Official Blog | UCGPC

Dear UCGPC Community Members,

I am excited to share a series of public comment scripts on the impending pay deductions via attestation forms for grad student workers, graduate student housing, and basic needs.

As you know, providing affordable housing and support for basic needs is a critical issue for graduate students, particularly primary caregivers or low-income folks. We believe that it is essential that the voices of our community be heard by the Board of Regents and UC admin, who have the power to make decisions that impact graduate student pay, housing, and basic needs.

Therefore, we are encouraging all members of the UCGPC community to consider calling or attending the Board of Regents meeting at UCSF to make a public comment on this issue. The public comment times are usually in the morning. Details about the meeting can be found here: https://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/meetings/.

These scripts are intended to serve as a resource for individuals interested in speaking at the meeting. We hope these comments will help inform the Board of Regents about the importance of providing affordable housing and support for basic needs for graduate students. Together, we can ensure that all graduate students have the resources they need to succeed.

In solidarity,

Patriccia Ordonez-Kim,
Executive Director

1. Academic Worker Deductions Scripts for Public Comment
   1. Graduate Student Script
   2. General Script
   3. Faculty Script
   4. UC Alum Script
      1. Sources: https://cucfa.org/2023/01/uc-interference-with-faculty-protected-rights/, https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2023/01/uc-strike-dock-pay/, UAW email to union members
2. Basic Needs and Housing Scripts for Public Comment
   1. Graduate Student
   2. Undergraduate Student
   3. Faculty Member
   4. Staff Member
   5. Community Member
3. Very targeted scripts toward the UC Chief Financial Officer’s Office
   1. Script 1:
   2. Script 2:
   3. Script 3:
   4. Script 4:
   5. Script 5:

Academic Worker Deductions Scripts for Public Comment

Graduate Student Script

Board of Regents and President Drake: As a graduate student at the University of California, I am deeply concerned about the recent request for self-attestation forms to report the quantity of labor faculty withheld in support of our recent strike. I understand the UC has the legal right to dock pay for work not done during the strike, but I urge you to reconsider this action. As a primary caretaker with student debt and facing a high cost of living and inflation, any reduction in pay would be devastating to my financial stability.

Graduate student employees like myself make valuable contributions to the University of California’s mission. Still, we are already struggling to make ends meet, and the threat of pay deductions is yet another burden for us to bear. We are already underpaid compared to other universities and cannot afford to lose any more pay. We have reasonably demanded a living wage, and we should not be punished for fighting for our rights.
The self-attestation forms also demonstrate a profound misunderstanding of the nature of faculty and graduate student work. Many of us work beyond our contractual obligations and regular schedules. It is difficult to quantify how much work was withheld during the strike.

I urge the Board of Regents and President Drake to reconsider the decision to implement pay deductions related to the strike and to withdraw the self-attestation forms. Thank you.

General Script

Good afternoon, Board of Regents and President Drake members. My Name is [Name]. I’m here to speak for graduate students facing pay deductions related to the recent strike. Penalizing graduate students for participating in a legal strike is unfair and unjust. The University of California is responsible for providing a safe and equitable working environment for all employees, including graduate students. Pay deductions will only create more financial hardship for graduate students struggling to make ends meet. I urge you to reconsider this policy and instead work towards fair and equitable solutions that support graduate students.

OR

Good afternoon; my Name is [Name], and I’m a community member in [City]. I’m here today to express my support for graduate students facing pay deductions related to the recent strike. Graduate students are an essential part of our community and play a critical role in the future of our state. Penalizing them for participating in a legal strike sends a message that their contributions are undervalued, and their voices are not heard. I urge you to reconsider this decision and instead work towards a solution supporting graduate students’ rights and dignity.

OR

Good afternoon. My Name is [Name], and I’m a member of the UC community. I’m here today to express my solidarity with graduate students facing pay deductions related to the recent strike. The UC system is known for its commitment to academic freedom and social justice. This decision to penalize graduate students for participating in a legal strike goes against these principles. Graduate students deserve fair wages and working conditions and the right to advocate for themselves without fear of retaliation. I urge you to reconsider this decision and work towards a solution supporting graduate students’ rights and dignity. Thank you.

Faculty Script

Hello, my name is [Name], and I’m a faculty member at the University of California. I’m here today to urge the Board of Regents and President Drake to reconsider the decision to implement pay deductions related to the recent strike by graduate students. As faculty members, we are responsible for supporting our students in their fight for fair wages and working conditions. It’s deeply concerning that the UC administration is seeking to penalize graduate students for exercising their legal right to strike. This action undermines the principles of academic freedom and the ability of graduate students to advocate for themselves. I urge you to reconsider this decision and work towards a solution supporting graduate students’ rights and dignity.

