Graduate union raises concerns regarding compensation, housing

Graduate assistants (GAs) at MSU are raising concerns about low pay, lack of health insurance and housing costs that they say are driving graduate students to the breaking point. With contract negotiations underway between the University and the Graduate Employee Organization (GEO) — the campus union representing GAs —  leaders say real change is overdue if MSU wants to keep and support its graduate students.

GAs at MSU include both graduate research assistants and graduate teaching assistants, with around 900 appointed each semester, according to the President of the GEO Jacob Schimetz. Their work includes teaching labs and classes and conducting faculty research.

According to Schimetz, the University relies heavily on GAs but has been slow to support them in return. “Health insurance and housing are the two biggest issues facing GAs,” Schimetz said. 

“Most universities at least partially cover health insurance for graduate employees —  MSU does not. This makes it harder to recruit and retain the GAs this University runs on,” Schimetz said. Some universities, such as the University of Utah, offer subsidized health insurance to graduate student employees, according to its website. 

The GA housing problem is compounded by rising rents at University Student Apartments, which are scheduled to increase by 15 percent annually, according to Schimetz. He said this could add up to $4,000 more per year for graduate housing. 

“Housing should be affordable, but these hikes are pushing GAs out of campus housing into the most expensive rental market in Montana,” Schimetz said.

MSU currently offers one of the lowest GA stipends in the country among research universities, set at just $8,900 per academic year, according to Schimetz. The GEO’s recent cost-of-living survey found that most GAs earn less in a month than it costs just to live in Bozeman.

“Our last cost-of-living survey found that 70 percent of GAs delayed healthcare because of cost and 50 percent reported eating less to save money,” Schimetz said. “The vast majority of GAs  — 85 percent — said their financial situation adds anxiety or worry to their daily life,” he said.

“We teach labs and classes, lead discussions and do a lot of one-on-one mentoring,” Schimetz said. “When GAs are under financial strain, they often have to work second jobs, which means less time and energy for students in the classroom. That level of stress makes it harder for us to bring our best to teaching and inevitably carries over into the classroom,” Schimetz said.

Beyond pay, the GEO has identified structural issues with GA employment that make life more difficult. Graduate assistants are capped at 19 hours of work per week. That number is just shy of the 20-hour minimum required to qualify for many state and federal benefit programs, like SNAP and Medicaid. 

“Because MSU wants to avoid having to pay for this, we are kept at 19 hours,” Schimetz said. “This means that many GAs qualify for assistance in terms of income, but can’t access them unless they take a second job.”

Some prospective graduate students are weighing these challenges as they consider their futures. Kyle Rockwell, who plans to apply soon, said financial support will play a big role in his next steps. 

According to him, a graduate degree would improve his job prospects. “I have always planned on getting my master's degree to help set up my professional career,” he said.

Rockwell added that he is still learning about what it takes to afford graduate education. “From my understanding, most students either work part-time and pay tuition out of pocket or apply for an assistantship to cover the costs,” he said. “I plan on going to graduate school whether or not I am offered an assistantship, but the benefits of an assistantship seem to be an excellent deal,” he said

Negotiations toward a solution between the University and the GEO have just begun, according to Schimetz. “We are still in early phases,” he said. “Our focus is working in good faith toward an agreement that truly supports graduate employees.”

For the GEO, the end goal is student wellbeing. “A win would be meaningful quality-of-life improvements that make it possible for graduate employees to not just scrape by, but to afford to thrive in Bozeman,” Schimetz said. “When [GAs] are supported, the entire University benefits.”

The University declined to comment on ongoing negotiations or any claims made by the GEO.

For more information, visithttps://www.msugeo.org/.