Union!?!

In a development which had me wide-eyed (I have no clue about others but I guess they were/will be as well), the graduate students, teaching assistants and contractual faculty are demanding the right to unionize, the motive being an increase in the salaries and stipends being provided. Both the Examiner and the Baltimore Sun reported that, graduate students from Maryland varsities asked lawmakers yesterday to the right to unionize to negotiate for better pay, workloads and benefits!

Laura Moore, president of the graduate student body at University of Maryland says that with most part of the paychecks going for rent, more than half of the graduate students are forced to drop out as they are unable to cope with the increased workloads (as RA/TA) and meager stipends (as low as $14000).

Baltimore county officials (university) however, assert that such unionizing will lead to possible strained relations between the students and the faculty.

I would quote a very profound statement I read “………“The relationship between a student and a professor is a special relationship, and I don’t want to change it to employer-employee one,” said UMd. Provost Nariman Farvardin, who pledged to build more graduate student housing and raise stipends.”

What I really hate to see is this kind of an resentment and anger among the very best minds out there! What saddens me more is the fact that the universities in question, though are good no doubt, do not have the kind-of resources some of the more endowed varsities have! I just hope that this disproportionate attribution stops (but chances seem bleak as most of the endowments come in as Alumni and Agency based aid which are bound to go to the best universities).

It also opens the eyes of the few who are naive enough to believe that all is rosy and things are going to remain great in future as well for Grad students. A peaceful resolution is what seems best at the moment and I hope things get resolved as soon as possible! I would urge prospective students to make sure that they use their judgement and make sure they have enough in their pockets before they go for graduate courses! Best of luck to all graduate students who are out there in the cold!

Also refer to the article on CMU graduate student issues which I had posted 5 days ago!! LINK

sources: EXAMINER, BALTIMORE SUN

graduate blues….CMU

I am starting this new series which will look into issues which grad students tend to face in different universities / countries. I hope for extensive feedback as well!

The first issue I came across is relatively new! I saw it in the “Morning Sun”. CMU (Central Michigan University) graduate students are going against the administration. About 40 grad students from different departments are trying to establish a graduate student union of sorts to take on the administration. What they are asking for is full tuition reimbursement and dental/medical coverage as well. They say that other universities in the State are providing adequate benefit package while CMU seems to be lagging by miles! The problem comes in as the tuition waiver is not adequate for the credits as they sometimes are much higher. So the students are forced to pay for the same using their stipends which makes it really hard for them to “survive”. Another allegation which has been brought up is that the graduate tuition keeps increasing while the undergrad counterpart is kept low!

To add on, the CMU “promise” has been waived for the future students as well (The promise meant that incoming students would not face a “tuition raise” for 5 years, but the trustees voted against extending it!

CMU GRAD UNION WEBSITE: LINK

Source:

• http://www.themorningsun.com/stories/021608/loc_promis.shtml
• http://www.themorningsun.com/stories/021608/loc_wages.shtml

I just got to know a few things which I would need to look out for when (and if) I get a positive decision coming my way! As for now, I hope others make sure they have enough in their pockets to get through the years with comparative ease! Best of luck and do chip in your ideas and stories.