Better Working Conditions
Fees and wages
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Joshua Newbend
GA Art and Art History I'm marching to close the loop on the university's unrestricted ability to raise our fees and add new fees. No matter what they call it, these $1946 fees would eat into my budget each month, and each year I see them growing.
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garage parking
Anonymous
Currently, graduate assistants must pay $927 per year for parking garage access, while other university employees including faculty and staff pay $647 per year for the same garage and the same access privileges. This means that graduate employees pay $280 more per year than other employees for identical parking access.
In my case, this issue is especially significant because I have a disability accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 that provides me with access to a reserved parking space in the garage.
From my perspective as an employee with a disability, it is difficult to understand why I must pay a higher rate than other employees in order to access the workplace through an accommodation that the university itself has approved.
Because graduate assistants are recognized by the university as employees when we teach courses, conduct research, and receive wages, it raises concerns when we are required to pay more than other employees for access to the same workplace parking facilities, even when that parking is part of an approved accommodation.
Graduate assistants contribute essential labor to the university while earning significantly lower wages than other employees. The current parking structure places a disproportionate financial burden on graduate employees and raises particular concerns for those of us who rely on ADA accommodations in order to access our workplace.
In my case, this issue is especially significant because I have a disability accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 that provides me with access to a reserved parking space in the garage.
From my perspective as an employee with a disability, it is difficult to understand why I must pay a higher rate than other employees in order to access the workplace through an accommodation that the university itself has approved.
Because graduate assistants are recognized by the university as employees when we teach courses, conduct research, and receive wages, it raises concerns when we are required to pay more than other employees for access to the same workplace parking facilities, even when that parking is part of an approved accommodation.
Graduate assistants contribute essential labor to the university while earning significantly lower wages than other employees. The current parking structure places a disproportionate financial burden on graduate employees and raises particular concerns for those of us who rely on ADA accommodations in order to access our workplace.
Childcare
Anonymous
Today I am sharing with you how our Union’s childcare reimbursement has benefited my family and why I hope that you will consider the union’s proposal to increase childcare reimbursement fees.
When we receive reimbursements, I’m able to put money aside for enrollment in summer childcare, which typically requires between $500 and $1000 to hold the spot upon registering plus the first month’s payment, resulting in nearly $3,000 being needed before the summer even begins. Knowing I can afford childcare has allowed me to pursue summer graduate research work and an internship with the state of Connecticut, which earned me an award recognition at the National Council on Family Relations conference.
As I see it, having this reimbursement has helped me not only in making continual progress in my program, but also in being able to represent my research experiences at UConn. This said, I hope you will consider our proposal of moving from $223,000 to $375,000. In the past year alone, the cost of daycare for that extended PM time has moved from $1,424 to $1,525, a 7% increase and $1,000 extra paid in a year. With childcare rates this high and increasing each year, raising the budget would mean that more families can afford quality care and can afford the time needed to do their work. And based on my experience, reducing and potentially even eliminating the cost of childcare for Gas will not only make the lives of GAs better, but also the University as a whole better.
When we receive reimbursements, I’m able to put money aside for enrollment in summer childcare, which typically requires between $500 and $1000 to hold the spot upon registering plus the first month’s payment, resulting in nearly $3,000 being needed before the summer even begins. Knowing I can afford childcare has allowed me to pursue summer graduate research work and an internship with the state of Connecticut, which earned me an award recognition at the National Council on Family Relations conference.
As I see it, having this reimbursement has helped me not only in making continual progress in my program, but also in being able to represent my research experiences at UConn. This said, I hope you will consider our proposal of moving from $223,000 to $375,000. In the past year alone, the cost of daycare for that extended PM time has moved from $1,424 to $1,525, a 7% increase and $1,000 extra paid in a year. With childcare rates this high and increasing each year, raising the budget would mean that more families can afford quality care and can afford the time needed to do their work. And based on my experience, reducing and potentially even eliminating the cost of childcare for Gas will not only make the lives of GAs better, but also the University as a whole better.
Health care
Kelly Schlabach
Learning Leadership and Education Policy
Learning Leadership and Education Policy
Better learning conditions
Parents of a UConn Undergraduate Student and Connecticut Public School Educators
Steven & Susan Gottlieb
Steven & Susan Gottlieb
As parents, we want the individuals teaching our children to be focused, secure, and able to do their best work. Supporting fair compensation and reasonable working conditions for the UConn Graduate Teaching Assistants is not only a matter of equity, but it is an investment in the quality, stability, and integrity of higher education itself.
As both educators and parents, we see firsthand the critical role the University of Connecticut Graduate Teaching Assistants play in shaping UConn students’ academic experiences. From leading discussions and grading work to supporting students who need extra help, the UConn Graduate Teaching Assistants are often the most accessible and consistent instructional presence in UConn students’ lives. As educators, we know that strong learning environments depend on supported and respected teachers.
