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This was an eye-opening read about grad schools and unions. (I took a lot for granted as a graduate student in the sciences nearly 20 years ago.)
Wonderful op-ed, too, Anne Helen! I shared it with my partner, who is a die-hard backyard putterer. Yard work gives him that zen feeling and a true sense of accomplishment. I don't have a yard in which to do yard work, so I get that sense of accomplishment from cleaning the bathroom. lol.
UM alum and daughter of a (former) union boss in Michigan here - the shit going on at U of M right now, especially now that they are going to fucking play football has really put me into a pit of despair. What has been so wild to me is how nakedly transparent it is, which feels different to how UM usually operates. The idea of "the Michigan difference" and "leaders and the best" is deeply ingrained in the Michigan psyche - many of us really do believe it and carry it with us into the rest of our lives, which, now that I write it out, feels so naive and silly. With its long history of liberal milestones, famous alumni, storied athletic programs, and I think its cover as a public university instead of a private one, the community really believes itself to be better than its peers, and definitely its rivals at MSU and OSU. The way the current administration is acting proves otherwise!!!
Unions have absolutely destroyed poor black education in South Africa - SADTU (wikipedia them) protects its members at the expense of the students. Refused to engage in any teacher grading. Reserves posts for the politically connected. Refused any technology advancements that might in any way sideline the teacher. Black education in SA has been the ANC's most heinous crime ( /s of course this is insignificant in comparison to the issues in the US, because clearly US issues are more important than the poor in SA and Zim /s ).
In the US of course you have the Police Unions doing their impressive work. HIGH FIVE for Unions.
This statement has a number of logical fallacies in it. Hasty generalization: because Police Unions in the US and SAFTU in South Africa are bad, all unions are bad. Also a mix of red herring and tu quoque, where these items are raised in attempt to distract from the main point of the article (health and safe working conditions for grad workers at UM) and attempts to make the authors point hypocritical by only naming bad unions.
Stop whining. You are not an employee, you are a grad student. Appreciate what you have. Stop acting like a spoiled child. You have more than you deserve. Appreciate it.
Sounds like whining when I'm paying for my kids graduate school! No free handouts for my family, full price so I'd say if you're not paying for the full cost then be happy. The crap the unions gets for grad students causes my kids tuition to be higher but that's the liberal mindset.....
That all you have? Be careful what you wish for, the instant my school treats student as employees is the instant my center will stop funding them and hire replace them with research staff. We’ll get more for our money.
Ya, if the conditions are so terrible then simply don't work there? US unemployment is what, less than 10%. You should be able to find another job. Remember, no one owes you anything. Mugatu : 'I feel like I'm taking crazy pills'.
This was an eye-opening read about grad schools and unions. (I took a lot for granted as a graduate student in the sciences nearly 20 years ago.)
Wonderful op-ed, too, Anne Helen! I shared it with my partner, who is a die-hard backyard putterer. Yard work gives him that zen feeling and a true sense of accomplishment. I don't have a yard in which to do yard work, so I get that sense of accomplishment from cleaning the bathroom. lol.
UM alum and daughter of a (former) union boss in Michigan here - the shit going on at U of M right now, especially now that they are going to fucking play football has really put me into a pit of despair. What has been so wild to me is how nakedly transparent it is, which feels different to how UM usually operates. The idea of "the Michigan difference" and "leaders and the best" is deeply ingrained in the Michigan psyche - many of us really do believe it and carry it with us into the rest of our lives, which, now that I write it out, feels so naive and silly. With its long history of liberal milestones, famous alumni, storied athletic programs, and I think its cover as a public university instead of a private one, the community really believes itself to be better than its peers, and definitely its rivals at MSU and OSU. The way the current administration is acting proves otherwise!!!
Unions have absolutely destroyed poor black education in South Africa - SADTU (wikipedia them) protects its members at the expense of the students. Refused to engage in any teacher grading. Reserves posts for the politically connected. Refused any technology advancements that might in any way sideline the teacher. Black education in SA has been the ANC's most heinous crime ( /s of course this is insignificant in comparison to the issues in the US, because clearly US issues are more important than the poor in SA and Zim /s ).
In the US of course you have the Police Unions doing their impressive work. HIGH FIVE for Unions.
This statement has a number of logical fallacies in it. Hasty generalization: because Police Unions in the US and SAFTU in South Africa are bad, all unions are bad. Also a mix of red herring and tu quoque, where these items are raised in attempt to distract from the main point of the article (health and safe working conditions for grad workers at UM) and attempts to make the authors point hypocritical by only naming bad unions.
Stop whining. You are not an employee, you are a grad student. Appreciate what you have. Stop acting like a spoiled child. You have more than you deserve. Appreciate it.
lol buddy you're in the wrong place
Sounds like whining when I'm paying for my kids graduate school! No free handouts for my family, full price so I'd say if you're not paying for the full cost then be happy. The crap the unions gets for grad students causes my kids tuition to be higher but that's the liberal mindset.....
That all you have? Be careful what you wish for, the instant my school treats student as employees is the instant my center will stop funding them and hire replace them with research staff. We’ll get more for our money.
Ya, if the conditions are so terrible then simply don't work there? US unemployment is what, less than 10%. You should be able to find another job. Remember, no one owes you anything. Mugatu : 'I feel like I'm taking crazy pills'.