MIT Chancellor and Vice Chancellor provide important updates on graduate student unionization issues
Ultimately, we do not want to draw any unnecessary lines among MIT’s 7,000 graduate students. However, the unionization process requires us to do that in one way or another.
The case for labor unions
Those who organize to form labor unions are neither irrational nor impulsive. Those who organize to form labor unions are critical thinkers driven by necessity.
We are international students and we are voting yes on the GSU
Surely, MIT can take concrete steps to address these issues we face as international students. Unfortunately, many of their recent policies have done the opposite.
An open letter on the war in Ukraine
This is a catastrophe for Russia and for the Russian people: a dark night is descending, and those least responsible for this war will suffer the most.
MIT’s administration seeks to exclude over 1,000 graduate workers on fellowship from unionization vote
Decisions about whether to fund graduate workers by RA-ship, TA-ship, or fellowship are often made arbitrarily for reasons of administrative convenience, without any difference in work duties.
Response to “I’m voting yes for the Graduate Student Union because MIT continues to fail its student veterans”
The truth is that we have been collaborating with the MIT Student Veterans Association on matters our veteran students care about, specifically those issues covered in the op-ed.
An open letter regarding MIT Dining changes and enhancements
n spite of the necessary changes made to support MIT’s pandemic response, MIT Dining and culinary partner Bon Appétit continued to work on improving facilities and offerings throughout the last two years.
Free expression and academic freedom on campus are worth fighting for
Whatever your views are on DEI or MFE and whatever you think of Abbot’s public comments, this cancellation is a clear sign that academic freedom at MIT is in peril.
Imprudent, immoral, illegal
Refusal to divest is also a deliberate, direct stance upholding the status quo — and the climate status quo is grossly unjust.
I’m voting yes for the Graduate Student Union because MIT continues to fail its student veterans
The problem was left to fester for over two years, and in Fall 2021, reportedly at least 20 student veterans did not receive their VA benefits worth approximately $3 million in tuition, nor did we receive our $3,000 per month stipend.
On Love, Truth, and Justice at MIT
I Love MIT. Those are three words that I would usually never string together into a sentence.
Surveying MIT Asian/American students on campus mental health resources
In our survey, a large majority of respondents indicated the importance of having therapists that share their ethnic background (70%) and are culturally competent (86%). Respondents noted that cultural familiarity increases therapists’ empathy and understanding of sources of mental health issues.
Unionize for a grievance procedure that puts students first
I enjoyed my first nine months in my lab without incident — I got along with my PI and was nearing completion on a body of work that would result in a first-author publication. But one October evening, things changed. My PI sent an email accusing me of breaking equipment that I hadn’t touched in weeks. When I tried to defend myself, she called me “combative” and called my communication style “unprofessional.” She told me that I was a bad lab citizen, even though as lab safety officer I devoted hours every week to managing lab waste and keeping my labmates safe. My PI made several unreasonable demands in the following weeks, including that we work at least 60 hours per week and respond to Slack messages within one hour during the workday, a rule that completely disregards the fact that students have classes and experiments that prohibit swift responses at all times. When I tried to communicate my concerns, I was again accused of “giving pushback” and being disrespectful.
Improving education at MIT through graduate student unionization
I came to MIT excited for an excellent graduate education in Materials Science and Engineering. After my first few weeks, it became clear to me that much of the work of crafting an education for both graduate and undergraduate students fell to the TAs. They were responsible for attending lectures, drafting problem sets in advance, teaching multiple recitation sessions each week, preparing review sessions, holding office hours, updating and configuring Canvas, drafting exam questions, proctoring exams, and grading problem sets, term papers, and exams. They do all of this while still being expected to conduct world-class research and take on many additional administrative and maintenance tasks.
BGSA votes to endorse MIT GSU
The Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA) is proud to publicly endorse the MIT Graduate Student Union (GSU) through a landslide community vote of 92% in favor.
MIT’s pre-registration fee is a hidden tax on students
Every IAP and summer, a little-known date passes that determines whether students will be hit with an $85 fee — the late pre-registration fee.
Now is the time for MIT to divest from the fossil fuel industry
There’s no better time to act than now. As the world races to minimize the catastrophic damage that will be inescapable to future generations if nothing is done, MIT must use every tool at its disposal to aid in the fight against climate change.
Empowering ourselves to be better researchers through unionization
Teachers unionize to reduce class sizes so they can focus on providing the best education possible to their students. Nurses unionize to fight understaffing so they can give their patients quality care. We’re unionizing so we can focus on conducting world-class research.
Fighting (against MIT) for math
Like many in California, I am battling my local school board and the state Board of Education to maintain high quality standards in math, to keep calculus available to high school students, and to negate the idea that right answers and showing your work in math are examples of “white supremacy.”
International student workers deserve fair treatment
During this crisis and in the months since, we’ve spoken to many fellow international student workers who believe that MIT’s policies often do not reflect or respond to our needs and that forming a graduate student worker union at MIT is the best way we can compel the Institute to respect our rights and well-being.