-the-bay-sandybythebay-blog-protest-marc (5).jpg

HOW TO SAVE CCSF - Provided by AFT2121.org

save-city-college-san-franciso-saveccsf-cityhallrally-civic-center-aft-american-federation-of-teachers-staff-students-faculty-union-advocates-community-allies-sandy-by-the-bay-sandybythebay-blog-protest-marc (23).jpg