Graduate associates, fellows and trainees will see the most considerable commitment to improving their graduate assistant wages and health care benefits over the next two years.
"This is the most significant commitment ever for graduate associates, even while the budget remains uncertain," said Barbara R. Snyder, interim executive vice president and provost, at the Council of Graduate Students meeting Friday.
The improvements affect about 4,500 graduate students.
"Deans are extremely focused on the importance of this issue and are the sponsors of the cost," Snyder said.
The minimum stipend per month has been increased to $1,000 for graduate associates, and the university subsidy for health insurance will increase to 75 percent over a two-year period.
The university subsidy for dependent health insurance will increase to 50 percent in the coming years, said Larry Lewellen, associate vice president for human resources. There will also be deductions for pre-tax health insurance premiums.
"The new stipend minimum affects approximately 6 percent of all funded graduate students," Lewellen said. "It may indirectly affect others, as some colleges will create a new pay ladder based on the new minimum."
"Among the improvements are increased interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary activity and enhanced professional development and career services," said Susan Huntington, vice provost for graduate studies and the dean of the graduate school.
There will also be the implementation of required training for graduate teaching associates.
Graduate students will be informed of the improvements through a series of planned communications.
"There will be electronic newsletters this week and throughout next week," Lewellen said.
J. Briggs Cormier, chair of the Ad Hoc Graduate Compensation and Benefits Committee, said the improvements are not what the CGS asked for in the prior resolution.
The resolution sought to raise the minimum stipend from $900 per month to $1,200 a month. It also asked for a 100 percent subsidy of student health insurance, not a 75 percent subsidy.
"It called for coverage of all educational and activity fees," Cormier said. "It wanted a five-year plan in writing."
The committee demanded a 50 percent health subsidy for dependents, which it will receive.
Cormier said it also asked for full coverage of additional fees and is instead receiving no coverage of additional fees.
Alistair Fraser, a doctoral candidate in the geography department and a delegate to the CGS, said his criticism is that the whole country is in a mindset that graduate students should make a minimum amount per month.
"What we all need to do is think outside the box," Fraser said. "I can't even afford a car."
Fraser said other universities, such as Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, have unions for their graduate employees.
"The difference is that there is security," Fraser said.
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