UIUC GEO

Upcoming Events with the GEO

odellcampbell — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:53:59 +0000

As we get settled into a new academic year, keep in mind the following first-month events with the GEO – let’s all keep up the good work to protect our contract and the future of public education in Illinois!

1. First Steward’s Council meeting of the year, Wednesday, September 1, 5:30 pm in the YMCA, 1001 S. Wright Street in Champaign. Whether or not you’re interested in being a steward in your department, this meeting will be a great place to come learn more about the GEO, and join in the planning for organizing around FAA and other issues that effect graduate employees at UIUC.

2. Contra Dancing Social, Friday, September 3rd at Phillips Recreation Center, 505 W. Stoughton St. in Urbana. New Dancer Orientation is @ 7:30PM. Students $4, non-students $5.

3. Labor Day Parade – Monday, September 6 – meet the GEO @ the Lincoln Square parking lot in Urbana by 9:30 am. The parade begins at 10 am from Illinois & Broadway – call Peter at 253.222.5861 if you have trouble finding us, or if you come late and need to catch up. Our very own Kerry Pimblott is this year’s Grand Marshall – come out and march with the GEO and our allies in the local labor community!

4. First General Membership Meeting of AY 2010-11 – Thursday, September 9, 5:30 pm in the YMCA, 1001 S. Wright Street in Champaign. We’ll be discussing organizing plans for the coming year, and in particular continuing to build on the strategies to combat the contract violations around FAA tuition waiver policy that members began to develop at the tuition waiver forum in July.

5. Krannert opening night event – come to the SC meeting on Wednesday 9/1 to help plan a creative and informational event to call attention to the tuition waiver contract violation in FAA at the Krannert Center Opening night event on September 10th.

6. Stay tuned for upcoming GEO organizing around the Board of Trustees meeting in Urbana on September 22 and the second National Day of Action to Defend Public Education on October 7th.

Tuition Waivers Threatened Again (VIDEO)

richpotter — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 05:10:24 +0000

LEARN MORE: Watch the video below or go to our special “FAA Tuition Waivers” page.

TAKE ACTION: Use this template (or a modified version) to send an email to UIUC administrators. (Contact info listed.)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: GEO RESPONDS TO CHANGE IN TUITION WAIVER POLICY IN THE COLLEGE OF FINE AND APPLIED ARTS AT UIUC WITH PUBLIC FORUM ON POLICY CHANGE

natalieuhl — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 02:45:04 +0000

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Urbana-Champaign (July 18): On July 19, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO, IFT/AFT Local 6300) will host a public Tuition Waiver Forum at 5:30pm at the University YMCA. The forum is in response to a change in tuition waiver policy in the College of Fine and Applied Arts (FAA).

Beginning this fall, incoming students in several FAA departments will only receive base-rate tuition waivers, covering the lowest in-state tuition rate. The GEO is concerned about the future of the Arts at UIUC if this policy change is not rescinded. “This policy change will devastate arts programs in the years to come. Students will not go into debt at Illinois when other universities can offer them full tuition waivers,” said Michelle Salerno, GEO Officer-at-Large and graduate student in Theater.

Last fall over 1,000 GEO members and supporters went on strike over this very issue—tuition waiver protection. “It’s clear that this is just the beginning of the administration’s attempts to use graduate student tuition as a revenue generator,” said Natalie Uhl, GEO Communications Officer. “We struck for tuition waiver protection last November and we’re willing to fight for it again now. Tuition waivers are crucial to maintaining accessibility to public higher education in the state of Illinois.” The GEO has filed a grievance alleging violation of their current contract.

Monday’s Tuition Waiver Forum will be an informational session and an opportunity for GEO members and other members of the campus community to ask questions about tuition waiver policy. The Forum is open to the public and GEO has invited faculty and top administrators to attend.

Many FAA graduate students provide the necessary, skilled labor required to run the Krannert Center for the Performance Arts, a world-renowned performance space on campus that attracts hundreds of productions each year. During the Spring 2010 semester, 75% of FAA students made less than $800 a month for their work; the difference between base-rate and full tuition—what these students would be responsible for paying—is $13,266.

