The COVID-19 pandemic has been incredibly challenging for faculty, staff, and students at UIUC. The CFA is actively engaged with faculty and other campus workers, bringing together our concerns, raising public awareness, and elevating both challenges and solutions to the university administration.

We join the efforts of other labor organizations on campus in raising our voices regarding the university’s COVID-19 policies, demanding that the administration accounts for our input regarding our safety and well-being in their pandemic response.

What You Can Do

Action item Make your voice heard: Take our short, anonymous survey

We invite you to make your voice heard by filling out a short, anonymous survey on faculty working conditions and the COVID pandemic. This anonymous survey will take only ten minutes, but filling it out will provide us invaluable information about the needs and goals of faculty and how we can best move forward to collectively realizing them. We also welcome direct messages by email. We ask that you respond by Thursday, March 3.

Take the Survey

Catch up on CFA’s COVID-19 Work

UIUC Faculty Senate Resolution

CFA members and UIUC Faculty Senators Bruce Rosenstock and Kay Kirkpatrick introduced RS.22.02, Resolution regarding data collection and instructor notification in cases of students with highly infectious diseases in instructional settings, to the UIUC Faculty Senate. The resolution was approved by the Senate on December 21, 2021. Information about the meeting at which the resolution was approved can be found here; a copy of the resolution is accessible here.

People’s COVID-19 Briefing

On October 5, 2021, the CFA, GEO, and NTFC hosted a panel discussion with instructors teaching on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Here you will find a recording of the event, links to an email template you can use to share your frustration with the UIUC administration, articles published by media in attendance, and text transcripts of both the meeting audio and the accompanying Zoom chat.

Statement on SHIELD COVID-19 Saliva Testing for Local Community

In April 2021, the CFA called on the University of Illinois to fulfill its public mission by providing its saliva-based COVID testing to the local community. Read the full statement here.

Spring 2021 Student Solidarity Mutual Aid Fund

Throughout the Spring 2021 semester, CFA raised money to support our students in the form of small mutual aid grants. Through the generous donations of CFA members, fellow faculty, and community members, we were able to support over 250 students.

Statement on Plans for the Fall 2020 Semester

In May 2020, the CFA issued a statement opposing plans for the campus to reopen during the Fall 2020 semester. Read the full statement here.

Statement on the Response to COVID-19

At the start of the pandemic, in March 2020, the CFA called for a set of core principles to guide our collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing support for students, solidarity with other campus workers, and the voices of all stakeholders in maintaining a safe and productive working environment. Read the full statement here.