Students Demand a Living Wage for Graduate Student Appreciation Week

By Eden Shamy

Reporting Texas

Members of Underpaid@UT state their demands at the University Baptist Church on April 10. Eden Shamy/Reporting Texas

Last week marked Graduate Student Appreciation Week, but many at the University of Texas at Austin say they don’t feel appreciated while making less than a living wage.

“I feel like I’m just a source of labor for them,” said graduate student Noah DiAntonio.

A group of graduate students known as Underpaid at UT launched a week of action demanding the university to pay them a living wage. They also advocated for a parent-leave policy and protections for the humanities and social sciences. The group tabled and marched down Speedway, released a zine, and planned a conversation with administrators.

“We need to make them appreciate us by using our collective labor power,” DiAntonio said.

Despite teaching classes, grading hundreds of assignments, and conducting research on the university’s behalf, many graduate students receive a stipend worth less than half of the city’s living wage. For example, the minimum stipend for students in the College of Liberal Arts sits just above $20,000 – while the living wage in Austin is over $50,000, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Living Wage Calculator.

“I struggle to make ends meet on a monthly basis,” said Aine McGehee Marley, a PhD student and organizer with Underpaid.

Other demands include protections for international students and free speech on campus. In the wake of President Donald Trump’s deportations and crackdowns on universities, organizers with Underpaid at UT said they feared for their fellow students and research opportunities. In fact, 40% of graduate students at UT are international.

“People are scared to do certain types of research. People are scared to go to protests on campus,” said Deepesh Verma, an organizer with Underpaid at UT.

In recent weeks, the federal government revoked the visas for over 250 international students in the state of Texas. Verma and other members of the group said crackdowns are creating a chilling effect on campus organizations and causes. Underpaid at UT is exploring partnerships with other groups to protect their international peers.

“There are a lot of issues that are bigger than just more wages for us, but are connected to the fundamental goal of justice,” DiAntonio said.

Underpaid at UT invited administrators to a meeting at the University Baptist Church on Thursday, April 10 – but nobody accepted the invitation. Instead, administrators responded in an email stating that they would only meet “individually” with students about their concerns. Additionally, they cited increases to student pay in recent years and access to University resources.

“While competitive pay is important for graduate students, we acknowledge the equal importance of access to top faculty members, robust mentorship, comprehensive resources, and a supportive academic environment,” the email said.

The week of action ended with a picnic on the South Lawn. Organizers expressed frustration over the administrators’ response, but not surprise. Founded in 2019, Underpaid at UT said they have advocated for years with little to no consideration from the University. Still, organizers believe it’s important for them to set an example not only for Texas but for students across the country.

“There’s 10,000 grad students at UT,” Marley said. “We have power here, and if we work together, we will win.”