Longstanding practice in these departments has been to cover full tuition since many graduate students come to UIUC from out-of-state. Unlike many other universities, gaining in-state residency for tuition purposes at UIUC requires students to live and work in the state (employment cannot be through the university) for at least one year before beginning their education.

During academic year 2010-2011 GEO activities will focus on four pillars: Uniting Workers, Enforcing the Contract, Protecting Access to Public Education, and Improving Healthcare. These pillars are vital to fulfilling the original land grant mission of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and protecting the quality of life and benefits of employment for graduate students. To learn more about how this campaign is working for GEO members and helping to strengthen our community, please contact the GEO.

The Graduate Employees’ Organization, AFT/IFT Local 6300, AFL-CIO, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, represents approximately 2700 Teaching and Graduate Assistants on the UIUC Campus. In November 2009, over 1,000 GEO members successfully went on strike to secure a fair contract and more accessible UIUC. With events like lobby day, the GEO continues to work for high quality and accessible public education in Illinois.

For more information, please contact Natalie Uhl, GEO Communications Officer, at 317-652-7298 or natalieuhl@gmail.com. More information can also be found on our website at uigeo.org.

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GEO Statement Concerning New FAA Tuition Waiver Policy

natalieuhl — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 23:47:11 +0000

Last week GEO informed its members of a policy change affecting tuition waivers in the College of Fine and Applied Arts. This was met with a response from Robert Graves, the Dean of FAA, to assure current students of their continued full tuition waiver. Current students have been exempted from this policy change, but let’s be clear—ANY REDUCTION OF TUITION WAIVERS GREATLY IMPACTS ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION FOR INCOMING AND FUTURE GRADUATE STUDENTS IN ALL DEPARTMENTS AT UIUC.

Incoming, non-resident students in FAA face a tuition differential of over $13,000 a year (tuition rates can be found here). In Spring 2010, a full 75% of GAs and TAs qualifying for a tuition wavier in the FAA were making significantly less than $1000 a month. The majority of these students are already struggling with some of the lowest wages on campus and now they will be expected to shoulder their tuition expenses too.

Many have asked, “Can’t these students just change their residency so they are only charged base-rate tuition?” The answer is “No.” The University of Illinois does not permit a change in residency for anyone that moves to the state solely for the purpose of getting an education. It does not matter if you pay taxes here or own a home, you cannot change your residency if you are a student. You can read the policy here.

For AY10/11, incoming FAA students have been offered Graduate College scholarships to make up the tuition differential. These scholarship funds are not guaranteed and can be rescinded at any time. This is surely the beginning of a larger trend to erode graduate student benefits. Tuition waivers are a benefit of employment and are absolutely necessary to maintaining accessibility to public higher education at UIUC.

The UIUC administration committed to the maintaining tuition waivers—a longstanding and ongoing practice. They lied.

If you have questions and want answers, join us for an Emergency Tuition Waiver Forum on Monday, July 19^th at 5:30pm at the University YMCA (1001 S. Wright St.).

You can read a Tuition Waiver FAQ here.

We fought for tuition waivers in November, let’s fight for them now!

In Solidarity,

–Natalie

EMERGENCY TUITION WAIVER FORUM – STOP THE ATTACK ON THE ARTS AT UIUC!

odellcampbell — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:36:11 +0000

The Graduate College has taken away full tuition waivers in several programs and replaced them with only base-rate (in-state) tuition waivers. Incoming students in these programs may have to cover the almost $14,000 difference out-of-pocket. During our strike, the administration promised that they would not do this. THEY LIED.

We went on strike in November precisely to guard against this kind of change in waiver policy, and because of all of your efforts and sacrifice we won language protecting GA’s and TA’s tuition waivers. The union will utilize every tool at its disposal to ensure that the rights and benefits of all graduate employees are protected. However, as past struggles for tuition waiver security have demonstrated, the single best way to ensure that access does not become delimited is to organize collectively and apply pressure to the University through protest and direct action.

