Cicero (Spring 2023)

A class on Cicero
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I’m sharing recordings of lectures I taught during my time as an adjunct at Rutgers University. These materials were created with care and dedication, and I hope they continue to be a helpful resource for learners.
However, the circumstances under which I am sharing them reflect troubling realities in higher education. After joining my colleagues in what was hailed as a “historic” strike in 2023 to demand fair working conditions, I was laid off almost immediately after the new contract was approved. I am making this public because the union failed to protect adjuncts from mass terminations, despite portraying the contract as a victory for all faculty. Internal correspondence suggests that dozens, if not hundreds, of adjuncts faced the same fate.
This isn’t just about one contract or one university. It highlights the structural failures of both university administrations that treat educators as disposable and unions that claim to fight for all workers but ultimately prioritize the security of the most protected ranks. Too often, labor victories are declared based on incremental improvements for some while the most precarious among us-those already paid the least and offered the least stability-are sacrificed. The growing corporatization of education will not be stopped by tepid reforms or negotiations that leave behind those most in need of protection. True solidarity means fighting for all workers, not just the ones with the most institutional leverage.
Thank you for your support, and I hope these lectures continue to inspire and educate. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or want to connect.