June 7, 2019

Dear Provost Diermeier,

We write as a group of concerned alumni to express our solidarity with Graduate Students
United (GSU) following your June 6 message, “University Position on Graduate Student
Unionization.” We take issue with many of the individual claims in your letter, which we find both
factually incorrect and ethically untenable. Please find our point-by-point response below.

“Graduate students are essential members of the University’s intellectual community.”

As University of Chicago alumni, we remain forever grateful to the graduate workers who taught
our Core courses, language classes, and advanced seminars. But these contributions, of
course, ​were​ labor, labor without which the University cannot function. If it could, GSU’s
three-day industrial action would not have generated ​nationwide​ ​media​ ​attention​ or elicited
multiple emails from high-level University administrators. Graduate workers are thus not only
“essential members of the University’s intellectual community,” but producers of economic value
for the University.

“The University of Chicago is working collaboratively with graduate students and faculty
to ensure the continued strength of our doctoral programs.”

As you ​noted​ in 2017, “the balance of power has shifted from companies to customers and
other stakeholders. Transparency is increasingly in demand, and companies and regulators are
forced to respond ever more quickly to this scrutiny.” As alumni who contribute time, money, and
social capital to the University, we are among its stakeholders and deserve to participate in its
collaborative decision-making. We ask that the University’s treatment of its workers —
themselves “stakeholders” in the University’s economy — reflect our collective values.

“[V]arious schools and divisions are considering enhancements to student financial

support […] Such improvements may have to stop if the University were to recognize a
union.”

According to the ​National Labor Relations Act​, employers may not “threaten employees with
adverse consequences” like “loss of benefits or more onerous working conditions” in response
to labor actions or unionization efforts. As long as the University persists in mischaracterizing its
graduate workers as “students” exclusively, this thinly veiled threat does not violate the letter of
the law. It does, however, contradict the University's putative concern for graduate working
conditions.

“PhD students receive at least $30,000 annually, fully-paid health insurance premiums,
and full tuition for at least the first five years of their programs.”

As you know, GSU is not currently fighting for a wage increase, but for recognition as a
collective bargaining entity empowered to negotiate workplace​ ​issues — including, for instance,
unannounced changes​ to pay schedules.
Since you bring it up, however, the cited compensation package falls well below Cook County’s
approximately $54,986 ​median earnings​ for college-educated individuals in 2017 ​and does not
reflect local cost of living, including food and housing expenses. Significant numbers of graduate
workers ​reported​ being food-insecure in 2018; moreover, with Hyde Park rents ​topping​ $1400
on average, graduate workers earning a $30,000 stipend would have to spend 56% of their
annual income on housing.

As for healthcare, though “premiums” may be “fully paid,” graduate workers have long
maintained the inadequacy of the benefits themselves. The University’s “customer satisfaction
surveys,” conducted in 2018, apparently ​did not ask​ about healthcare. GSU’s own survey ​found
that 66.4% of respondents lacked dental and 78.4% vision insurance. As alumni, we expect
better from a university that compensates its president to the tune of ​$1.6 million​ per year.

“Unionization would fundamentally alter the decentralized, faculty-led approach to

graduate education that has long been a hallmark of the University of Chicago.”

At the University of Chicago, the process of “unionization” is a ​fait accompli​. Today, GSU seeks
not to unionize, but to receive recognition from the University administration​. T​ hat’s why the
signs around campus all say ​BARGAIN NOW​, not UNION NOW.

Furthermore, many local and peer institutions — including ​UIC​, ​NYU​, ​Harvard​, and ​Columbia
— have formally recognized their graduate worker unions without incurring the dire
consequences you predict. Faculty at those institutions ​do not report​ that the unions interfere
with their relationship with graduate students. Peer-reviewed research, such as ​this 2013 article​,
has found that “potential harm to faculty-student relationships and academic freedom should not
continue to serve as bases for the denial of collective bargaining rights to graduate student
employees.”