Help defend the Arts at UIUC! Join us for an emergency Tuition Waiver Forum on the evening of July 19, 5:30 pm.

Join the Facebook Event page here.

Open Letter to the Board of Trustees from GEO

natalieuhl — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:41:58 +0000

We, the Graduate Employees Organization of the Urbana-Champaign campus, are deeply troubled by the Board of Trustees’ decision this spring to increase tuition by 9.5%. A rise in already high tuition rates makes higher education untenable for working class residents of Illinois—a state where the official unemployment rate is greater than 11%.

Particularly troubling was the Board of Trustees’ lack of response to alternative options posed by numerous campus and community organizations. On May 4th not a single Trustee appeared for a Senate meeting with the Subcommittee on Containing Costs and Tuition with Chairman Senator Sandoval (D-Chicago). On May 5th the UIUC Student Senate overwhelmingly endorsed a tuition freeze by a vote of 27-8-1. This resolution was provided to all Trustees and mentioned during public comment at the May 20th Board meeting. At the May 20th Board meeting the calls of more than 200 protestors, including undergraduates, graduate students, staff, faculty, and alumni, to freeze tuition were not heard.

The state of Illinois continues its failure to fund public higher education in Illinois, but a tuition increase is not a solution for this failure. The increase in tuition revenue represents only a small percentage of the budget shortfall, but will have significant negative impacts on the ability of working class families to send their children to the University of Illinois.

The only way to change the relationship between the University of Illinois and the state legislature is political pressure and lobbying, not only to receive currently owed funding, but for the state to return to higher levels of public funding for public universities. As the Board of Trustees for the University of Illinois, it is your responsibility to send a clear message to the state legislature that the combination of tuition increases and the continued reduction of public funding of higher education is unacceptable and disproportionately burdens students from working class families. Recently, both former president Ikenberry and incoming president Hogan have stated that the University of Illinois should no longer rely on the state for funding. It is troubling to hear the leaders of this public institution excuse the state’s lack of funding and move towards privatization. We need leaders like those at Southern Illinois University who have already taken a strong stance, enacting a tuition freeze for AY10/11 to relieve working and middle-class families of some of their increasing hardships. The University of Illinois is the state’s flagship institution of public higher education, and should join Southern Illinois University as a leader in protecting the accessibility of our universities.

While we disagree with the decision you made regarding tuition this year, we recognize that now is the time to begin planning for next year. There is a powerful grassroots movement in Illinois and in the United States to stop the privatization of public institutions. Your tuition increase is a stance against public education and accessibility at Illinois’ flagship institution. However, we encourage you in the coming months to reconsider your decision and join students, staff, faculty, and workers in communities throughout our state in the movement to defend public education. Will you meet with us to discuss the future of public higher education in Illinois? We can be reached at geo@uigeo.org or 217-344-8283.

Sincerely,
Stephanie Seawell
Kathryn Walkiewicz
Co-presidents, Graduate Employees’ Organization, AFT/IFT Local 6300, AFL-CIO

Five Ways You Can Help Secure a Tuition Freeze at UIUC

natalieuhl — Tue, 04 May 2010 18:49:50 +0000

1. Email State Senator Mike Frerichs (senator.frerichs@gmail.com) and State Senator Martin Sandoval (sandoval@senatedem.state.il.us) and express your support for the work they are doing to ensure that the University remains accessible to working-class and middle-class people. Tell them to keep the pressure on the Board of Trustees!

2. Come to the Illinois Student Senate on Wednesday, May 5th, at 7pm in the Illini Union Pine Lounge and support GEO member and Student Senator Rich Potter’s resolution in support of a Tuition Freeze! In advance of the meeting, contact your student senator and ask them to support the resolution.

3. Sign Prof. Bruce Rosenstock’s petition in support of an ethical financial policy and tuition freeze online! (http://www.gopetition.com/online/35805.html)

4. Write a Letter to the Editor of either the Daily Illini or News Gazette explaining your concern about the prospect of a tuition increase and in support of the ongoing initiatives by State Senators, students, and community members to ensure that the university remains accessible!

