Last Updated on 02-24-2017 (to add your name, e-mail [email protected]). This letter was previously published in the Press-Citizen on February 10, 2017 (link)
To The Editor:
We, the undersigned faculty members of the University of Iowa, offer our full support for the graduate student employees of the University of Iowa and their representatives in COGS (the Campaign to Organize Graduate Students). Graduate students are an essential part of the university community and play a crucial role in fulfilling the university’s academic mission.
In recent negotiations, the administration has refused to commit to providing graduate student employees with quality health care benefits in their next contract with COGS. In a comment to the Daily Iowan, Graduate College Dean John Keller cited uncertainty regarding potential legislative changes to Chapter 20 of the Iowa code, the section of state law that governs collective-bargaining rights. The uncertainty, Keller claimed, “puts a substantial damper on our ability to provide some assurances. We don’t know exactly what we’re going to be able to negotiate on and at what level until the state has determined what they’re going to do.” But the expected changes to Chapter 20 would affect only what unions like COGS can negotiate, not what employers can offer. Any uncertainty about future legislative changes has nothing to do with the ethical obligation to treat graduate students fairly. Beyond ethics, denying graduate students crucial benefits would hamstring the university’s efforts to recruit and retain the most talented scholars—efforts crucial to the UI’s mission as an R1 research university.
We’ll state our belief clearly: a university that benefits substantially from the labor and scholarly contributions of its graduate students should provide them with quality, affordable health insurance.
Sincerely,
Meredith Alexander, Theatre Arts Saba Rasheed Ali, Psychology Paula Amad, Cinematic Arts Wayne Anderson, Rhetoric Isabel Barbuzza, Art and Art History Margaret Beck, Anthropology Asha Bhandary, Philosophy Cinzia Blum, French and Italian Linda Bolton, English Florence S. Boos, English Lori Branch, English Matthew Brown, English Shea Brown, Physics and Astronomy Jennifer Buckley, English Ethan Canin, Writers’ Workshop Shuang Chen, History Ryan Cobb, Philosophy Cinda Coggins-Mosher, Rhetoric Laurie J. Croft, Teaching and Learning Jon Crylen, Cinematic Arts Roxanna Curto, French and Italian Jovana Davidovic, Philosophy Patrick Dolan, Rhetoric and GWSS Lu Ann Dvorak, Rhetoric Laurel Farrin, Art and Art History Daniel Fine, Theatre Arts Natalie Fixmer-Oraiz, Communication Studies and GWSS James Galvin, Writers’ Workshop Dorothy Wolfe Giannakouros, Rhetoric Mike Gibisser, Cinematic Arts James Giblin, History Matthew Gilchrist, Rhetoric Loren Glass, English Megan Gogerty, Theatre Arts David Gooblar, Rhetoric Colin Gordon, History Blaine Greteman, English Naomi Greyser, Rhetoric and English David V. Hagan, French and Italian Matthew Hannah, Obermann Center for Advanced Studies Ali Hasan, Philosophy Benjamin Hassman, Rhetoric Timothy Havens, Communication Studies Sue Hettmansperger, Art and Art History Adam G. Hooks, English Perry Howell, Rhetoric Mark Isham, English and Engineering Will Jennings, Rhetoric Anita Jung, Art and Art History Jiyeon Kang, Communication Studies Kiyomi Kawakami, Asian and Slavic Languages and Literatures Meena Khandelwal, Anthropology and GWSS Nicholas M. Kelly, Rhetoric Joni L. Kinsey Fields, Art and Art History Megan Knight, Rhetoric Gregory Landini, Philosophy Brooks Landon, English Kathy Lavezzo, English Ellen Lewin, Anthropology and GWSS Katina T. Lillios, Anthropology Chloe Livaudais, Nonfiction Writing Margot Livesey, Writers’ Workshop Jason Livingston, Cinematic Arts John Logsdon, Biology Jennifer Loman, Rhetoric Philip Lutgendorf, Asian and Slavic Languages and Literatures Teresa Mangum, GWSS and English Luis Martín-Estudillo, Spanish and Portugese Sonja Mayrhofer, Rhetoric Matt McBride, Rhetoric AmyRuth McGraw, American Sign Language Program John McKerley, History Kembrew McLeod, Communication Studies Margaret H. Mills, Asian and Slavic Languages and Literatures Margaret Murray, Rhetoric Nandakumar Narayanan, Neurology Anne Marie Nest, Theatre Arts Judith Pascoe, English Hem Paudel, Rhetoric Katarina Perovic, Philosophy Michelene Pesantubbee, Religious Studies Jennifer Burek Pierce, Library and Information Science Takis Poulakis, Rhetoric Roland Racevskis, French and Italian Jacki Rand, History Mary Ann Rasmussen, English and GWSS Ana M. Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Spanish and Portugese Phillip Round, English Bernice Santiago, English Amy Schendel, Music Lisa Schlesinger, Theatre Arts Morten Schlütter, Religious Studies Leslie Schwalm, History and GWSS Rosemarie Scullion, French and Italian Carol Severino, Rhetoric Frederick M. Smith, Religious Studies James Snitzer, Art and Art History Harilaos Stecopoulos, English Joseph Steinitz, Rhetoric David Stern, Philosophy Eric Stone, Theatre Arts Landon Storrs, History Bonnie S. Sunstein, English and Education Jenna Supp-Montgomerie, Religious Studies and Communication Studies Carrie Swanson, Philosophy Katherine H. Tachau, History Dana Thomann, Rhetoric Jonathan T. Thomas, Rhetoric Mary Trachsel, Rhetoric Steven Ungar, Cinematic Arts Stephen Vlastos, History Stephen Voyce, English Ashley Wells, Rhetoric Emily Wentzell, Anthropology Deborah Elizabeth Whaley, American Studies Jonathan Wilcox, English Charles Williams, Rhetoric Rachel Marie-Crane Williams, GWSS Elizabeth Willis, Writers’ Workshop Jon Winet, Art and Art History Michael Andrew Žmolek, History