Introduction
Harvard University is in the middle of a heated debate about plans to increase class sizes in its Expository Writing courses. Union representatives strongly oppose this change during ongoing labor talks with the Harvard Academic Workers-United Auto Workers union. This situation shows the challenges in academic labor relations.
At a recent negotiation meeting, Harvard officials announced they want to raise the number of students in the introductory Expository Writing “Studio 10” courses from 10 to 15 starting next academic year. Union members say this is a major change to working conditions that should be negotiated.
Union leaders argue that federal labor law requires employers to keep current workload conditions until a first contract is agreed upon. J. Gregory Given, part of the union’s bargaining team, said, “There is no reason to avoid bargaining with us over such a big change in workload.”
Harvard’s Position on Class Size Increase
Harvard responded by saying the class size change is an academic decision, not a labor issue. The university said it is willing to talk about how this change might affect faculty workload and student learning. The main disagreement is whether increasing class size must be negotiated as a labor matter.
Labor law experts say the issue is not so simple. Risa L. Liberwitz, a Cornell University professor, explained that bigger classes mean more work for teachers. She added that even if the decision seems to be the employer’s choice, its effects may still require negotiation.
Impact on Expository Writing Courses
The Expository Writing Studio 10 course is made for students who need extra help. It usually has a limit of 10 students to allow regular one-on-one feedback. Union members say raising the limit would change the course’s structure and reduce personal attention for students.
This change comes as Harvard is hiring fewer non-tenure-track faculty because of budget limits, making the problem worse. Since Expository Writing is required for first-year students, the university cannot easily cut course offerings without affecting student needs.
Union officials worry that fewer staff will lead to bigger classes, especially in Studio 10. This raises serious concerns about education quality and the support students get as class sizes grow.
Ongoing Labor Negotiations
The class size issue is happening while Harvard and the union have been negotiating a contract for 18 months. The union is holding a strike authorization vote, showing rising tensions. In the latest talks, the union proposed ideas about layoffs, job security, and appointment terms, and also raised concerns about protections for non-citizen workers.
Harvard rejected union proposals on cooperation with federal immigration authorities and green card sponsorship. Labor experts say if the union files a complaint about class size changes, it will probably lead back to more negotiations, not a quick solution.
Broader Implications for Academic Labor Relations
The dispute at Harvard reflects wider issues in academic labor, especially about rights and conditions for non-tenure-track faculty. Union leaders say the class size plan shows bigger problems with how negotiations are handled, pointing to a gap between bargaining talks and decisions made by the administration.
This case highlights the need for good communication between university leaders and faculty unions, especially when budgets are tight. As schools like Harvard face financial limits, keeping education quality and fair workloads should be key goals in talks.