5. Attend the Rally and CFA Press Conference on May 5th at 12:15 pm on the steps of Swanlund Administration Building. CFA members will be raising questions about the ethics of the Administrations funding priorities raised by the breaking news that they will be paying close to half a million dollars to an outside consulting agency. (See, http://www.news-gazette.com/news/university-illinois/2010-05-03/consultants-bring-450000-more-work-ui.html)

Together we can stop the hikes and demand ethical financial policies!

GEO Members Lobby Illinois Legislators for Support of Public Education

natalieuhl — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 19:24:39 +0000

Members of the Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO), the Undergraduate-Graduate Alliance (UGA), and the Campus Faculty Association (CFA), joined roughly 15,000 Illinois residents and union members on April 21 for “Lobby Day” in the state capitol. Forming one of the largest rallies in Illinois’ history, participants marched around the statehouse holding signs reading “S.O.S.” and chanting “Save our state! Save our schools!” The state of Illinois currently faces a $13 billion deficit and owes the University of Illinois system over $400 million in unpaid bills. The GEO previously published an open letter to University of Illinois administrators calling on them to join the GEO in Springfield. The letter reiterated the GEO’s commitment “to ensuring that the University of Illinois remain true to its mission as a public land grant institution to provide education that is truly accessible to all, regardless of economic background.”

While some GEO members participated in the rally, others delivered the union’s message to legislators in their offices and at the statehouse. The GEO’s lobbying and legislative action committee’s platform included support for HB 174, which would modernize the Illinois tax system and raise over $5 billion in revenue directed toward educational spending. GEO co-president Stephanie Seawell, who participated in rally, said, “The state has been increasingly underfunding the University for decades, and much of the shortfall has been made up with rising tuition and fees. That logic is unsustainable. We’re seeing a steady drop in the number of middle class families who don’t qualify for student aid but can’t afford to send their children to college. This doesn’t just affect the career prospects of those students, but the economic viability of the state as we move into the future.”

In addition to advocating for increased tax revenue, the GEO supports any legislation that helps to eliminate undue political influence in the granting of scholarships. Currently, the GEO opposes HB 4706, which would strip 50% tuition waivers for children of University employees. “Those waivers often go to first generation college students and expand their career opportunities. Luckily, that bill appears to be dead in the House,” said Mukta Tripathy, a graduate employee and co-chair of the lobbying and legislative action committee. “Instead of cutting those waivers, we’d like to see the legislature pass SB 4702,” which would eliminate General Assembly scholarships.

The unprecedented turn out at this rally overwhelmed the state house with advocates for public education, so the GEO and UGA were only able to talk to a few of the legislators. “We left informational packets in their offices, spoke with a couple of staffers, and made some mostly unsuccessful attempts to call representatives from the House floor,” said Ben Rothschild, a member of the UGA. “It was frustrating,” said Rich Potter, of the GEO. “I do want to thank Rep. Rose, who came off the floor and spoke candidly with us and members of the CFA. He indicated that he won’t support a revenue increase until it’s packaged with spending cuts. I can appreciate his concern for a balanced budget, but I’m not sure there’s time to wait. The University’s reputation for excellence is at risk.” Seawell says the GEO is already planning to follow-up with legislators and continue the GEO’s lobbying efforts.

The Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO), AFT/IFT Local 6300, AFL-CIO, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is a labor union representing approximately 2700 Teaching and Graduate Assistants on the UIUC Campus. In November 2009, over 1,000 GEO members successfully went on strike to secure a fair contract and more accessible UIUC. With events like lobby day, the GEO continues to work for high quality and accessible public education in Illinois.

