Nov. 17, 2009

From Robin Kaler, Associate Chancellor for Public Affairs

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Graduate Employees Organization reached a tentative contract agreement Tuesday morning during negotiations at the Levis Faculty Center in Urbana.

During the term of the three-year agreement, which is retroactive to August 2009, graduate assistant and teaching assistants will not have their tuition waivers reduced while they hold qualifying assistantships, are in good academic standing, and are making proper progress toward graduation in the program in which they began.

This commitment is consistent with longstanding and ongoing practice.

“We value the contributions our graduate assistants make to the campus, and we feel this tentative agreement represents the best possible contract given the financial constraints we face,” said Robert Easter, the interim provost and interim chancellor. “We are hopeful that since the bargaining teams have reached tentative agreements that cover all substantive issues, members of the GEO will vote in favor of the agreement.”

The GEO represents more than 2,600 graduate and teaching assistants.
Other terms of the agreement, approved by both sides on Saturday night (Nov. 14), include:

• Increases to the minimum stipend for 50 percent appointments (20 hours per week, nine months per year)
            $13,840 (year one, increased from current minimum of $13,430, retroactive to August 2009)
            $14,250 (year two)
            $14,820 (year three)

• Increases to the student health insurance fee subsidy:

          65 percent (year one, increased from the current 50 percent subsidy)
          75 percent (year two)
          75 percent (year three)

• The creation of a parental accommodation period following the birth or initial adoption of a child.

 Amendments to the grievance language and other non-economic language amendments.