UC Alum Script

Hello, my name is [Name], and I’m a UC alum. I’m here today to express my disappointment in the decision to implement pay deductions related to the recent strike by graduate students. As an alum, I know firsthand the vital role that graduate students play in the success of the UC system. Penalizing them for exercising their legal right to strike sends a message that the UC system does not value their contributions. I urge you to reconsider this decision and work towards a solution supporting graduate students’ rights and dignity.

Sources: https://cucfa.org/2023/01/uc-interference-with-faculty-protected-rights/, https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2023/01/uc-strike-dock-pay/, UAW email to union members

Basic Needs and Housing Scripts for Public Comment

Graduate Student

Good morning, esteemed Board of Regents and President Drake members. As a graduate student, I urge you to prioritize support for graduate student housing and basic needs. Many of us struggle to make ends meet due to California’s high cost of living and low wages for graduate student workers. This situation creates barriers to our success and can limit access to opportunities for students from low-income backgrounds and those with families. [Share your story.] Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. We urge you to take action to support graduate student housing and basic needs.

Undergraduate Student

Good morning, esteemed Board of Regents and President Drake members. As an undergraduate student, I believe that supporting graduate student housing and basic needs is essential to the success of our universities. Graduate students play an important role in our education. They are often the ones who support our learning through teaching assistantships and mentorship roles. We must invest in their well-being and ensure they have the necessary resources to succeed. Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. We urge you to take action to support graduate student housing and basic needs.

Faculty Member

Good morning, esteemed members of the Board of Regents and President Drake. As a faculty member, I have seen firsthand the importance of graduate student support for the success of our universities. Graduate students are vital to our research and teaching missions. We must ensure they have access to affordable housing and basic needs. Supporting graduate students is a moral imperative and crucial for maintaining the high-quality education and research for which our universities are known. Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. We urge you to take action to support graduate student housing and basic needs.

Staff Member

Good morning, esteemed members of the Board of Regents and President Drake. As a staff member, I have seen the impact of the high cost of living in California on graduate students. It’s not only difficult for them to afford housing and basic needs, but it also affects their well-being and mental health. We must prioritize support for graduate student housing and basic needs to ensure that our graduate students can thrive and contribute to the success of our universities. Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. We urge you to take action to support graduate student housing and basic needs.

Community Member

Good morning, esteemed members of the Board of Regents and President Drake. As a community member, I believe that investing in graduate student housing and basic needs is essential not only for the success of our universities but also for the well-being of our communities. Graduate students often contribute to our local economies and communities through their work and research. We must ensure they can access affordable housing and basic needs to support their success and benefit our communities. Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. We urge you to take action to support graduate student housing and basic needs.

Very targeted scripts toward the UC Chief Financial Officer’s Office

Script 1:

Good afternoon. My name is [Name], and I am a graduate student at the University of California, [campus]. I urge the UC CFOs Office to develop a cost structure for graduate student housing. Students must be provided with affordable housing to focus on their studies and not worry about the financial burden of living expenses.

Script 2:

Hello, my name is [Name], and I am a graduate student at UC Riverside. I want to share my experience with the high cost of living. I had to move five times between 2016 and 2020 because the rent was so high. I went from a studio that cost $1200 in Riverside to a shared 2-bedroom apartment with my sister 30 miles away from campus to my parent’s home in LA, a 1-2 hour drive from Riverside. My TA pay did not increase to accommodate the hike in the cost of living. Constantly moving due to the high price of rent and low funding has affected my studies and overall well-being. (This is Pat Ordonez-Kim’s story. Change the script to fit yours unless this is also your story.)

Script 3:

Good afternoon, my name is [Name], and I am a graduate student at UC [campus]. MIT’s cost of living index shows that the TA pay for UC graduate students who make around $33,000 in Riverside [or insert your income based on your campus] is insufficient to meet the high cost of living. We need the UC CFOs office to develop a cost structure that considers the realities of our finances so we can afford to live and study here.

Script 4:

Hello, my name is [Name], and I am a graduate student at UC [campus]. Many graduate students, including myself, have had to apply for EBT and SNAP to get by. We need UC CFOs Office to consider the cost of living and food prices when developing a cost structure for housing. It is a basic need that we must have to succeed in our studies and continue the purported excellence and equity that UC prides itself in.

Script 5:

Good afternoon. My name is [Name], and I am a graduate student at UC [campus]. The burden of health insurance for families is a real struggle for many students. We need affordable housing to focus on our studies and not worry about how we will pay for health insurance for our dependents and necessities. We urge the UC CFOs office to consider the needs of graduate students and their families when developing a cost structure for housing. Thank you for your time.