Both anecdotal and empirical evidence ​makes plain​ that any “alterations” proceeding from union
recognition would benefit “graduate education.” We are disappointed with the University’s
disingenuous conflation of the educational and material conditions of its graduate workers.

“[W]e believe strongly that doctoral education is most impactful when faculty work
directly with students, without a third party mediating and defining those relationships.”

There is already a third party mediating this relationship: the University administration, which
employs both faculty and graduate workers. Grads do not currently negotiate with faculty over
the material conditions of their work such as pay, health insurance, childcare, and office space.
These issues fall squarely within the purview of the administration. Allowing graduate workers to
negotiate workplace matters with the administration — not the faculty — through a union can
only improve doctoral education by removing material obstacles to academic success.

“There is no legally certified union for graduate students.”

Yes, but only because the University refuses to recognize it. According to the National Labor
Relations Board (NLRB), federal law ​allows​ employees to “persuade an employer to voluntarily
 recognize a union after showing majority support by signed authorization cards or other means.
These agreements are made outside the NLRB process.”

Because graduate workers cannot reasonably expect favorable rulings from a Trump-controlled
NLRB, many prospective unions ​have withdrawn​ formal petitions to the agency and focused on
voluntary recognition efforts instead. It is this alternative path that GSU is asking you to honor.

In many other circumstances, the University maintains ​policies​ beyond its bare minimum legal
obligation to further its values of rigorous discourse and education. The University has the right
and ability to voluntarily recognize a graduate worker union and is deliberately choosing not to.

“The University of Chicago is not opposed to unions.”

Your letter is an expression of opposition to a union.

“We support the right to free expression, but the actions of protestors cannot jeopardize
undergraduate and master’s students’ education.”

Again: if GSU’s industrial action has jeopardized undergraduate students’ education, that means
they perform essential labor on behalf of the University and should be classified as workers.

In keeping with the University’s unwavering commitment to free speech, we as alumni are taking
this opportunity to inform you of our strong support for GSU and their right to be acknowledged
as a bargaining entity. Aware that our dollars likely speak louder than our words, we pledge to
withhold donations to the University until it recognizes GSU.

As undergraduates at the University of Chicago, we received an amazing, life-changing

education. We believe the future of that education depends on the wellbeing of graduate
workers and urge the University to recognize GSU and bargain now. It’s the right thing to do.

