Our Email Campaign.

On March 23, We sent a letter to the university administration laying out a set of policies that we believe are the bare minimum necessary to support our fellow graduate workers during these difficult times. These policies are:

The expansion of insurance coverage to cover 100% of the costs of healthcare for all graduate workers and their dependents.
The extension of existing graduate worker contracts from 9 months to 12 months to guarantee a basic level of income for grad workers through the summer months.
The commitment of the university to working with all relevant bodies to ensure that international student workers are able to stay in the United States to work and study should they so choose.
The refund of all university fees prorated to the date in which the associated services became unavailable.

Shortly after receiving our letter, the head of Human Resources sent us a short and inadequate response which addressed neither the concerns expressed by our union nor the proposed policies aimed at resolving those issues. It became clear to us that the university administrators empowered to make vital decisions regarding graduate employees’ lives and livelihoods will not take our concerns seriously unless we communicate to them fully, forcefully, and consistently the dire nature of the situation and the immediate necessity of action.

Starting March 30 at noon, TUGSA initiated an extended email campaign. In order to impress upon administrators the gravity of the situation, and demonstrate the breadth of support for our proposed policies, we asked that all our members and allies send emails to university administrators every day at noon for as many days as it took to receive a serious response. As small a step as this may seem, this is a tried-and-true method of direct action that has delivered the goods for graduate workers in other universities.

Participants clicked links corresponding to the policies that we think should be adopted to ensure graduate employees are safe and secure during this crisis.

Together, we:

Sent over 4,000 emails

Galvanized 200 unique individual senders
Gathered massive support from national and local unions and union leaders, over a dozen campus organizations, four members of city council, and one state senator
Signed 27 new cards
Demonstrated our commitment to fighting for our rights as graduate student workers.

We’re not done yet.

Support for Our Proposals

Since we sent our letter to administration, we’ve received overwhelming support from graduate student associations across Temple, local and national sibling unions like the Temple Association for University Professors (TAUP), the American Federation of Teachers - Pennsylvania (AFTPa) and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), and local politicians, like State Senator Larry Farnese, and Philadelphia City Councilmembers Isaiah Thomas, Helen Gym, Derek Green, and Mark Squilla. Read our endorsement letters:

AAUP President, Rudy Fichtenbaum

Quotes

“AAUP has long recognized that graduate employees are members of the profession and are essential to the teaching and researching mission of higher education. This is certainly true at Temple, where 25% of the undergraduate courses are taught by graduate instructors and TAs. Their contributions to the institution, and the contributions of other Temple employees, are no less valuable during this time of national health crisis. We urge the Temple administration to do the right thing and to work with TUGSA and all the unions on campus to ensure the health, safety, and economic security of all university employees during this crisis.”

—AAUP President, Rudy Fichtenbaum

“I applaud TUGSA for drawing attention to the urgent needs of graduate students during this public health crisis, in particular ensuring that Temple provides the affordable healthcare and summertime stipends that their graduate students need to pay their rent and maintain their health. Hundreds of graduate students have kept Temple University running and will do so again once we are through this crisis. I urge Temple University to give its graduate student community the most important thing an institution can grant right now – the security to know that they and their families are safe, healthy and valued.”

—Helen Gym, Philadelphia City Councilmember

I proudly stand with the Temple University Graduate Student's Association (AFT Local 6290) during this global pandemic. As an educator and a Councilmember, I believe in equitable education and that every Philadelphian's basic needs are met. I strongly support TUGSA's need for health insurance coverage, summer subsidy program, cooperation with immigration officials and prorated refunds of fees. It is in times of crisis that society shows their values; I am humbled to be a part of a City that values working together to rise above a crisis. These graduate students may find the cure for the next pandemic or the solution to prevent the next pandemic - we must value this critical work and in turn, value these students.