Category: Campus Organizing

Labor Beat Covers GSU’s Pre-Election Rally and Victory in Union-Recognition Elections on Oct 17-18

October 25, 2017

Labor Beat, a non-profit CAN TV Community Partner based in Chicago, IL, recently published a video on their YouTube channel covering our pre-election rally and victory in the union-recognition election at the University of Chicago on October 17-18. The video includes an interview with Chaz Lee and Daniela Palmer, members of GSU and graduate employees … More Labor Beat Covers GSU’s Pre-Election Rally and Victory in Union-Recognition Elections on Oct 17-18

Petition: Abolish the Hours Cap for Graduate Employees

April 5, 2016

Sign this petition on our change.org platform! The cap on working hours  at the University of Chicago has become untenable for the graduate student population. While the 19.5 hour cap for graduate employees at the University of Chicago has  been in place for some time now, in August 2015 the administration began including teaching hours in … More Petition: Abolish the Hours Cap for Graduate Employees

Let Graduate Employees Decide How to Manage Their Own Working Lives

February 1, 2016

Graduate Students United categorically denies the administration’s oft-repeated talking point that graduate employees are students first. We are from day one employees of this institution, as well as being students. All of our labor—research, writing, teaching, coordinating workshops, planning and attending conferences, etc.—produces value for the university. We receive compensation and benefits for the work that … More Let Graduate Employees Decide How to Manage Their Own Working Lives

Cut Administrative Salaries to Ensure Living Wages for Grad Employees

January 22, 2016

In their recent email announcing stipend increases and higher teaching wages, Provost Isaacs and Sian Beilock claim that it is part of the University’s mission to “ensure students can operate at the highest level.” Assuming that this is not mere rhetoric, but represents an actual and ongoing commitment of the administration, let’s consider what this … More Cut Administrative Salaries to Ensure Living Wages for Grad Employees

Great, a Raise! Now How About Admitting We Work Here?

January 6, 2016

In early December, University of Chicago graduate employees received a pair of emails from our Provost, Eric D. Isaacs, announcing substantial wage increases for graduate employees in the Social Sciences and Humanities Divisions, as well as the Divinity School and the School of Social Service Administration. These two e-mails say it loud and clear: the … More Great, a Raise! Now How About Admitting We Work Here?

We Are Workers

September 25, 2015

Stay tuned for solidarity action on October 15 among graduate workers at private universities across the nation. GSU’s media outlets and the We Are Workers website will keep you posted on upcoming events on campus, in Chicago, and beyond.

Whither Our Trajectory? Quick Takes on the UChicagoGRAD Rebranding

May 22, 2015

Earlier this week, we learned that the good old Office of Graduate Student Affairs has been rebranded as UChicagoGRAD. This relabeled administrative entity is being described by the Provost as “a new office and comprehensive program designed to make resources for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars more accessible and more effective.” This all sounds good, … More Whither Our Trajectory? Quick Takes on the UChicagoGRAD Rebranding

The Institution is the Problem: Graduate Students Respond to Racism on Campus

December 4, 2014

The recent post on a student’s Facebook page the week of November 17 frightened and disgusted graduate students across campus. We were horrified by the acts of overt racism and worried about the risk that such threats posed to students. But we want to clarify to the administration that the problem of racism on campus … More The Institution is the Problem: Graduate Students Respond to Racism on Campus