The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News
The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News
The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News
Graduate students march to the Cathedral of Learning on Friday to deliver their health insurance petition to the Office of the Provost.

‘Direct attack’: Health insurance hikes push graduate students’ budgets to the breaking point

By Jack Troy, Senior Staff Writer • September 4, 2023
Many students at Pitt who are hospitalized may hit their out-of-pocket maximum of $4,200 by the end of the academic year. That’s 21% of the minimum stipend for graduate workers — an unacceptable burden, students affected by the changes say.
Pitt’s Graduate and Professional Student Government is showing its appreciation this week for grad students this year with its annual graduate and professional student appreciation week.

GPSG shows appreciation for grad students through week of events

By Nathan Fitchett, Senior Staff Writer • April 4, 2021
Pitt’s Graduate and Professional Student Government is kicking off a week of virtual events for its annual Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week on Monday. These events are designed to show appreciation for grad students.
A multi-year attempt to unionize more than 2,000 graduate students at Pitt appeared to have fallen through earlier this month when the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board upheld graduate students’ April 2019 vote against unionization. But United Steelworkers, the union aiding Pitt graduate students’ and faculty’s unionization efforts, filed an exception to that ruling last Thursday.

Grad union organizers appeal PLRB decision, continue campaigning despite setbacks

By Neena Hagen, Senior Staff Writer • March 26, 2021
Pitt grad union organizers filed an exception to a March 1 decision by the PLRB that upheld the 2019 vote against unionizing. Organizers argue the University didn’t provide sufficient evidence to show that its coercive conduct did not substantially affect the vote tally.
The Graduate Student Organizing Committee released a petition — addressed to Provost Ann Cudd, Chancellor Patrick Gallagher and the Board of Trustees — that asked Pitt’s administration to grant every funded graduate student the option of a one-year funding extension. It also calls for extra support for students who are parents or those struggling with housing, assistance for international students in navigating visa issues and more mental health services.

Grad union organizers criticize lack of no-questions-asked funding extension amid pandemic

By Nathan Fitchett, Senior Staff Writer • February 5, 2021
The Graduate Student Organizing Committee is criticizing the University’s refusal to grant a no-questions-asked funding extension to graduate students amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Pitt is offering funding on a case-by-case basis, but didn’t respond to requests for comment on the specifics of the application.
Martha Merrill, a recent graduate working in science policy at the national level, speaks to students and community members Tuesday about projects she has worked on that had serious impacts on U.S. policy. (Photo by Christian Snyder | Contributing Editor)

Pitt alum speaks about science policy

By Amanda Finney | Staff Writer • December 6, 2017

Women in STEM often leave their jobs mid-career to spend more time with their families, but then later struggle to integrate back into the workplace. To help women in this situation regain their careers,...

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are considering two versions of a tax reform plan that could minimize several tax deduction benefits that Pitt receives. (Photo by Martin Falbisoner via Wikimedia Commons)

Editorial: GOP tax plan would aggrieve grad students

By The Pitt News Editorial Board • November 19, 2017

Republicans acted last week with their tax bill to relinquish the United States’ status as a country with one of the highest official corporate tax rates in the world. In its place, the GOP plans to...

Union supporters deliver letters from elected officials supporting the union to Chancellor Patrick Gallagher Tuesday. (Photo by Janine Faust / Contributing Editor)

Editorial: On union, University should stay on sidelines

By The Pitt News Editorial Board • September 14, 2017

The push to unionize grad students at the University, while in the works since the beginning of 2016, has heated up significantly in the past few months. When Pitt graduate students arrived in the common...

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