TUGSA GMM

4/7/2016

  1. In attendance: Brynn, Claire, Jeff, Christian, guy from physics, Grokim, Diane, Alec, Sarah, Ben, Susan, Chris, Bonny
  2. Call to order: 3:20pm
  3. Pressing Issues
  4. Gorkim (TA), went to dentist frustrated with experience, had to pay several thousand dollars. Now is waiting to go to Turkey for dental work. Unsure if our insurance covers dental and if so how much. Went twice and paid $75 dollars for examination. Temple clinic not paying for crown and root work. Susan says to use AFT card and say you are an employee of Temple things get waived. Phil says you have to get the provider number (sent in email) can callthe IBC people, then you give them the provider number and they get in touch with concordia advantage who pays for the dental because IBC doesn’t do the dental stuff they have a third part insurer, you go to temple dental on the second floor and they search the provider number and they should find your stuff there. Different plans have different levels of coverage. Phil says min and standard plan are subsidized if you don’t have dependents. Gorkim has a dependent and has the lowest tier plan.
  5. Chris raised a question regarding the allotment of classes on issues of race, and the humanities.
  6. Union did not have information on hand, but it is understood that generally there is a direction within the university to orient the burden of teaching the humanities around the interests of the STEMM fields.
  7. Student Fees Campaign
  8. Petition being circulated to address ongoing situation with student fees, despite the fact that graduate students are technically employees
  9. Fees generally are charged and due during a period when graduate students have not been paid
  10. Brynn highlights the initial step of effectively fighting against exploitative fees is to raise awareness of the issue with the general student body.
  11. Workload as a continuing problem for graduate students
  12. Not being paid for a month of preparation before the start of formal classes–Gorkem
  13. Susan raises the question of union members tracking their working hours for the week in order to plead a case with the university to challenge over the work hours.
  14. Union suggests that encouraging members to keep track of their work hours, can be useful for when the contract is renegotiated in 2017.
  15. Sexual Harassment
  16. Some departments are better than others are when it comes to dealing with sexual harassment.
  17. Union wants to do better with wrestling with the issue
  18. April 14: Stadium Stompers (Day of Rage): TUGSA IS NOT ENDORSING THIS EVENT!
  19. 6 am Picket at McDonalds
  20. 7am Real Justice Coalition Disrupting Fox News Event
  21. 2pm Student Walkout Converging at Bell Tower
  22. 3pm Things will happen/Board Meeting
  23. 4pm Real Justice will meet with March at Broad and Girard
  24. 5pm Rally at Broad and Arch
  25. Elections for the Next E-Board