CFA at the National Center Conference: Advocating for Equity in Higher Ed

CFA leaders and staff gathered in New York City for the annual National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions (NCSCBHEP) Conference, where they joined colleagues from across the country to discuss the most pressing issues in academia today. The 52nd annual conference, hosted by Hunter College, City University of New York, took place from March 23-25 under the theme “Unity in Defense of Higher Education and Collective Bargaining.”

CFA President Charles Toombs took center stage as a panelist in the plenary session “Five Years after George Floyd: A New Era for DEI in Higher Education.” The panel, moderated by Adrianna J. Kezar, Professor and Director of the Pullias Center for Higher Education at the University of Southern California, featured distinguished leaders including Nancy Cantor, President of Hunter College, CUNY; Robert J. Jones, Chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Lorelle L. Espinosa, Higher Education Program Director at The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; and Toombs himself. The discussion centered on the evolving landscape of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in higher education and the imperative for sustained advocacy.

Addressing the growing pushback against DEI initiatives, Toombs emphasized the need for collective action, particularly from white faculty, to drive meaningful change.

“During this DEI challenge, faculty and students of color are being re-traumatized to do this work, and it is time for our white colleagues to take the charge,” said Toombs.

The conference provided a critical space for labor leaders, faculty unions, and academic professionals to strategize around protecting collective bargaining rights, securing fair contracts, and upholding the values of inclusive and accessible education. CFA members engaged in discussions on organizing tactics, legislative advocacy, and policies that impact faculty working conditions and student learning environments.

CFA Vice President Margarita Berta-Ávila and CFA Associate Vice President, Racial & Social Justice, South, Sharon Elise were on the panel, “Anti-racism and Social Justice Issues and Working Conditions as Negotiable Subjects,” which highlighted the many ways in which we have centered anti-racism and social justice in our contract negotiations.

With attacks on DEI efforts growing nationwide, CFA remains committed to standing against systemic inequities and ensuring that faculty of color are not alone in this fight. The National Center conference reinforced the importance of solidarity and proactive advocacy in the face of mounting challenges.

Stay tuned for more updates on CFA’s continued efforts to advance equity and justice in higher education.