Sincerely,

Chloe Ahmann AB 2010

Leo Allen AB 2017
Dean Armstrong AB 2003
Sarah Armstrong AB 2011
It’s time to discard the misguided belief that students should be grateful
to study within a university’s artificially aged stone walls. You picked us
for a reason. We represent you; if you won’t respect us, who will?
Joshua Arnon BA 2018
Frimpong Baidoo BA 2018
Rivka Baker Keusch AB 2017, AM 2018
Matthew Baldwin MDiv 1995, PhD 2002
James Baltzer AB 2014
Jena Barchas-Lichtenstein AB 2005, PhD (UCLA) 2013
Brian Barker AB 2016
Corson Barnard AB 2017
RECOGNIZE THE GSU NOW. MAKING FALSE PROMISES IS A
HORRIBLE LOOK.
Rurik Asher Baumrin AB 2017
The work of graduate students was essential to my undergraduate work
both in the philosophy department and in fulfilling my general education
requirements. I urge you to join your peer institutions and voluntarily
recognize their union. The failure to do has brought shame to the name
of the University. Make us proud.
Lauren Beitler AB 2005, MAT 2006
Rachel Berkowitz AB 2010
Zachary Binney AB 08
You won't get a dime from me as long as you refuse to refuse to
recognize and bargain with GSU. Your stance is so antithetical to my
values I'm embarrassed to call myself an alum.
Aliyah Bixby-Driesen AB 2017
Emma Boast AB 2009, MA Brown University 2019
Kathryn Bonese BS 1968, MD 1973
Oligarchs never want to share the power.
Colin Bos BA 2015
Paul Brown BA 2010
Liz Bucar MA (religious studies) 2001; PHD (Religious Ethics) 2006
Katherine Burkhart AB 2014
Katharine Burnett AB 2010
Vincent Calabrse MA 2017
Luke Carman AB 2009, MAT 2011
Eleanor Carpenter AB 2017
Matthew Cartier BA, Classical Studies, 2017
It's disgusting that the university has treated GSU so callously for so
long. Recognize them as a union and bargain. This is shameful behavior
from my alma mater and no amount of emails will persuade me to give a
dime to this school until you've met GSU at the table.
Tara Chandra AB 2011
Ipsita Chatterjea AB, 1991, AM 1995
I stopped giving a year or two ago specifically because of the way the
University is handling graduate students.
Hannah Chazin AB 2008, PhD 2016
Anna Christensen BA 2018
Caelyn Cobb AB, 2010
Janet Connor AB 2011, AM 2016
I am continually dismayed and saddened by your treatment of graduate
students. Over 2/3 of them voted to unionize and you should respect that
decision. I will not donate a cent to the university as long as you continue
to recognize GSU.
Joshua Connor PhD 2017
Gemma Cooper-Novack AB 2004
Alex Corey AB 2004, MA 2010 (Dartmouth College), PhD 2017 (CU Boulder)
The U of C can expect me to donate any money that I would have given
to university to the grad union, at least until the union is recognized and
bargained with in good faith.
Lucas Culler AB 2009, PhD MIT 2013
Kevin Curran AB 2003, JD (DePaul University) 2006
Adit Damodaran AB Economics 2020
Alex DiLalla AB 2016
Thomas Discepola AB 2007
In solidarity!
John Dowling AB, SB 2003, SM 2005
Ashley Dreff AM 2012
Erik Dreff Am, 2009. PhD, 2017
I'm definitely never giving money to the school if they don't recognize
gsu. I'm not recommending the school to my students for graduate study
either. I support GSU!
Alexander Droster AB 2016, AB 2016, PhD expected (UC Berkeley) 2022
Evan Druce AB 2006, JD (University of Minnesota) 2011
Solidarity with grad student workers!
Andrew Dudzik BS 2005, PhD (UC Berkeley) 2016
Michael Dunn Ab 2013, MSW 2018
Grad students were critical to my education at UChicago, and the way
the University tries to deny the importance and value of grad labor is
offensive. Solidarity!
Peggy Lin Duthie AB 1991
Mayanka Dutta BS 2018
David Emanuel AB 2003
Nikki Everett AB 2007
Max Falkowitz AB 2010
Alex Faraone AB computer science 2007
Jesse Farmer BS Mathematics 2006
I loved my time at Chicago and many of my most positive experiences
were with grad student TAs. Between our weak alumni network and
failure to support those aspects of the school that most strongly impact
students, I can’t ever see myself donating.
Sam Feldman AB 2010
Josephine Ferorelli AB 2005
Mia Fierberg BA 2018
Jonathan Fine AB 1991
Clare Flack AB 2004, MAT 2005
Mariah Ford AB 2006
Eleanor Friedman AB 2005, PhD 2013 (Tulane University)
Jesse Friedman AB, 2005
Speaking in terms that may be relevant to you: I can't fathom donating to
an alma mater that treats the people who do a huge portion of the
teaching this way. Shame on the University for its pettiness and
penny-pinching.
Jesse Friedman AB, 2005
Speaking in terms that may be relevant to you: I can't fathom donating to
an alma mater that treats the people who do a huge portion of the
teaching this way. Shame on the University for its pettiness and
