To: RISD Dept. of Furniture Design Students
Cc: Dept. of Furniture Design Faculty & Staff
Crystal Williams, President
Anais Missakian, Provost
John Caserta, Dean of Division of Architecture and Design
On behalf of the faculty and staff of the department of furniture design, I share the statement below regarding the ongoing strike on campus:
The faculty and staff of the department of furniture design support RISD’s custodians, groundskeepers, and movers as they seek a contract that meets their demands for equitable compensation. We affirm the crucial role these colleagues play in supporting and enabling the operations of our department and RISD’s mission more broadly. We also encourage and are proud of the enthusiasm many students and other community members have shown in participating in the collective action organized by these workers and their union. Although we may not know the details of the confidential negotiations taking place, we can say that we are dismayed that these crucial staff members are left feeling desperate enough to resort to a strike.
As you may know, RISD’s primary source of revenue is tuition. Despite the high cost of a RISD education, the reality is that RISD is an institution that does not have limitless resources. Acknowledging this, we advocate for greater transparency and the same kind of creativity, resourcefulness and problem-solving that have been applied to previous financial challenges. Most recently, the RISD community was able to mitigate the compounding financial challenges of COVID-19: decreased tuition revenue and increased expenses. The full complexity of this current situation is not something we are privy to, but we are willing to consider how the department of furniture design as well as how we as individual faculty and staff members can play a role in finding a resolution to this impasse.
We are grateful that the strike activity has been limited to the Prov-Wash building, but because many of our classrooms and studios are located there, the department of furniture design has been acutely impacted by the strike. This disruption to our normal operations is one of the few means of leverage these workers have and we do not begrudge their use of this tactic. Indeed, many of us have taken steps to hold classes and other activities elsewhere, and this inconvenience is minor relative to the plight of our colleagues who are on strike.
Along with our sympathy for the custodians, groundskeepers, and movers, we also remain committed to our academic mission. We accept the disruption the strike causes as a necessary means of advocacy, but we are committed to continuing our programs. We will not act in ways that undermine the collective action of the union, but classes will not be canceled, our shops and studios will remain open, and other programming (exhibitions, lectures, etc) will continue to the best of our ability. As such, the expectations for students to attend class and complete work will be upheld, with consideration for the strike’s impact on one's ability to do so. Individual faculty may make adjustments to their syllabi, course policies, or assignments and will communicate this to students. Continuing your education and supporting the strike are not mutually exclusive; we have heard this directly from colleagues who are on strike. We welcome dialogue with you on the impact of the strike on your learning experience. We are hopeful this strike will end soon, and we also hope the respect and appreciation we all feel for these workers now will endure.
Christopher Specce
Associate Professor & Department Head
Department of Furniture Design
Rhode Island School of Design
Cc: Dept. of Furniture Design Faculty & Staff
Crystal Williams, President
Anais Missakian, Provost
John Caserta, Dean of Division of Architecture and Design
On behalf of the faculty and staff of the department of furniture design, I share the statement below regarding the ongoing strike on campus:
The faculty and staff of the department of furniture design support RISD’s custodians, groundskeepers, and movers as they seek a contract that meets their demands for equitable compensation. We affirm the crucial role these colleagues play in supporting and enabling the operations of our department and RISD’s mission more broadly. We also encourage and are proud of the enthusiasm many students and other community members have shown in participating in the collective action organized by these workers and their union. Although we may not know the details of the confidential negotiations taking place, we can say that we are dismayed that these crucial staff members are left feeling desperate enough to resort to a strike.
As you may know, RISD’s primary source of revenue is tuition. Despite the high cost of a RISD education, the reality is that RISD is an institution that does not have limitless resources. Acknowledging this, we advocate for greater transparency and the same kind of creativity, resourcefulness and problem-solving that have been applied to previous financial challenges. Most recently, the RISD community was able to mitigate the compounding financial challenges of COVID-19: decreased tuition revenue and increased expenses. The full complexity of this current situation is not something we are privy to, but we are willing to consider how the department of furniture design as well as how we as individual faculty and staff members can play a role in finding a resolution to this impasse.
We are grateful that the strike activity has been limited to the Prov-Wash building, but because many of our classrooms and studios are located there, the department of furniture design has been acutely impacted by the strike. This disruption to our normal operations is one of the few means of leverage these workers have and we do not begrudge their use of this tactic. Indeed, many of us have taken steps to hold classes and other activities elsewhere, and this inconvenience is minor relative to the plight of our colleagues who are on strike.
Along with our sympathy for the custodians, groundskeepers, and movers, we also remain committed to our academic mission. We accept the disruption the strike causes as a necessary means of advocacy, but we are committed to continuing our programs. We will not act in ways that undermine the collective action of the union, but classes will not be canceled, our shops and studios will remain open, and other programming (exhibitions, lectures, etc) will continue to the best of our ability. As such, the expectations for students to attend class and complete work will be upheld, with consideration for the strike’s impact on one's ability to do so. Individual faculty may make adjustments to their syllabi, course policies, or assignments and will communicate this to students. Continuing your education and supporting the strike are not mutually exclusive; we have heard this directly from colleagues who are on strike. We welcome dialogue with you on the impact of the strike on your learning experience. We are hopeful this strike will end soon, and we also hope the respect and appreciation we all feel for these workers now will endure.
Christopher Specce
Associate Professor & Department Head
Department of Furniture Design
Rhode Island School of Design