ABOUT US

CalArts United is an organization by, for, and of California Institute of the Arts’ faculty and staff who want to unionize to improve our teaching, service, and employment experience at CalArts. Our work not only benefits the Institute and the California economy, but has deep and lasting impacts on our students and alumni, and influences global trends in art and culture. We work in many different fields and have varied experiences in the visual, performing and literary arts, but our dedication to education and supporting students, as well as each other, unites us all.



Autumn Wyatt, Special Faculty, Library

I support CalArts United because faculty and staff deserve to have a voice at CalArts. There is no other school like CalArts. The combination of the people, the students, and the building creates an extraordinary environment that allows us to be artists who can create freely. Lately, however, it has been difficult to find my voice and speak out for myself, the staff, and the students. We aren’t being listened to and the CalArts community is suffering because of that. CalArts United allows us all to stand together and work towards a better future at CalArts.

Holden King, Recruitment and Transfer Initiatives Coordinator, Admissions

I love CalArts with all of my heart. It changed my life, all of my friends’ lives, and every person’s life who attends, teaches, or just spends time here. As of recently, the culture, legacy, and general energy have been at risk of changing slowly into a place that only functions as a business rather than a wonderful uniquely special place for artists to be artists. We’ve seen over a dozen integral faculty and staff leave on their own accord due to a lack of proper compensation for the work they were being asked to do, all of which stayed for the length of time they did for the sake of the students. By forming a union, faculty and staff can keep CalArts, CalArts – not just for our benefit, but for the benefit of the students, alumni, and the world at large.

Lee Anne Schmitt, Regular Faculty, School of Film/Video

I have taught at Calarts for more than 15 years, I deeply believe in its values and history and have seen its curriculum be transformative for the students that study there. I think CalArts United is a positive step towards preserving the ethics of the way we teach and work here. It allows faculty and staff to dialogue collectively with the administration about the critical decisions ahead of us, such as workplace conditions, healthcare and the role of faculty in the development of curriculum. It allows us to work towards creating the working conditions that allow us to continue to support and teach our students. I am particularly excited to be able to organize alongside the special faculty and staff, and create a truly collective voice for those who work here at CalArts.

Ashley Hunt, Regular Faculty, School of Art

I want a united CalArts union because that’s how we teach our students to create their art worlds: where the people who comprise it have a true voice and the power to shape their world. Our shared governance structure allows us a voice on academic matters, but that is too often undermined by the need for our councils to advocate for our working conditions as well — hindering both and placing us in an antagonistic relationship with the Administration. Real and binding collective bargaining, with the power of all of us together rather than one by one alone, will make a world of difference for our working conditions, our morale, and rebuilding the health of our institution.

Alecia Menzano, Director of Operations, School of Critical Studies

I support forming a union because unions are associated with higher productivity, lower employee turnover, and improved workplace communication. I’ve worked at CalArts for 20+ years and I believe my institutional knowledge and my dedication is of great value. I feel a union would make us better by creating a sense of community and shared goals. By “community” I mean retaining staff, creating programs for development, and encouraging growth. Our shared goal must be the student experience, but not at the cost of the staff or faculty experience.

Elizabeth Franks, Associate Director of Recruitment & Visitor Experience, Admissions

I’ve worked at CalArts since 2017, when I quickly fell in love with this place. Since then, I’ve seen far too many people come and go for extremely valid and frustrating reasons, including annual cost of living adjustments that are significantly outpaced by the realities of living in and around Los Angeles, dwindling benefits including healthcare, and a lack of transparency and what feels like financial mismanagement by Institute leadership. We—faculty and staff in all positions across the Institute—keep this place running, all in service of our incredible students, and we simply cannot do that without support and a seat at the table, which the Institute has failed to give us. I believe that organizing together as a collective, CalArts United, is the way forward for a stronger staff and faculty body, and a better CalArts!

Sam Wentz, Regular Faculty, Dance

I believe CalArts United can aid the faculty and staff by creating a healthy line of communication with the administration. Over the seven years I have been employed at CalArts, the institute has had a high turnover rate of staff and faculty which directly affects the student experience and puts a lot of stress and unexpected labor on the employees who choose to stay. Without a union, we are not competitive with other institutions and will continue to lose incredible faculty and staff to other higher education institutions. I believe forming a union will positively affect our working conditions. CalArts needs to put all of its attention on retention – whether it be student, staff, or faculty. We need all three in order to thrive as a community of care.