penny-pinching.
Laura Fuchs BA 2007
Leslie Gailloud AB 2014
It’s the just thing to do. Graduate students were essential to my learning
and success, it’s time they earned the rights they deserve.
Gabriel Gaster BA 2009
Robert Gelles AB 2012
Matthew Gelvin AB 2005, PhD 2010 (MIT)
Ian Gerdon M.Div., 2009
Samantha Gilbert AB 2017
Mercedes Gilliom AB 2006
Kirsten Gindler AB 2015, Staff 2016-2019, incoming SSA PhD Student
Elizabeth Goetz AB, 2008
Miriam Golding AB 2008
Krystin Gollihue AB 2011, MFA Univ. of Alabama, PhD NC State University
Robert Grider SB 2010
Austin Gross BA 2010
Eric Gurevitch AB 2013
Elizabeth Hackett AB 2007
Rebecca Hall AB 2010
Jiyoung Han AB 2009
Doana Hanan AB 2003
Thomas Hansberger AB 2009 (History and Philosophy)
Many of my classes as an undergraduate were taught by graduate
students. The University has a moral and rational obligation to recognize
their work and respect their right to collective bargaining. If you continue
to treat their teaching as a “byproduct” of their education, then you are
lying to students and alumni like myself when you claim to offer the best
possible college education. That’s why I pledge NEVER to donate again
to UChicago until you recognize and bargain with UChicago GSU.
#BargainNow
Erik Hanson AB 2005, (MA Loyola Chicago, 2014)
Kathleen Hart BA 2018
Robert Hayes AB 2018
Ashley Haywood BA 2006, MAT 2010
Christine Heller AB 2011
Charlotte Heltai MA Divinity, 2018
Joseph Herbert AB 2009
Gregory Herschlag BS, 2007
Zoe High MA, University of Chicago Divinity School, 2017
Wally Hilke AB 2011
Aaron Hollander PhD 2018
Miles Hopgood AB 2010, MDiv 2013
Michael Howland-Dewar AB 2018
Honestly this is so basic. The fact that the administration refuses to
negotiate in good faith is a testament to the fact that rather than truly
supporting "freedom of expression," it instead is part of the broader trend
of repressive politics hiding under the mask of free speech.
Nicholas Howlett BA 2018
Drew Huening AB 2006
Jennie Ikuta AB (UChicago 2007) & PhD (Brown 2014)
Hasan Isham AB 2013
Nushrat Jahan AB 2018
Cathryn Jijon AB 2016
Sarah Jones AM 2014, Social Service Administration
Luke Joyner AB, 2009 & Lecturer, Art History
As a lecturer at the university, I recognize all the work that young
instructors especially do to make the university experience a good one
for students. Graduate students should be valued for the work they do,
especially given what's asked of them on top of their role as students.
Christian Kammerer AB 2003, MS 2006, PhD 2009
Ben Kauffman AB 2009
Matthew Kellard BA 2003
Recognize and bargain with the union and maybe I’ll consider donating
some money to UofC for the first time. Continue to bust the union and I’ll
make helping this organizing campaign my top priority.
Orion Kellogg AB English 2004
Kelly Keough BA Latin American Studies
Naureen Kheraj AB '17
Anne Knafl MA 2002, PhD 2011
Ayse Kocakulah AB 2006, MA 2014 (Univeristy of Vienna), MLS 2016 (Indiana University)
Sarah Koestler AB 2009, MPAff (UT at Austin, 2018)
Irina Kogel AB 2008, AM 2008
Graduate students were a fundamental part of my UChicago education.
The University’s refusal to negotiate with the graduate student union in
good faith is deeply disappointing.
Alex Koppel BS 2003
Gleb Kozyritskiy MA 2011
Andrew Krug AB 1999, MA 2008
This is far more polite than I would have been.
Peter Kuras AB 2005
Alex Lampros AB 2007
Madison Lands BA 2016
Casey Lange AB 2010
The best and most impactful educators I encountered as an
undergraduate were graduate student workers. Respect their labor.
Recognize the union and bargain now!
Steven LaRue AB 2010
I have proudly donated to various college programs for the past five
years, but in response to the hostility to respecting the bargaining rights
 of graduate students at UChicago, I cannot in good faith renew my
pledge until GSU is recognized and admitted.
Daniel Lascar AB 2003
Shame on you for not negotiating. My wife, Carolyn Jannace, and I will
be withholding our anual gift.
Christopher Laubacher AB 2010
Steven Lauterwasser AB 2012
Margaret Lebron AB 2007
Conrad Lee AB 2007
Lilly Lerer AB 2014
Gabriel Levine BA 2017, MA 2017
Joseph Levy AB 2004
Heather Lewis AB 2010
Katherine Lieder AB 2009, MA (NYU 2011), Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin-Madison 2018)
Juliana Locke BA 2014
Steven Lucy AB 2006
Nicole Lunning AB 2005
Anne Lynch MDiv 2017
This university has literally spent two years trying to break a union that
students and staff voted to create by majority. How can you possibly
claim to be pro-union? You're just liars, and worse, you're bad at it.
Christopher Macrander AB 2005, MAT 2006
