Virginia Caputo is an English Language instructor and adjunct shop steward representing her fellow instructors in ELI. Professor Caputo completed all her schooling in California where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in teaching ESL. After receiving her graduate degree, she moved to New York and has been working at WCC since 2006. The English Language Institute, located in the Gateway Building, serves a diverse group of students seeking to improve their English for a variety of reasons both personal and professional. Some students may already have degrees from their home countries while others are just starting their journey in the United States. The ELI provides non-credit classes, and some students will move from ELI to credit courses.
Virginia joined the union in 2013 because after missing out on courses she should have been assigned. The Union, on her behalf, resolved the issue and she was compensated for her situation. Like many faculty members, Virginia took small steps toward union activism and by the end of 2019, she realized how important it was to provide voices for others. Virginia is in a unique position as she is the only adjunct that teaches on both the credit and non-credit side. About a year and a half ago she became a shop steward for WCC – a very important role because there are no full-time faculty members in The English Language Institute. Professor Caputo’s experience has proven to be invaluable, and she is currently helping the Union grieve a case that challenges the duties and pay scale between non-credit and credit teaching. Virginia knows that many of her ELI colleagues aren’t aware that they aren’t being compensated for time put outside of class and the pay differential can be significant – as high as an additional $30/hour more for a credit class. This is a grievance with merit that has the potential to impact all 80 adjuncts in ELI.
The WCCFT leadership thanks Professor Virginia Caputo for her contributions and we encourage all ELI instructors to reach out to Virginia to learn more about our union.
