Hello,

Today, Associate Dean Amal Ahmed announced significant raises for many of the graduate workers in the Khoury College of Computer Sciences, with those student workers’ stipends increasing to $50,000 for a full 12 month appointment. This is much needed for many of us who have been struggling to make ends meet in one of the most expensive markets in the country. Unfortunately, departments like Network Science — which is within Khoury — haven’t received similar raises, not to mention the various other departments that receive unconscionably low pay!

Based on the timing of this announcement (and the similar raises that were announced during our previous organizing in 2019 and in the summer of 2022 when we began collecting cards), we believe this is an indirect result of our organizing — they are already giving in to our demands before we even start official bargaining! Imagine what we could bargain for (more equitable raises with future cost of living adjustments? dental insurance? health and safety protections? clear paid sick leave policies? childcare?) once we win our union election this semester!

While this is a welcome improvement, we can’t help but think about our colleagues and peers, often standing at the same bench or desk, who are not seeing the same increases even though their rent has increased just as much — and without a contract, there is no guarantee that raises will continue or keep up with future inflation.

In the past, Northeastern has cited PhD recruitment as a reason for raising stipends to be consistent with those at other R1 institutions like MIT. Incidentally, MIT has recently unionized, so we have the opportunity to raise bargaining power across both schools!

 With a union, we can protect this raise they have offered, expand upon it to others who are just as deserving, and help raise standards at all schools and departments.   It will be a new foundation for us to build a better and more supportive Northeastern.

This improvement highlights what we have known all along: Northeastern can be better. This announcement coming the same week we filed for a union election and weeks after announcing our majority certainly emphasizes that together, we can win!

We hope to have an announcement soon for election dates, depending on the administration’s willingness to meet and agree to the election details, including dates and times. Even if they refuse, the NLRB will order an election so we can have a chance to Vote Yes, protect our futures, and give us the power to bargain for more!

In Solidarity,

GENU-UAW Organizing Committee

Re: Stipend increase offered to some Khoury PhDs by Northeastern Administration