Updated Town Hall Times: Address the Needs of Student Workers During the Pandemic

Dear Graduate Workers of Columbia,

We are holding town halls to discuss the funding extension demand this week and next week, Wednesday February 3 at 9 AM EST and Monday February 8 at 7 PM EST.

In light of the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on our working conditions, we launched a petition as part of a campaign to urge Columbia to offer an option of an extra year of funding for graduate workers in doctoral programs whose ability to do research has been impacted by the pandemic.

Alongside this central demand, we urge the University to allow student workers up to and beyond their 7th year to retain access to their current housing and healthcare plan, to extend the emergency childcare benefit that was provided over the summer, to ensure that M&F fees be waived for those beyond their 5th year, and to permit post-MPhil leaves of absence. We also call for increased transparency from the administration in making these decisions and better communication of these policies across the student body.

Please read the full text of the petition here and sign here if you support these demands, and come to one of the town halls to get more involved!