Tara Maguire AB '07, AM '16
Mary Maloney BA 2008, MS (Northwestern University 2016)
Fedor Manin PhD 2015
Alan Mardinly BA 2006
for fucks sake
Alexan Martin-Eichner BA Mathematics & BA Sociology, 2017
Alexandra Mateescu AB 2011, AM 2013
Alyssa Mathias AB 2009
Allison McCaffrey AB 2012
Grad students deserve a living wage for their labor. As a teacher who
went into my profession due in part to the engaging classes led by grad
students, it is shameful that you refuse to recognize their impact on our
education. I have given to the U of C every year since my graduation, but
I will not donate one cent to the university until you recognize the GSU.
Bromleigh McCleneghan MDiv, MPP 2005
Colin McFaul AB 2005, PhD (Tulane University 2015)
Alexandra McIsaac SB 2016
Erin McKean AB/AM Linguistics 1993
Mike Mei BA 2012, Economics
No more donations to the university until they respect the overwhelming
democratic mandate for collective bargaining.
Kevin Meil AB 2010
Katharine Mershon Ph.D., 2018
Ashley Meyer AB 2005
Jessica Meyer AB 2003
Stephanie Mielcarek AB 2007, AM 2013, MA (UIC 2015)
Emily Minehart AB 2013
What a disgrace the administration’s response to GSU has been. I was a
perfect donor until this year. No more. I’m ashamed of the university and
exceedingly proud of the grad students and allied undergrads and faculty
fighting for fair labor practices.
Claire Moore BA, 2018
Jean Morrison BA 2009, PhD 2016 (University of Washington)
Edward Moser AB, 2004
Michael Mrozinski AB 2009
John Murphy M.A. 1969
Recognize and negotiate in good faith!
Prerna Nadathur AB 2010, PhD (Stanford, 2019)
Corrigan Nadon-Nichols AB 2005
Vreni Naess AB 1961
I have known and do know many hardworking graduate students who are
clearly employees of the UofC but are so badly paid that they either have
to forego essential services or rely on help from parents, relatives, etc. I
fully support the efforts and goals or GSU
Miranda Nelson AB 2007, MS (New School 2018)
Gayane Nersesyan BA 2016
nicolle neulist AB 2004 (Political Science)
Isaiah Newman AB 2018
The grad students that taught me and graded my assignments in my time
at UChicago were intelligent, thoughtful, dedicated people, and it's
disgusting for the University administration to ignore their union. Bargain
now! Yes GSU!
Chelsey Norman AB 2007
Harry O'Neil BA 2017
Joseph Ochiltree AB 2006
Leah Olm BA 2007
Kyle Ormsby AB 2006, PhD (University of Michigan) 2010
Sandra Park AB 2013, AM 2016, current PhD student
Priyanko Paul AB 2009, JD 2014
Graduate Students deserve fair wages for their labor.
Emily Pelka AB 2009
Brett Pepowski BA 2016
S Emily Pera AB 2007
Emily Peters AB 2003
Evelyn Pollins AB 2004, MAT 2005
Jermey Posadas AB 2003
What is especially egregious is how the University's positions/responses
are framed in exactly the same terms as the ones used by large
corporations to deny recognition to the unions of their low-wage workers.
The University cannot invoke its freedom as an academic institution —
that is, invoke a notion of a distinctive critical role vis-à-vis society —
while at the same time embedding itself in the discourses and mindset of
corporate executives.
Aleksandr Prigozhin BA 2008, MA 2010, PhD 2017
AB 2006, MFA 2014 (University of Illinois Chicago), MA 2019 (Bath Spa
Courtney Prokopas University)
Kyle Rader MDiv 2007, PhD 2016
Sara Raftery AB 2009 (MSW NYU 2014)
NIKHIL RAGHURAM AB 2009
Aditya Rao AB 2016
Clara Raubertas AB 2006
Emmett Rensin AB 2012
Sara Rezvi AB 2006 MAT 2008
Daisy Rockwell AB 1991, PhD 1998
Oh, the irony. We were taught of oppressive regimes and power
structures and the value of laborers’ rights in countless U of C
classrooms, only to learn that the University was itself a ruthlessly
oppressive regime.
Heather Rosenfeld AB 2007, MS 2014 (University of Wisconsin, Madison)
The actions of protesters *are now part of* undergraduate and master's
students' education. It's on the University what kind of education this
becomes.
Annabelle Rosser AB 2016
Sara Rubinstein AB 2016
Aram Sarkisian AM 2011
Shree Shah AB 2017
Emily Shaw AB 2007, MA Columbia University 2011
Avi Sheehan AB 2018
Larry Sheradon SB 2005
Max Shron AB 2009
Jeremy Siegman PhD 2018
Luke Sironski-White BA 2017
Darius Sivin AB 1990
Miranda Sklaroff AB 2010
Brady Smith PhD 2015
Samuel Smith AB 2005, MS 2008 (Penn State), Ph.D. 2018 (Colorado)
Peter Smits PhD 2017
Laura Staley AB 2004, AM 2013
The University cannot ignore the fact that it is drastically increasing the
cost of living in the University area through its economic revitalization
plans without also taking responsibility for raising the wages of its staff,
graduate students, and employees.

