In light of the recent political efforts to suppress the vital work of the higher education sector, graduate workers are facing unprecedented insecurity in our teaching and research. Since the Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition (IGWC) represents graduate workers on this campus, we must be party to discussions of labor conditions here at Indiana University Bloomington.

We demand that the IU administration take steps to ensure adequately-funded work is protected for graduate workers with a reasonable timeline to graduation without placing additional burden on department budgets.

We, the graduate employees of Indiana University, demand commitments to secure funding, including:
    – Guaranteed funding through the end of our degree programs, including for graduate employees currently on NSF, NIH, NEH, FLAS, and other precarious federally-funded grants.   
    – Financial security for all departments, programs, and cultural centers, especially those that are made even more vulnerable by the ongoing attacks against DEI initiatives.  
    – An immediate raise of 28% to $31k for minimum SAA stipends, to meet the standard set by the recent raise given to President Pamela Whitten, and a path toward universal 12-month contracts for SAAs with a living wage, which according to the MIT cost of living standard is $43k.

We insist that the deans of all colleges and schools with graduate students meet with representatives of the IGWC to ensure graduate workers can complete their work in a safe and timely manner, including discussions of:
    – Budget transparency 

    – Protections for vulnerable students, including but not limited to international students

This petition is signed by graduate student workers of Indiana University Bloomington and submitted by the Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition.