Graduate Student Association
Wages and Benefits Committee
Presentation to the Senate Executive Committee
Monday, November 3
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Introduction
• Who we are: The Wages and Benefits
Committee has been tasked by the GSA with
researching prevailing wage, benefit and
graduate student well-being concerns.
• We are comprised of funded and unfunded
graduate students in MA and PhD programs at
UAlbany. We have students from six (6)
graduate programs on our Committee.
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Timeline
Fall 2013
Spring 2014
Fall 2014
Start Research
Feb. 17th
Meeting with
Dean Kevin
Williams
April 23rd
President’s
Forum
Meet with
Union Reps
Present to
GSA
Assembly
GSA Assembly Actions:
•
Fall 2013: GSA Assembly passed resolution supporting
$5,000/course for adjuncts at all SUNY schools.
•
Spring 2014: Voted to have President’s Forum focus on Graduate
Wage and Benefit issues.
•
Spring 2014: SA Assembly voted to endorse $5,000/course for
adjuncts at all SUNY schools.
•
Fall 2014: Voted for GSA Wages and Benefits Committee to
present research findings to the University Senate.
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·Reviewed all research and reports available on the Institutional Research webpage
·Met with Dean Kevin Williams on February 17, 2014
·Held meetings with campus unions
·Addressed the GSA Assembly and asked for feedback
·Presented questions at the Spring 2014 President’s Forum
·Informally polled graduate students in our departments
(for qualitative information on student experiences)
How we collected research:
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Research Findings
1. Financial Stress is a significant impediment to
degree progress and has negative impacts on
mental and physical health, as well as quality of
life.
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Research Findings
2. Funding and Financial Support is not
sufficient (it is below the cost of living) and does
not match the reality of graduate students’ lives.
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Research Findings
3. Heavy reliance on Loans and Credit to pay for
education contributes to financial stress and
anxiety about the future.
Nationally:
•
40% of the $1 trillion in outstanding
student loans financed graduate and
professional degrees
•
Graduate students owe an average of
$57,600
•
One quarter of graduate students borrow
around $100,000; 1 in 10 over $150,000
Federal Education Budget Project at New America
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Research Findings
4. Professional Development varies widely by
department. Some Departments direct resources
toward training graduate students to be competent
researchers and educators, others do not.
5. Communication about Workplace Conditions
and Rights varies widely by department. Some
students were not aware of work expectations,
hours, length of contract, or potential for future
funding.
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Quotes from Graduate Students
“I currently work as a research assistant … a job for which I am grateful but also does not allow me to make
ends meet in spite of the 20 hours per week I am allowed to work. I’ve had to take up a second job on
weekends, putting me at 36 hours of work a week while going to school full time and still barely making enough
to pay rent and put food on the table every month, and STILL I am $10,500 in debt for this term.”
“I have $72,000 of debt, $6,000 of that is interest, and I have lived the last 6 years of my life in poverty. I have
no idea how I’m going to pay that debt off especially given the fact that full-time, tenured track job prospects
are dwindling. There is no guarantee that a PhD will help you earn more, but I made a $72,000 bet, I really hope
it pays off.”
“I was a funded student when I began my Ph.D. I was guaranteed 4 years with an optional 5thyr (which never
came). At the end of my 4 years, it felt like I had the rug pulled out from under me. It’s not like what I was
getting paid during the 4 years was enough to live off by any means, I had to work an additional 20-30 hours on
the side of teaching and taking classes full time, which isn’t permitted (although many of my colleagues have to
work additional minimum wage positions to be able to live) but going from some money to very limited money
($2,500 a semester as an adjunct) which doesn’t even come on time, no stability and no benefits during such an
important part of my Ph.D. process was extremely stressful and made me really question academia and this
University’s and my departments relationship with its graduate students.”
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Quotes from Graduate Students
“Over $100,000 in debt as a funded student, no stability, no family support, no
department support, and no real prospects because the academic job market is crashing,
and my department doesn’t seem to care enough to really advise students. Meanwhile a
new football field is built, fountains are being renovated, and new administrators are
being hired left and right.”
“Because I currently serve as a GA on a grant funded project, rather than as state-line GA,
I am being prevented from teaching next semester based on pressure from grad studies
office to not give extra service to GA's. In addition to the financial implication, I am
missing out on professional development experience that is essential for seeking an
academic job.”
“I am not funded, I have two jobs in order to pay for part-time enrollment. Many of my
classes are taught by adjuncts or graduate instructors and my tuition is going up every
year. It’s frustrating to keep paying more each year for an education that seems to be
decreasing in quality.”
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Recommendations- financial support
• Advocate for expansion of financial support
for Graduate Students at all levels (unfunded,
GTA, adjunct).
• Reconsider length of funding to match average
time to completion (6.7yrs).
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Recommendations- financial support
• Advocate for the reduction or elimination of
fees for graduate students.
• Outline department’s financial commitment
and time to completion data for each new
student.
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Recommendations-
representation and information
• Conduct more research on how UAlbany graduate and
adjunct salaries compare to peer institutions/depts.
• Include graduate students in workplace decision-making.
• Build in overview of contract policies and workplace rights
into departmental orientations.
• Build in financial planning into advising and have an
understanding of each student’s financial situation.
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Recommendations- advocacy
• Advocate for campus, state and national
policies that improve quality of life and
education for graduate students without
raising tuition, fees, increasing debt burdens
or undermining working conditions.
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Conclusion
• Questions or Discussion
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END OF PRESENTATION
• The next few slides are extra info, will not be
included in full presentation.
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Examples
• SUNY Stony Brook: “ Effective fall 2009, a full
assistantship has a minimum value of $15,145
for the academic year. ”
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National and Statewide Context
• National Policy:
Budget Control Act of 2011: “Effective for loans made for periods of
enrollment (loan periods) beginning on or after July 1, 2012, graduate and
professional students are no longer eligible to receive Direct Subsidized
Loans.”
• State Policy:
NY SUNY 2020: “Effective for loans made for periods of enrollment (loan
periods) beginning on or after July 1, 2012, graduate and professional
students are no longer eligible to receive Direct Subsidized Loans.”
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Campus Policies
• Fall 2008: UAlbany eliminates on-campus
housing for Graduate students
• Graduate Students are only campus members
who are charged gym fee ($120/yr)
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