GEO members participate in the S.O.S. rally

The S.O.S. rally was one of the largest in Illinois history

Open Letter to top UI Administrators from the GEO

odellcampbell — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:43:59 +0000

An Open Letter to top University of Illinois Administrators

From the Graduate Employees’ Organization

April 19, 2010

Dear Sirs and Madams,

As you know, the State of Illinois owes the University of Illinois system about $500 million, with a significant portion of that amount due to the Urbana campus. As the budget crisis has come to a head, we of the Graduate Employees’ Organization will continue to contribute our efforts to ensure the future of accessible and high quality education at the University of Illinois.

We are committed to ensuring that the University of Illinois remain true to its mission as a public land grant institution to provide education that is truly accessible to all, regardless of economic background.

Quality and accessible education at our University is under siege—class size is growing to untenable proportions, faculty are being furloughed, and budget cuts are affecting the education we are able to provide our students. Meanwhile, Interim President Ikenberry told the Daily Illini that a tuition increase of at least 9% may be necessary, indicating also that the university may not be able to maintain its status as a top institution.

Rather than accept the necessity of making this institution even less accessible to working class students in Illinois, we’re renting buses and going to Springfield with other members of the UC United Coalition, the same consortium of labor unions and student activist groups that brought us the March 4^th rally to defend public education.

The GEO and UC United will join thousands of education employees to not only ask for the money currently owed this university by the state, but to demand that state lawmakers recognize the importance of funding public education in Illinois. And we are saving you a seat on the bus.

So will you join us on April 21 to lobby in Springfield for accessible public education and fair treatment of University employees, and help us keep the University of Illinois at the top?

Let us know – we can be reached at geo@uigeo.org, or 217-344-8283.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Seawell

Kathryn Walkiewicz

Co-Presidents, Graduate Employees’ Organization, AFT/IFT Local 6300, AFL-CIO.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: UIUC GRADUATE EMPLOYEES’ ORGANIZATION TO JOIN UC UNITED COALITION ON LOBBY DAY AT SPRINGFIELD APRIL 21

odellcampbell — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:42:10 +0000

GEO SENDS OPEN LETTER TO UIUC ADMINISTRATION ASKING TOP ADMINISTRATORS TO JOIN EDUCATION EMPLOYEES TO LOBBY FOR STATE SUPPORT

Urbana-Champaign (April 19): On April 21, about 50 members of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO) will join the UC United Coalition at the Illinois state capitol to lobby for increased support for public education.

The UC United Coalition, a consortium of labor unions and student activist groups at UIUC, has prepared a legislative action platform for its members to take to Springfield.

The platform includes support for tax increases that will support public education in Illinois, opposition to a bill that would strip 50% tuition waivers for children of University employees, principled opposition to furloughs for civil service employees, and a bill that would eliminate the ability of politicians to nominate persons for General Assembly scholarships.

GEO members have been preparing for “lobby day” for several weeks. “Our members are highly educated about our platform, and we look forward to productive conversations with state lawmakers,” said Stephanie Seawell, GEO Co-President and co-chair of the GEO’s lobbying and legislative action committee.

The GEO has also published an open letter to top University of Illinois administrators, urging them to join the UC United Coalition on lobby day. “Clearly, the University is facing a crisis in state funding, and President Ikenberry has been vocal in demanding more money from the state,” said Natalie Uhl, GEO Communications Officer. “We see lobby day as an excellent opportunity for President Ikenberry and top UIUC administrators to join campus workers and students to demand that Springfield recognize the benefits of adequate public funding for higher education.” A copy of the open letter is available on the GEO website.

The GEO and the UC United Coalition call on President Ikenberry to follow the example of Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard and pledge not to increase tuition. “Ikenberry’s statements about how the University should respond to the state budget shortfall signal a privatized U of I that will only be accessible to the wealthy,” said Peter Campbell, GEO communications committee member.

“Public funding for higher education pays dividends for the state economy,” said Uhl. “We hope that top U of I administrators join us in Springfield to send the message that for our flagship public institution, tuition increases, layoffs and furloughs are not an acceptable substitute for state funds.”

For more information, please contact Natalie Uhl, GEO Communications Officer, at 317-652-7298 or natalieuhl@gmail.com. More information can also be found on our website at uigeo.org.

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