Assistantships? We can't get no stinkin' assistantships!

Here's an e-mail I got last night from the TA union. Looks like we're getting screwed from all directions on this funding stuff. The General Library System (GLS) is cutting funding for all its PAs (hence, no PAs at College Library anymore, in case you were counting on one of those) because of funding shortages and the new $8,000 surcharge departments would have to pay for tuition remission--in addition to the PA's monthly stipend--and now we could be considered ineligible for ALL assistantships, simply because of the graduate program we've chosen. While SLIS is not being targeted as a "professional" program yet, this is a scary possibility. Do they not realize that the fewer the funding opportunities, the fewer the grad students who will want to come here? [Note: I've removed information that specifically identifies the university from the e-mail, just to cover my ass.] Advance apologies that this is so long, but I think it's kind of a big deal!

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Dear Graduate Assistant,

During the past year, a university task force has been working under the authority of [the] Chancellor to find solutions to a budget shortfall that, in the final analysis, is the result of the State Legislature's refusal to fully fund the statute that entitles graduate students to a tuition waiver if they are hired as a TA or PA at 33.3% time or above.

The Tuition Remission Task Force (TRTF) has released its recommendations for resolving the tuition remission shortfall. We are contacting you because one of the TRTF recommendations would make graduate students who are only enrolled in "professional" programs ineligible for TA, PA, and RA positions:

"Currently, professional students (i.e., students seeking professional degrees such as the J.D., S.J.D., M.D., Pharm.D., or D.V.M.) can be appointed as TAs, PAs, or RAs...We recommend a change in policy such that professional students cannot hold graduate assistantships (i.e., TA, PA, or RA appointments)" (TRTF Final Report, pg. 12).

The report is unclear on the extent of the definition of "professional" programs, but we are contacting you because you are currently (or have been recently) employed in a program that may be targeted by the TRTF plan. All indications point to [the] Chancellor approving and implementing all of the TRTF's proposals by January 2007. Such a change would not only deny grad students access to tuition waivers, but it would also exclude them from current health insurance plans, and, in the case of TA and PA positions, union protections provided under the TAA contract (no arbitrary firing, protection from harassment in the workplace, etc.). The TAA also contends that it violates the union's contract with the state and [university].

In addition to denying assistantships to grad students in professional programs, the report recommends several other measures that would seriously restrict the ability of departments to support grad students through PA and RA positions in the future. Furthermore, it is unclear that, even by imposing such cuts, the TRTF plan actually resolves the tuition remission budget shortfall in the short term. In the end, it fails to address the root cause of the shortfall - state funding cuts - in a meaningful way.

The TAA believes that if these changes are put into effect, graduate employees will bear the burden of the state's underfunding of the [university]. They will mean fewer jobs and a strong disincentive for departments to hire graduate employees for decent jobs with benefits. Effectively, the TRTF recommendations mean one thing for graduate employees: JOB LOSS. But we can still stop the plan from being implemented and demand a real solution - one that doesn't harm departments and violate the TAA contract - from [university] administrators.

What you can do to help preserve TA, PA, and RA positions:

1. Check out the TAA's summary analysis of the TRTF plan (attached) [I couldn't attach it here, but I can forward it to you if you are interested.]

2. Talk to fellow graduate students: Make sure they know about the TRTF plan and understand what it means for future jobs, tuition waivers, health insurance, etc. Encourage them to talk to friendly faculty.

3. Talk to supportive faculty in your department: Many faculty members oppose the TRTF plan. Let your faculty know what your concerns are and tell them that faculty and department chairs in other areas of campus are also opposed to this plan and are campaigning to stop it. It they are supportive, send an e-mail to the TAA office [e-mail address removed] with their contact information, and we will put them in touch with other faculty.

4. Get involved with the TAA's Committee on Affordable Public Education (CAPE): If you'd like to take a lead role in coordinating opposition to the TRTF plan, join the other TAA members who are part of CAPE. To find out more, contact the TAA office [contact info removed].