Alan Maldonado, Development Associate, Advancement

As a world-renowned Institute, CalArts has revolutionized the artistic landscape. By providing support, commitment, guidance, and creativity, the faculty and staff push forward the mission and values that make the Institute a destination for talented student artists. Without the work each individual contributes to this great story, the idea of a community of artists dies. By forming a union, faculty and staff, who are the backbone upholding the destiny of the Institute, will be able to negotiate for a living wage, proper health care, and an ethically transparent relationship with CalArts.

Jacques Boudreau, Facilities and Production Manager, REDCAT

I support CalArts United because I believe we need to have a hand in shaping the future of the institution, and the best way to do that is through collective bargaining. As the institute works to meet the challenges of the current higher education environment, decisions about healthcare, wages, and departmental budgets are made without the insight or consultation of the faculty and staff who are most affected by them. By unionizing, we can help find better solutions to these challenges, and ensure that shared governance is respected and actualized.

Thomas Leeb, Special Faculty, School of Music

I’ve been Special Faculty at CalArts since 2017. CalArts is a special place for me in many ways: being a student here 25 years ago changed my musical trajectory and I’ve been able to forge a unique identity at the top of my field world-wide. As faculty, the anxiety-ridden weeks before our contracts start trickling in at the beginning of the semester are something I have come to fear. An increase – or drop – of a few hours can be the difference between financial security and struggle for me. CalArts faculty are at the top of their game and the loud and clear message that we are replaceable is insulting. We deserve better and more consistent treatment than we are getting from the current administration. Because I have no faith the administration will adjust on their own, I support unionizing as CalArts United so faculty and staff can negotiate for job security.

Michael Darling, Regular Faculty, School of Theater

Organizing with the UAW will provide faculty and staff at CalArts with a clear, collective voice. As CalArts evolves, it’s increasingly challenging for individual concerns—especially around issues like healthcare and workload—to be heard. Decisions are often made without our input, making it difficult for individual voices to stand out or even heard at all. By coming together, we can ensure that both personal and collective issues are addressed more effectively, allowing us to advocate for our needs and rights as a unified group so we can continue to grow as individuals and as an institute.

Westley Garcia-Encines Director of Operations School of Theater

I support forming a union because it’s past time for staff and faculty voices to be at the decision-making table. Faculty and staff had no voice when our health insurance policy suddenly changed. By forming a union, we could negotiate with CalArts for health benefits. I know that CalArts can be a great place for us, we simply need our voices to be valued and listened to, and unionizing is the only way to guarantee that.

Luke Storm, Special Faculty, Music

At CalArts, special faculty encounter poor communication, inadequate resources, and arbitrary policy application, all while facing constant uncertainty about future employment. By standing in solidarity with regular faculty and staff, we can achieve meaningful improvements in job security, working conditions, and benefits, allowing us to focus on making our art and teaching our incredible students.

Stacia Marcum, Assistant Director, Admissions

I look fondly on my past time as a CalArts student (BFA20). One of the most important lessons I learned as a student here was the importance of questioning systems and advocating for change. Our union efforts embody these teachings and allow us to ensure the voices of our faculty and staff are heard. For too long, senior administration has hidden behind the guise of “shared governance,” and it’s time we truly receive it. Let’s unite in solidarity to create a principled and transparent community that reflects the creativity and collaboration we value as artists and as a community. Together, we can make a meaningful impact—that is why I support CalArts United!

Hilary Darling, Director, Summer Session/Project Manager, Global Initiatives, Extended Studies

We are CalArts! So let’s unite to make our community happy and healthy once again. Forming a union will allow us to decide what’s important to us, like quality health care, and give us the power and tools we need to ensure Institute leadership gives us the care and respect we deserve so we can get back to making art happen.

Josh Tenzer, Systems Engineer II, Information Technology

I love working at CalArts, and I feel like my work has value here. My biggest issue with the institute is the lack of transparency and communication. I often feel that, as a staff member, I am kept in the dark about large-scale projects and that my voice cannot be heard as there is currently no venue for me to speak. In the past, this has led to crunch time on projects that would have otherwise been unnecessary. I am confident that with the communal nature of the union, our voice will be heard loud and clear.

