Livid Graduate Students Confront Dean On Stipends

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Graduate School Dean Lawrence Martin speaks to more than 70 students at a Graduate Student Organization meeting about controversial tiered stipends / Photo by Mike Davidson

By Michelle Trauring

News of the Graduate Student Organization's outrage over increased stipends for incoming teaching assistants shocked Stony Brook officials and left current graduate assistants feeling under appreciated and underpaid.

The stipends will increase $2,000 for 2008-09 incoming graduate assistants and teaching assistants only. This creates a two-tiered salary system but the competitive edge necessary to draw in prospective graduate students, said Graduate School Dean Lawrence Martin.

"I wish we could have given it to everyone," Martin said. "This is simply strategic and we know it's necessary. It's one of those facts of life," he said.

But the packed room of more than 70 riled graduate students did not accept the explanation during the March 11 GSO Senate meeting.

"I don't think I've ever seen this many people at a senate meeting," said Vice President Lou Esparza. "That shows people are concerned about this. I'm telling you very clearly that you screwed up."

At the start of the fall 2007 semester, graduate stipends boosted from $13,145 to $15,145, Martin said.

"I thought everyone would be happy about their extra $2,000 and now we can deal with the recruitments," Martin said. "No one's complained in the past because they recognized the need for competitive stipends. I'm sorry if people don't see this as a positive thing."

For some students, it's difficult to see this decision as beneficial when they have trouble meeting their monthly expenses. If the university were to equally distribute the extra money originally allocated for the incoming graduate students, everyone would collect $500, Martin said.

"We would much rather appreciate an extra $500 so maybe we can make rent," said former Senator Dan Woulfin. "I don't see how you think people in this room wouldn't be angry. This is a graduate nightmare."

Compared to other universities, Stony Brook's stipends are undesirable. Binghamton's mean stipend is $12,982. But when indexed to Long Island's cost of living index, it rises to $24,300 -- considerably higher than even the newly increased stipends.

"These new graduate students will still go into debt," Woulfin said. "It's nothing, $17,000 is absolutely nothing."

Doubting the significance of an extra $2,000, some students felt that incoming graduates should be warned. "We have an obligation to tell them the truth," said Senator Dylan Selterman. "This might actually backfire if we're honest and truthful with them."

Martin warned against this. "Being honest and truthful is putting all of the information in front of them and letting them draw their own conclusions," he said. "It's better to have good graduate students around. I don't care how upset and angry you are; just don't make the university worse. We should all want to make the university better."

The GSO values the recruitment of great students, said Senator Rachel Walsh. "The five year plan talks about the virtue of students," she said. "And are we not part of that five year plan? You need to place an equal amount of money and effort into retaining students," she said.

Senator Ruby Chen agreed. "This is very disturbing news for all of us," she said. "Paying juniors more than seniors is unheard of. This decision made us think that these incoming students are better and that we're not good enough. The school should make a decision that makes us feel needed," she said.

That kind of decision would require money Stony Brook does not have. "We're not a rich university, and we don't have the money to give to everyone," Martin said.

"At the expense of everyone, though," added Walsh.

Martin acknowledged the students' firm position on this decision. "I understand that it's unlikely that we're going to agree, but I don't want you to think we don't care. Believe me, there's a million ideas of where this money could be deployed," he said.

Regardless of where the money could have gone, Esparza said, "This was the wrong decision, but it's already done. We acknowledge that you're doing good things to show that you're not such a bad guy, but I think this community is right, and you needed to hear that."

Martin said that while there's nothing he can do, he'll try to pull for more funding. "We're not trying to be malicious," he said. "But this is absolutely justified and required. It's not a case of waving money in the air to attract students. We thought this would show how much we value our graduate students."

The Graduate Student Employees Union will continue their fight on Wednesday, April 2 at 12:30 p.m. during a rally in front of the fountain.