Why the university can't guarantee tuition remission

For Immediate Release

February 19, 2011

We appreciate the work the university administration is doing to update students on the budget situation. We at the Teaching Assistants’ Association would like to correct some misrepresentations in those updates.

Tuition remission is the most important recruitment tool the university has. It is the process by which the university waives tuition for graduate students in exchange for their teaching or research. For many graduate students – especially those from out-of-state or outside of the U.S. – tuition remission is the thing that makes it possible to be a graduate student.

We believe that the administration is working for our best interests when they say that our tuition remission would not be affected if the budget repair bill were to pass. However, this is a misrepresentation of the situation. The budget repair bill proposes to remove the ability to bargain over benefits, including tuition remission. Since our contract is with the state, and not with the university, the university cannot promise that tuition remission would be safe if the budget repair bill were to pass. It is our ability to collectively bargain that ensures we are able to have a voice in the decision-making process over our tuition benefits.

A loss of tuition remission would mean a loss of the university’s strongest recruitment tool. This would have a tremendous impact on the quality of teaching and research at the university. For this reason, undergraduates and professors, as well as graduate students, should be deeply concerned about the effect of this bill on the university community.

Contacts:

Alex Hanna, Co-President, TAA: 765.404.6996

Claiborne Hill, TAA Staff Member: 608.219.1739

Max Love, undergraduate: 724-557-6269