Discussion #4 | Graduate student workers, stipends, fees & strikes – Discussion Group 4

Once or twice each semester I try to target content to pressing, new issues – and this is one of those weeks.

This week’s Discussion will center the debate currently on & off campus regarding graduate student workers, their compensation, and their protests and strikes that have occurred on campus. For full transparency, I encourage you to reflect on the data & resources provided here (and elsewhere), to arrive at your initial post and opinions therein. I am not a graduate student (anymore, although all faculty/PhDs have been one at some point in their lives!), so presently I have little “skin in the game.”

First, read these articles (in order chronologically):

• 12/6/2015: The Chonicle of Higher Education indicates a potential schism about maximum graduate student payLinks to an external site. at the University of Wisconsin https://www.chronicle.com/article/wisconsin-grad-students-want-pay-parity-across-disciplines/ 
• 1/11/2018: The state of graduate student employee unionsLinks to an external site. https://www.epi.org/publication/graduate-student-employee-unions/ 
• 9/27/2020: IDS Opinion article regarding graduate workersLinks to an external site. https://www.idsnews.com/article/2020/09/indiana-university-graduate-students-living-wage 
• 4/7/2022:  As graduate workers contemplate strike, Bloomington campus officials announce raisesLinks to an external site. https://www.idsnews.com/article/2022/04/graduate-workers-contemplate-strike-bloomington-campus-officials-announce-raises
• [Note: Below, you will be asked to substantiate your thoughts with two additional resource(s)]

Then, consider a few data points for reflection:

• Values vary by college/school (e.g., Luddy School of Informatics vs. College of Arts and Sciences) but it’s estimated that 31% of IU undergraduate classes are taught by graduate students (Sources: IU College of Arts & Sciences Task Force on Graduate Student FundingLinks to an external site. & the IDSLinks to an external site.) https://www.indianagradworkers.org/2019-coas-report https://www.idsnews.com/article/2020/09/indiana-university-graduate-students-living-wage 
• Approximately half (7/15) Big 10 Schools have union protections for at least some graduate students (Source: Big 10 Stipend AnalysisLinks to an external site.) https://github.com/ahoho/stipend-analysis/blob/main/big10_summary.csv
• It is estimated that IU graduate students 9 month stipends are the second lowest in the Big 10 (Source: Big 10 Stipend Analysis). Links to an external site. Note: this data is is imperfect/incomplete (as determining the number and value of graduate student stipends across all Big 10 schools has data collection & standardization issues) https://github.com/ahoho/stipend-analysis/blob/main/big10_summary.csv 

Part 1: Your original post

Complete these steps:

Please number your responses.

1. Find two additional resources to help you wade through the issue of graduate student stipends and labor rights. They can be broad (such as an academic article), or specific (such as an IDS article); however, they should be reputable. If you find a resource or website that you think has limitations or bias, be sure to acknowledge that (as I did in my last bullet point above). Provide a link to each article, and summarize what you found. 4 pts total (1 pt per link, 1 pt per summary).
2. To your knowledge, have you had a class that was taught by a graduate student worker? How do you think your experience with or without having a graduate student worker teach one of your classes impacts your perceptions? 2 pts.
3. Look up the federal poverty threshold. Compare and contrast this in relation to what we know about graduate student stipends at IU. Summarize your findings. 2 pts.
4. What additional details, data, or viewpoints do you think are important in this issue? (These can be found in the links above, and/or in your own findings/links) 2 pts
5. Draw connections between the components of wellness we have examined so far and this debate about graduate student worker rights. Make specific, relevant, and clear connections to course content from at least 4 wellness dimensions (physical, mental, environmental, social, occupational, financial). 4 pts.
6. As an undergraduate student, summarize your opinion on this issue and any intended involvement you may or may not take. 2 pt