PHILADELPHIA, PA — On Thursday, April 9th, 2026 nearly 100 students, faculty, and staff at the Community College of Philadelphia gathered outside on CCP’s main campus to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the union’s contract settlement— won after 14 months of bargaining and a near-strike—and to hold the College Administration accountable for their failure to deliver on contract agreements for free SEPTA passes for students and a new on-campus child care center.

The crowd chanted, “Who are we? CCP! What are we? The heart of the city!” and then heard from students, faculty, and staff members who shared their hope for a full-funded and thriving city college.

“I am tired of having to worry about whether I can afford to make it to class or work because the college has taken a full year to ponder whether they can give the students free SEPTA passes that the students won a year ago,” said CCP student Sarah Bradley.

In addition, the faculty and staff union claims the College has failed to enact a number of health & safety provisions and has failed to address the needs of faculty leaders who are forced into unsustainable workloads to keep their programs and departments running.

In the meantime, working conditions have gotten worse because of ongoing HVAC problems resulting from deferred maintenance and decreased funding from the City and the State. Faculty and students are dealing with a failing heating and cooling system that leaves some classrooms and offices dealing with extreme hot and cold temperatures.

Assistant Professor of Architecture and Interior Design, Ariel Vazquez, explained the issue: “Classroom temperatures are skyrocketing, sometimes hitting above 90 degrees, leaving students drained and struggling to focus.” Vazquez noted that such conditions would never be allowed at a university like Penn.

A year ago, faculty and staff won historic wage increases, 12 new full-time staff positions in student-facing areas, smaller class sizes, and new family-support benefits, including paid parental leave, fertility care, and SEPTA passes for all CCP students.

“We must continue to hold CCP accountable for its promises to faculty, staff, and students. We must continue to insist on respect, dignity, and equity for our work, our colleagues, and our students” said Part-Time Faculty Unit Co-Chair Noelle Egan.

Faculty and staff have been clear that the SEPTA and childcare provisions, which they call “common good demands” were not symbolic gestures — they were negotiated commitments.

AFT 2026 Co-President M. Asli Dukan said, “We gathered to celebrate the one year anniversary of the Faculty and Staff Federation securing significant contracts for our members and winning significant support for our students. That is worth celebrating. However, we must also acknowledge that this past year has been defined by constant frustration. The administration and the board have failed to uphold their end of the bargain.”