Hanpee221b t1_j9m8n7c wrote on February 22, 2023 at 11:55 PM

Reply to comment by Glazed_donut29 in Striking Temple University graduate students overwhelming vote down proposed contract by diatriose

Here’s my two cents as a TA in the city, 21k is on the low end but at least at my university that’s decided per department and I know for a fact temple TAs of my field made more than we did. The job is for 20 hours of teaching but they include grading time and office hours. It’s not easy or enjoyable to live on but it’s doable and from what my professors have told me the way they see it is we are students first and being a TA is secondary and we should want to graduate and get out not be comfortable. We thought about unionizing but every higher up we spoke to about it said it would be a bad move because that pay is based on what the department has, and unfortunately that’s not a lot, so we’d get nothing except disdain. I’m not defending either side I’m just giving what facts and experience I have. I think a lot of people see these universities and all their money and big paychecks for admin and don’t realize how poorly the money filters down, most professors have to supplement their pay with grants and then they are expected to use that money to supplement their grad students. Admin doesn’t care, they are a business, whereas the actually people providing the services are academics.

Girls4super t1_j9mn08o wrote on February 23, 2023 at 1:39 AM

I think one issue here is that temple seems to be relying more and more on TAs to be primary professors instead of hiring actual field experts. In fact by my senior year several years back, nearly half my classes were entirely taught by TAs. They are not being compensated as a professor would be while taking on that work load. And frankly 20k is not a liveable wage in Philly. As you said, they don’t need to live comfortably, but they shouldn’t need to essentially work three jobs (ta + full time student + another job). It is also a disgrace the way the school is handling the strike. I’m fairly sure federally it’s illegal to try to punish them for striking. Not that other big corporations haven’t just taken the fines and LOLd at the law. But that doesn’t make it right.

Hanpee221b t1_j9mx872 wrote on February 23, 2023 at 2:55 AM

I agree, TAs are expected to be everything all the time without even a thanks but it can be really rewarding if you enjoy teaching. Also as someone said most times our contracts state we cannot seek other employment. I will note as someone else said there is a lot of expected privilege that makes graduate school much easier for people who have rich parents or a partner who can take on extra finances. I had a fellow grad student tell the graduate advisor he couldn’t afford tuition if they took away his remission and he was told to ask his boss for a private loan. And when you do have a majority being supplemented by parents they don’t care if others are struggling so why would they strike or complain? I hope the temple TAs get at least the bare minimum they are requesting but once the university pulls their remission they won’t last without going massively into debt.