VCUarts is currently employing over 120 adjuncts that make up a majority of their faculty pool. Many of VCUarts adjuncts live in poverty, work multiple jobs, and struggle to meet the 2017 cost of living in Richmond, making pay inequity for VCUarts Adjuncts an urgent crisis.

It has been brought to my attention that VCUarts Adjuncts Organizing for Fair Pay has requested the school seriously address the adjunct pay inequity crisis at VCUarts. While VCUarts Dean Brixey has put forth a Spring ‘18 adjunct salary of $1,000 per credit hour. This increase falls short of addressing the severity of pay inequity among adjuncts teaching at VCUarts.

VCU’s failure to raise adjunct pay and resolve inequity issues at VCUarts remains a top concern. Adjunct faculty at VCUarts are currently paid an annual average salary of $10,000 (currently less than $1,000 per credit hour) with no benefits. While US News consistently ranks VCUarts as a top 3 art school in the country, VCUarts Adjunct pay ranks last out of US News top rated 10 art schools. In fact, VCUarts Adjunct cap pay is less than all other top ten art schools starting adjunct pay. Adjunct pay at VCUarts is less than one third of the national average pay ($30,000.00 per year) for adjunct teaching positions in the United States. Even with a salary increase to $1,000 per credit hour VCUarts will still rank last in adjunct pay among all other top ten rated art schools.

Employment with low pay and no benefits continues to limit the adjunct applicant pool and discriminates persons with families, income instability, student loans, and those with little or no safety net. By not seriously addressing pay inequity at VCUarts, the school will not remain a top competitive school.

As an alumni, faculty member, student, and/or member of the greater justice community, I request that you take immediate action and resolve adjunct pay inequity issues at VCUarts. Fair and equitable pay is a justice issue and I expect that Virginia Commonwealth University, VCUarts, and the VCU Board of Visitors will immediately work to resolve this issue by Spring of 2018 and permanentize a living and competitive salary for all VCUarts Adjuncts.

VCUarts Adjuncts organizing for Fair Pay has formally requested an adjunct pay increase to $2,000 per credit. VCUarts AOFP has requested that this be approved by the Dean’s Office and Board of Visitors by exploring all methods of budget allocation other than raising student tuition. I support this request and believe it is the first step in resolving the pay inequity crisis for VCUarts Adjuncts.

Sincerely.