The Dig Class Struggle for the University w/ Ian Gavigan
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Sep 6, 2025 Ian Gavigan, Executive Director of Higher Education Labor United and co-founder during his graduate days at Rutgers, sheds light on the fight against the neoliberal transformation of higher education. He discusses the importance of solidarity among campus workers and unionization efforts to reclaim academia as a public good. Gavigan addresses the ideological battles being waged in higher education and the impact of right-wing policies. He advocates for collective action in response to repression, stressing the need for equitable access and the preservation of the humanities.
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Neoliberalization Enabled The Current Attack
- The neoliberal transformation of universities created the conditions for Trump's intensified assault on higher education.
- Reclaiming campuses requires both defensive pushback and an affirmative alternative vision for higher ed.
Debt Financing Hollowed Public Support
- Debt financing shifted the burden of higher education from the public to individual borrowers and institutions.
- That debt exposure eroded public support and reshaped universities into market-driven entities.
Casualization Reshaped Campus Labor
- Neoliberalization massively casualized campus labor into adjunct, contingent, and outsourced roles.
- This labor fragmentation concentrated power in management while producing a large, precarious workforce.
