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<h2>PRESS RELEASE</h2>
<p>

<br>WHAT:  Health Benefits Rally
<br>WHEN:  April 1, 2002, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, speakers from 12:20 PM - 12:45
PM
<br>WHERE:  Plaza of the Americas, University of Florida Campus
<br>WHY:  To raise public awareness of the lack of health benefits provided
for
graduate assistants

<p>
Graduate Assistants United (GAU), the union that represents the
University
of Florida's 3,850 graduate assistants, will be hosting a health
benefits
rally, to bring public attention to the lack of health benefits for
graduate
assistants.
<p>
A coalition of campus groups will be represented at this rally.  Nikki
Fried, the incoming student body president, will be one of the featured
speakers.  The president of the Graduate Student Council, the president
of
the Faculty union, and the president of the UF Faculty Senate will also
be
speaking.  Last semester, approximately 150 people attended this event. 
We
are expecting more this semester.  In addition, last semester there were
two
TV stations and seven radio stations covering the event.
<p>
Graduate Assistants at the University of Florida are still not provided
health benefits as part of their compensation package, even though ten
of
the University's twelve peer institutions do provide health benefits for
their graduate assistants.  This lack of health benefits is a
competitive
issue, because high-quality graduate students may not come to UF when
they
have offers from other schools that do provide health benefits.
High-quality faculty candidates may not accept job offers at UF, when UF
is
unable to attract the most competitive graduate students to work under
them
as assistants.
<p>
This dearth of health benefits occurs even though the use of graduate
assistants saves the University many millions of dollars each year,
since
graduate assistants teach the same classes as faculty at a fraction of
the
cost.  Because graduate assistants are paid a fraction of the faculty
salary, the University generates a large economic surplus by continuing
to
increase the proportion of the undergraduate teaching load taught by
graduate assistants.  For instance, in 1996, graduate assistants taught
33.5% of the undergraduate course sections at UF.  In 2001, graduate
assistants taught 41.5% of the undergraduate course sections.
<p>
Graduate assistants deserve a share of the economic surplus their work
generates.  Right now, GAU has a bare-bones health benefits proposal
that
would only cost approximately $2 million on the bargaining table.  That
number is still a fraction of the cost savings generated by substituting
higher-paid faculty with lower-paid graduate assistants.  The University
can
provide health benefits for graduate assistants and still realize an
economic surplus from their labor.
<p>
GAU has analyzed the instructor evaluation database, and found that of
the
undergraduate course titles taught by graduate assistants, graduate
assistants receive higher instructor evaluations than all other faculty
groups combined, in all evaluation categories.  These statistics attest
to
the dedication of graduate assistants and their importance to the
mission of
the University.
<p>
<strong>FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</strong>
<p>

<br>GAU Co-President Frank Goeddeke
<br>(352) 379-0539 Home
<br>(352) 846-2691 Office
<br>goeddeke@ufl.edu


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