Graduate Students United is organized to support graduate student workers in the university. We take a broad definition of graduate student labor, although we primarily focus on the wage relationship. Our base is graduate student workers, but we aim for active solidarity with other workers in the university and the community of which the university is a part.

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GSU Frequently Asked Questions

What is GSU?

Graduate Students United is an independent organisation of U-Chicago graduate students that formed in Spring 2007.  We have been bringing graduate students together and using collective ways of organizing ever since to make a difference on all kinds of issues that impact graduate students.  In particular, GSU supports graduate students as workers at the university, in the various employment relationships they have and tries to improve conditions of work at the University. GSU also aims for active solidarity with other workers in the university and the surrounding community of which the university is a part.  

 

Why should I join GSU?

Whether this is your first week or you are already in your 5th year or beyond, there are very good reasons to join GSU:

Ø      GSU is aimed at working on issues that impact all graduate students. During your time at U of C you will be always be involved in a working relationship with the University – as you complete your contractual obligations with them, rely on them for your tuition and income, TA or teach your own course, or gain other employment at the university. You will also be using the university services, such as the student care center and university insurance plan, or day care. GSU is the only independent graduate student organization dedicated to helping graduate students navigate their relationship with the university. We work for graduate students and their concerns only and try to make the U of C a better place for all grad students. But we cannot do it alone! As GSU is composed only of other graduate students, we are only as strong as our membership –we rely on students to become members.

Ø      The administration has long taken advantage of graduate student inaction. Despite the university's reliance on our labor, grad students have been treated as an expendable resource. Joining and becoming an active member of GSU is the best way for graduate students to make their voices heard to the University and to make sure that they count in decisions that impact us.

Ø      Graduate life at the U of C can be a stressful and isolating experience. GSU tries to provide a sense of community to graduate students. We hold regular social events and we care about any problems you might experience at the U of C as a grad student.

 

What has GSU managed to achieve for graduate students?

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Since GSU formed in 2007, it has brought grad students together to campaign on a number of important issues: for wage increases for grad teaching work, greater teaching availability, better health care coverage, more reasonable student fees and for a reassessment of Advanced Residency tuition, as well as increased grad student representation on University decision-making bodies. 

Ø      After organizing sustained student action for months (a march to the administration building in Feb 08, a rally in March, and a faculty supported “Teach-Out” in May), the administration announced 100% pay raises for TAs, and major increases for other teaching jobs. Previously, TA pay in humanities and social sciences had been about the worst of anywhere in the nation

Ø      In the fall of 2008, GSU was asked by its members (via referendum) to respond to the campus controversy over the newly-announced Milton Friedman Institute for Research in Economics (which had been seen as endorsing Friedman-style free-market politics and had been instituted without campus input). GSU released a statement deeply critical of the MFI's governing principles and helped graduate students make their voices heard.

Ø      At the beginning of 09, problems with university healthcare came to the surface: grad students reported waiting months for an appointment at the SCC and emergency hospital care was being denied to local residents for cost-cutting reasons. We held a number of public forums on the issue and formed a coalition with undergraduate and community groups; and the administration improved SCC service almost immediately.

Ø      In Spring 09, we took up growing concerns about teaching availability and organized a large rally on the issue. As a result, GSU obtained a personal meeting with the deputy provost to discuss the issue. We are continuing to organize to improve the situation.

 

What issues is GSU working on now?

Although GSU has already achieved significant gains for graduate students there continues to be a lot of work to do. We work on whatever issues graduate students appear most concerned about, as expressed in our referendum, email communications, and through GSU department coordinators. Some of the issues we are working on now include: getting greater teaching availability for all graduate students that need it; improving the student care service; getting the administration to reconsider tuition for advanced residents; and better organizing GSU to better make grad student voices heard/recognized by the administration.

 

How can I get involved?

Ø      Become a member!  It costs $5.00 per year

Ø      Attend  GSU meetings, which are held every Tuesday 5.30-7pm in Haskell Hall M102

Ø      Attend and support GSU pub nights, held bi-weekly, on Tuesdays, starting at 7.30pm (a list of dates are on the website)

Ø      Attend GSU events as you hear about them/check out the website

Ø      Take part in our referendum and polls

Ø      Write for our newsletter

Ø      If your department doesn’t already have a GSU coordinator, hold a meeting in your department to elect one/ consider becoming a department coordinator yourself.

 

What are the dues for?

Because GSU is a fully independent organization we do not have outside sources of funding. We depend upon the dues of our members to take care of all our organizing costs, from making fliers and making newsletters, to buying equipment and holding social events, and helping our organizers to attend training so that they can better support you and your needs.

 

Is the GSU the same as student government?

No. GSU is specifically aimed at supporting grad student as workers at the University. Student government represents students in our capacity as students; GSU represents students in our capacity as employees. Student government is not authorized by the administration to bargain collectively for higher wages, better job accessibility, and benefits like healthcare; GSU calls on the administration to recognize us in collective bargaining. GSU attempts to influence decision making directly through organizing and student action. Student government depends on the administration for its institutional existence, which gives it some kinds of power, but which also limit what it can do; by contrast GSU is autonomous from the university administration and depends only its members.

 

I’ve heard some people talk about GSU Unionizing/Affiliating. What can I expect to happen about this?

GSU has made important gains for graduate students through diverse forms of activity. But, in the long term graduate students will gain only through union and collective bargaining. Unfortunately, the administration has no yet recognized us officially for collective bargaining. We recognize that it will take a lot of organizing, a lot of resources, and a lot of experience to reach this goal, so we’ve been communicating with larger union bodies who could help us through this process. Ultimately, the decision to affiliate or not with a larger union will be made by a vote of our membership.

 

Will my becoming a member of GSU negatively affect my relationship with faculty members or opportunities at the university?

No, all graduate students are free to join any organization. We have never heard of anyone being negatively impacted in the university after joining GSU. In fact, several faculty members are very supportive of the work that GSU does.  We also do not advertise the names of any of our members.  But if you are really concerned, we can put you in touch with other people in your department that have joined GSU, so you can talk to them about their experience.