Their working conditions are inseparable from students’ learning conditions. When UConn Graduate Teaching Assistants are stretched thin financially or logistically, it affects their ability to teach effectively and fully engage in their academic responsibilities. With the majority of UConn Graduate Teaching Assistants reporting concerns about affording rent, it is clear that current compensation levels are not keeping pace with basic needs. A nine-month stipend ranging from $28,596 to $33,455, paired with expectations of both teaching and significant academic progress, places many in an unsustainable position.
We also reject the idea that tuition waivers meaningfully offset this gap. Tuition waivers are a foundational part of graduate education; they make participation possible, but they are not a substitute for fair, livable wages. Just as we expect fair pay for K–12 teachers, we expect the UConn Administration to treat the UConn Graduate Educators with the same respect. UConn Graduate Teaching Assistants earn that support through their teaching and research labor, which the University of Connecticut relies on to function.
Beyond pay, the broader issues raised in these negotiations, such as safe, reliable parking access, childcare, protections for international graduate assistants, and timely responses to core proposals, are essential to building a stable and equitable academic environment at the University of Connecticut. When UConn Graduate Teaching Assistants spend excessive time searching for parking, lack access to affordable and reasonable transportation options, or face uncertainty around basic protections, it creates unnecessary barriers that ultimately ripple into the classroom.
As both educators and parents, we see firsthand the critical role the University of Connecticut Graduate Teaching Assistants play in shaping UConn students’ academic experiences. From leading discussions and grading work to supporting students who need extra help, the UConn Graduate Teaching Assistants are often the most accessible and consistent instructional presence in UConn students’ lives. As educators, we know that strong learning environments depend on supported and respected teachers.
Their working conditions are inseparable from students’ learning conditions. When UConn Graduate Teaching Assistants are stretched thin financially or logistically, it affects their ability to teach effectively and fully engage in their academic responsibilities. With the majority of UConn Graduate Teaching Assistants reporting concerns about affording rent, it is clear that current compensation levels are not keeping pace with basic needs. A nine-month stipend ranging from $28,596 to $33,455, paired with expectations of both teaching and significant academic progress, places many in an unsustainable position.
We also reject the idea that tuition waivers meaningfully offset this gap. Tuition waivers are a foundational part of graduate education; they make participation possible, but they are not a substitute for fair, livable wages. Just as we expect fair pay for K–12 teachers, we expect the UConn Administration to treat the UConn Graduate Educators with the same respect. UConn Graduate Teaching Assistants earn that support through their teaching and research labor, which the University of Connecticut relies on to function.
Beyond pay, the broader issues raised in these negotiations, such as safe, reliable parking access, childcare, protections for international graduate assistants, and timely responses to core proposals, are essential to building a stable and equitable academic environment at the University of Connecticut. When UConn Graduate Teaching Assistants spend excessive time searching for parking, lack access to affordable and reasonable transportation options, or face uncertainty around basic protections, it creates unnecessary barriers that ultimately ripple into the classroom.
International Worker Rights
Clearer Protections
Anonymous International GA
I often feel uncertain whether the university or my supervisor will view my needs as reasonable and within my rights as a GA. As an international graduate assistant who had not previously studied in the U.S., clearer information about GA rights and policies would make a huge difference to me. Therefore, I strongly support the union’s call for clearer guidance, written protections and support for international graduate workers in the contract.
freedom of speech
Anonymous International GA
One day, while I was sitting in my lab, two UConn staff abruptly entered the space and aggressively asked me whether I was a U.S. citizen. It turns out they were looking for a student who had already been moved to another project. The way they barged into the lab and asked, without any context, “Are you a U.S. citizen?” left me feeling stressed, unsafe, and targeted. What if this happened while I was teaching, putting both me and my students in a critical and frightening situation? As a Muslim graduate student and worker on campus, I have to stay constantly vigilant of the risks of Islamophobia and the limitations placed on freedom of speech when it comes to my religion and ethnicity.
protections against ice
Anonymous International GA
To ensure the safety of both the educators and students, it is extremely important that the university verifies the authenticity of any types of warrants claimed by ICE or other agencies with qualified legal experts. The university should take responsibility for protecting our non-public personal information in cases where there is no valid legal reason to share our information. I demand that it should be a part of our contract.
visa and work protections
Anonymous International GA
Employment for us is more fragile than it looks. Visa and work rules mean that even small disruptions can seriously affect our education and lives. I personally felt so anxious about recent uncertainties and threats that I had to avoid all media just to stay a little calm and be able to focus on my work. Having clarity and protection in the contract from the university regarding my rights would definitely help reduce that fear and allow me to contribute more fully to the university community.
safety at work
Parents of a UConn Undergraduate Student and Connecticut Public School Educators
John Devivo
John Devivo
