On May 6, 2009, the following statement was presented at a meeting of the SFAI Faculty Senate:

STATEMENT TO THE FACULTY SENATE

We have come here today to talk about an issue that has been consistently on the minds and hearts of may students, and which affects the entire SFAI community.  The recent decisions to unnecessarily lay off tenured faculty represent a serious failure of leadership at SFAI.

Perhaps we did suffer a 30% drop in the endowment, perhaps the banks have 'frozen' our credit (as the administration claims), perhaps SFAI has been on shaky financial ground for decades, and perhaps we do face tough competition from other Bay Area art schools who can offer more equipment, a more stable financial situation, and broader, flashier courses of study that lead directly to gainful employment.  But are we able to lose so many incredible teachers without being involved in the decisions, without seeing proof of exigency, without having an open dialogue about this massive blow to our community?  And doesn't SFAI hold onto a special type of curriculum, a certain approach to studying art, and incredibly rich history of sustaining a community of fine artists, unlike any other school in the nation?  Does 138 years of art making say something about what we do have and what we need to hold on to, instead of saying, "Old views of opposition and antagonism have to go away."

These are questions that the administration has not answered and seems to not even consider.

Not only do the lay offs deal a serious blow to the quality of our education but they deal a blow to the legacy of SFAI and the idea of tenure itself.  Economic hardships are perhaps the most important time to hold on to invaluable human capital, to build community in all honesty and openness, and to work together with students, faculty, staff, and administration to see SFAI to a brighter, more sustainable future.  These concepts appear not to have even entered the minds of our current administration.  They have violated your contract, ignored our protests and questions, and have created a rift in our community that divides us and promotes an unhealthy atmosphere of fear.  This is wholly unacceptable in an art school that should encourage of all ideas.

Most students that we've talked to are very upset by the lay offs, by the furlough, and by the continual disregard the administration seems to have for our position in these matters.  All three attempts to formally address the administration regarding our concerns and questions were met with a denial of wrongdoing, evasion of questions, and a lack of true respect for our concerns.  Often, students have chose not to vocally or visibly show their opposition, for fear if retribution, priorities to make art, and a consistent campaign of silence to silence dissent and spread incomplete and/or inaccurate information.  All of these factors are compounded by a general sense of apathy and a desire for peace.  These factors do not however negate the fact that students are upset, students want their professors to stay, and students want an administration that work for our benefit.  Our problems are complex and confusing, and hearing multiple sources of information has lead to some confusion as to what actually has happened now and in the past.

Despite this, many students feel it necessary to take a more serious course of action, and we call upon the Faculty Senate to support us in passing a vote of no confidence in Mr. Bratton's administration.  His administration has failed the students, failed the faculty, failed the staff, and failed to uphold the long-held traditions of the San Francisco Art Institute.  We have begun circulating a petition to call for his resignation and have acquired about 100 signatures in a few short days.  Perhaps this is a tall order; perhaps this action can cause more upheaval.  But what else will it take for him to really listen to us and actively involve all of us in regards to the present and future of our school?  What had been evident in his attitude and decision-making practices is that he cannot and will not lead SFAI to a sustainable future while including the voices of the students, faculty, and staff in the building of this future.  

We thank you sincerely for all the hard work and dedication you all have shown for the students and we call upon your support, your solidarity, and your strong voices to help build our community and make beneficial changes in the governance of our school.  The faculty need to be involved, the staff need to be involved, and the students need to be involved in order to promote our community, promote healthy dialogue, and ensure that SFAI remains a place where anyone can come and make any kind of art, talk about any issue, and collaborate with each other.

Thank you for your time and allowing us to speak directly and openly on this matter.