------------------------------------------------------------ Graduate Assistants United eNewsletter Vol. 3, No. 4, January 15, 2004 http://www.ufgau.org ------------------------------------------------------------ You are being sent this newsletter because GAU is your voice in employment matters as a Graduate Assistant at the University of Florida. ============================================================ IN THIS ISSUE: Authorization Card Drive Health Insurance Update International Student Health Insurance International Student Fee Update International Issues Commmittee ============================================================ AUTHORIZATION CARD DRIVE The struggle for GAU recognition continues. Last semester, we were within 90% of our required goal of collecting 2,041 signed union authorization cards from the pool of 4,081 UF graduate assistants. Unfortunately, we historically realize about 11% turnover between the Fall – Spring semesters. So we are initiating a renewed effort to collect authorization cards. Please, if you have not yet signed an authorization card, please download, sign, and mail the card today. We need a strong union to protect and enhance the rights graduate assistants have. The sooner we have these cards signed, the sooner we can begin negotiating a new contract. To download your authorization card, please click: http://www.ufgau.org/authorization_card.pdf HEALTH INSURANCE UPDATE On January 12, Dr. Gerhardt of the Graduate School called a meeting to discuss the implementation of health insurance for graduate assistants. We admire Dr. Gerhardt’s efforts, especially given the complexity of the issues involved. Last year, there was ‘talk’ of the administration providing a $108 per person, per year, subsidy toward the Student Health Insurance program, with no provisions for spouses, dependent children, or domestic partners. This amount is woefully inadequate, but it is a start. GAU consistently has spoken on behalf of the needs of graduate assistants on this issue. GAU needs your support to be effective in this arena. Please download, print, sign, and return your authorization card if you have not already done so. To see our notes from this health insurance meeting, please click here: http://www.ufgau.org/fg/healthinsurancemeeting011204.pdf INTERNATIONAL STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE One of the issues GAU fought last year was to give International Students a choice in health insurance. The UF Board of Trustees requires all international students to buy health insurance, and this insurance must meet certain requirements. There are three insurance plans that meet these requirements. Last year, many students complained that the UF International Center was providing international students with information for only one insurance option. Thanks to GAU’s efforts, the UFIC now provides information for all three plans. However, the UFIC is investigating the possibility of having the Student Health Insurance Committee contract for international student health insruance. This move could potentially raise rates and limit the choices that international students have for health insurance. A strong union is your best defense against these types of problems. Please download, print, sign, and mail your authorization card if you have not yet done so: http://www.ufgau.org/authorization_card.pdf INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FEE UPDATE GAU’s legal staff is still in the process of collecting information to challenge the administration’s implementation of the $50/semester International Student Fee last Fall. We still believe this fee was illegally imposed and unfairly assigns costs to International Students. The international students are necessary at UF because the US educational system does not produce enough qualified graduate assistants for UF to become a top-tier institution. Approximately half of all full-time international students are graduate assistants, and over 40% of all graduate assistants are international students. These graduate assistants perform much the same work as faculty, for a fraction of wages. Clearly, the International Center is a profit center for the University, so the university should not burden the international students with those costs. As the result of our efforts to fight this fee, the administration is following through with the formal rule-making process. That in itself is a victory for us, as it forces the administration to hold a public hearing on the matter. That will give YOU the opportunity to directly challenge this fee. Stay tuned. To read the correspondence so far between our legal staff and the administration, please click here: http://www.ufgau.org/fg/intlfeeletters.pdf INTERNATIONAL ISSUES COMMITTEE In order to better address the issues of international students, GAU has modified its By-Laws to include an International Issues Committee, with the chair of this committee holding a seat on GAU’s Executive Committee. If you are interested in serving on this committee or as Chair, please contact GAU Co-President Craig Rinne crinne@ufgau.org ----------------------------------------------------------------- You are being sent this email because Graduate Assistants United represents you in University employment matters. If you would like to be added to the list, please send an email to GAU Co-President frank.goeddeke@cba.ufl.edu -----------------------------------------------------------------