Emily Lytle-Painter, Web Producer, Marketing and Communications

In a community shaped by the foundational value of creative agency, I believe that collective bargaining will not only foster a more just and equitable workplace, but also cultivate stronger, more engaged employees. A union will serve as a vital mechanism for ensuring that every individual’s voice is heard and respected, and amplify our ability to negotiate for fair treatment and shared interests like wage increases. With CalArts United, we will create an environment where we can thrive as professionals and as a cohesive community, ultimately enhancing our capacity to serve the students of CalArts with dedication and integrity.

Sam Crawford Regular Faculty Library

I support forming a union because I truly believe in CalArts and what it COULD be. CalArts employees – faculty and staff alike – represent the most talented and capable assemblage of people with whom I’ve ever worked; this is a body of creatives, people who can literally turn “nothing” into something extraordinary. We are doing a lot of good (hard) work already, but imagine what we could do if we had even more support, protections, advocacy, and power as workers. I’m “pro-union” because I’m “pro-people”; I care about the work, but I care even more about those doing the work.

Patrick Schmid, Assistant Director, Admissions

We need a union not just for better pay or healthcare—though we urgently need those—but also to establish a unified voice that can challenge the inadequacies of existing structures and bring about meaningful change within our institute. Despite assurances and rationalizations, our salaries atrophy and our benefits erode year after year, leaving us feeling neglected and marginalized. A union will ensure that faculty and staff can hold the pen in shaping our narrative regarding salaries, health benefits, and job security. Let’s unite now to protect each other and preserve the legacy of CalArts!

Rodrigo Arruda, Assistant Director, Admissions

I strongly support CalArts United because I know that we need a stronger, unified voice to make important changes in the institute. We need and deserve a salary increase that keeps up with the cost of living. We also urgently need trustworthy health insurance that works for all, not just for a few. All of the committees, workgroups, and meetings with the administration have not solved these issues. The only way to make significant changes in the power dynamics within the institute is through a union, where staff and faculty can finally have a seat at the table in the decision making for salaries, health insurance, job security, etc. Let’s change CalArts together!

Sami Perez, Special Faculty, School of Music

CalArts should be prioritizing students and their quality of education. In order to do that, the faculty and staff need to feel supported, seen and heard. This year, special faculty did not get contracts until a month into the semester, and many special faculty’s hours were cut without them knowing until the semester started. This left many of us scrambling for alternative work to pay our bills in the first few months of the semester. We need this union to stay organized and fight for ourselves since the institution does not seem willing to prioritize its students or faculty on its own.

Patricia González, Executive Director, International and Community Partnerships, Office of the Provost

When I joined CalArts 20+ years ago, I immediately felt a sense of belonging. I loved the palpable creative energy, the openness, freedom, non-hierarchical ethos based on mutual respect, and strong commitment to the students by faculty and staff. I care deeply about CalArts. I support CalArts United because I care so much for the institution and the people who form this community. Together, as CalArts United, we will have agency regarding decisions about health benefits and other terms of employment. The wellbeing of every person in our community is at the core of what makes CalArts thrive.

Nicholas Deyoe, Regular Faculty, School of Music

I am supportive of a faculty/staff union at CalArts to strengthen our collective voice in the direction of the institute. I am concerned that our shared governance structures are being overlooked by leadership during the most crucial decisions for our future. By forming a union, faculty and staff will secure our voice in decisions about compensation and other benefits. That way, we can ensure that the CalArts budget prioritizes faculty and staff so that we can continue to deliver the education that has been promised to our students.

Ani Kazandjian, Admissions Recruitment & Review Coordinator, Admissions

As a CalArts graduate, I returned to this remarkable institution because of my deep connection to its unique values. It’s disheartening to see leadership take these values for granted, especially regarding staff well-being. Staff have faced inadequate benefits and stagnant compensation for years, and the situation has recently worsened. As I navigate my current move, the stress of affording a clean and safe home impacts my daily work. Our contributions are vital to the school’s success, and forming a union will empower us to advocate for fair treatment and support. WE are the Union!