Hardship Fund for Columbia Student Workers
Donations will support students who can no longer afford rent, groceries, or healthcare because of Columbia’s failure to provide adequate wages and sudden change to pay policy.
Budget
Transparent and open finances.
Credit from SWC Picket Line Food Fund Surplus to Hardship Fund for Columbia Student Workers •
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$397,210.08 USD
$397,210.08 USD
--.-- USD
About
We won, but there’s still more to do!
We’re happy to announce that SWC and Columbia have reached a tentative agreement on a contract, and as of Friday January 7 we have ended our strike. Thank you so much to everyone who donated to the hardship fund over these past ten weeks, your solidarity gave us strength. We are now working to restore lost wages to all those who were on strike. As a condition of ending the strike, Columbia has committed to paying student workers for make up work, but for many of us this may be insufficient to replace the wages we lost while on strike. In addition, some of us face departments hostile to this arrangement, or where it is no longer possible to make up work. This means we still need your support—we have been able to keep workers afloat during the strike but many will be left with unpaid bills and debt. Please donate if you can!
Here are some highlights of our contract:
Effective Dates and Duration
Negotiations for a second contract must begin by May 1, 2025
Non-Discrimination
Non-Title IX EOAA claims may proceed to arbitration either after an EOAA decision, or else after 75 days have elapsed since the EOAA complaint was filed
Title IX EOAA claims must exhaust the EOAA and EOAA appeals process before proceeding to arbitration
All EOAA claims must exhaust the EOAA and EOAA appeals process before proceeding to mediation
Compensation
- 12-month appointment minimums (after dues): $43.1k (AY21/22), $44.4k (AY22/23), $45.7k (AY23/24), $47.1k (AY24/25)
- 9-month appointment minimums (less summer stipends, after dues): $32.3k (AY21/22), $33.3k (AY22/23), $34.3k (AY23/24), $35.3k (AY24/25)
- PhD students whose compensation is within 1% less than or above the new minimum levels (above) will receive retroactive compensation increases for AY21/22 of no less than 1% when on and off appointment, plus an additional 2% bonus intended for Union dues while on appointment (3% total), and subsequent minimum 3% increases for the remaining years of the contract
Pay parity: PhD students in the School of Social Work and Mailman School of Public Health will be brought up to the minimum total support of a PhD student in GSAS, SEAS, GSAPP, Journalism, SIPA. Compensation for PhD students in the VP&S Coordinated Doctoral Programs in Biomedical Sciences, the School of Nursing, and the Graduate School of Business will also match these minimum levels.
Retroactive compensation increases in year 1 of no less than 5% or $100, whichever is greater, and 3% increases for the remaining years of the contract, for Master’s students and undergraduate students, non-PhD doctoral students, and PhD students beyond their guaranteed years of support in all programs who hold appointments as Teaching Assistants, Teaching Fellows, Preceptors, Readers, Teaching Assistants III, Graduate Research Assistants and Department Research Assistants
Effective upon ratification, minimum hourly rate increases in year 1 to $21 per hour and $0.50 increases for the remaining years of the contract ($21.50 per hour in year 2, $22 per hour in year 3, and $22.50 per hour in year 4)
Benefits
Dependents of student workers will have access to their own Student Employee Dependent Support Fund beginning as soon as possible in the amount of $150,000, increasing $25,000 in all subsequent years
75% dental premiums for PhD students (on and off appointment) and their dependents who enroll in the Emblem Preferred Dental Plan. The University will pay an amount equal to the 75% monthly premium cost of the Emblem plan towards the monthly premium cost for those who choose to opt into Aetna or another dental plan
Memorialization of vision benefits for PhD students and their dependents to participate in a vision plan offered to students
Leaves of Absence
One additional semester of funding eligibility for parents who take parental accommodation leave
Child Care
Child care subsidy increases of $4,500 per child for AY21/22, $5,000 per child for AY22/23, and $5,500 per child for AY24/25
Eligibility expanded to children under the age of 6 and not yet attending kindergarten
Appointment scheduling accommodations for parents
Recognition
Allows for the possibility of explicitly including casual researchers, as well as student workers enrolled at affiliate (and even non-affiliate) institutions
Matriculation & Facilities Fee/Tuition Waivers Side Letter
Matriculation and facilities (M&F) charges, health fees, and the international service fee, if applicable, will be covered by the appropriate school for PhD students in all programs who secure external funding of at least two-thirds of their academic year stipend
The appropriate school and department will make reasonable efforts to cover the cost of M&F tuition and related fees for PhD students who secure external funding below two-thirds of their academic year stipend
PhD students who do not secure external funding, but make good-faith efforts, may appeal to the Dean of their school for coverage of tuition and related fees
Transitional Funding for Change of Academic Advisor Situations Side Letter
Amended EOAA Appeals Process Letter of Understanding
COVID-19 Funding Extensions Side Letter
A PhD student whose request for support has not been considered or has been denied may appeal the decision to the Dean of the relevant school
Spring 2022 Semester Positions / Back-Work Guarantee Side Letter
Schools and departments will identify and make available to returning strikers opportunities for make-up work
Anti-Casualization Side Letter
Anti-Bullying Policy Side Letter
Food Security Side Letter
Ratification Bonus
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Financial Contributions
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Thank you for supporting Hardship Fund for Columbia Student Workers.
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