Graduate students were the backbone of much of my education at the U

of C whether they were teaching core classes, TAing, tutoring, or
otherwise providing what Professors did not have time/desire to do. We
as a community must ensure that they have the ability to continue to do
that if we want the intellectual community of the University to thrive and
grow.
Katelyn Stangl AB 2014, MURP 2019 (UCLA)
Sarah Staudt AB 2010, JD 2013
Nancy Stokley BA 1969
David Stone Lab School 1973
I appreciate the University’s willingness to negotiate with the Lab School
teachers union. Why not graduate students, too?
Rebekah Sugarman BA 2017 International Studies
Tompi Sunga MA 2019
Rachel Swift AB 2006
Anne Szustek Talbot AB 2003 AM 2004
Jessica Thomas AM 2012
Lola Thompson SB 2007, AB 2007
Lola Thompson SB 2007, AB 2007
Jean-Thomas Tremblay PhD 2018
Catherine Turner MDiv 2008, MA 2009
Can Ugur BA 2017
Kaan Ulgen BA 2017
Zachary Upton-Davis AB 2015
Laura Urbaszewski AB 91, AM 94, PhD 02
Douglas Vaaler AB 2015
Megan Verner-Crist BS 2018
Maya Vinokour AB 2008, PhD (University of Pennsylvania, 2016)
Laura Walker AB 2011
Alain Weaver MDiv (1999); PhD (2012)
James Weaver MA 2005
For a university with as distinctive a sense of self as the U of C, it's a pity
to witness it behave toward it's academic labor force with all the wit and
decency of the typical global conglomerate that it increasingly resembles.
Jonathan Williams AB 2007, SM 2008, MScA 2016
Whether or not their decision is wise or rash, I believe that the graduate
students have a right by principle to choose this for themselves.
Johanna Winant PhD 2014
Christian Winting MA 2014
Rachel Wiseman AB 2012
Sara Wolovick AB 2014
I am not sure how the University administration can in good faith argue
that their graduate students aren't workers when the University clearly
depends so heavily on their low paid labor.
Chelsea Woods AB 2011
Julie Xu AB 2018
Recognize GSU and bargain!
Peter Xu BA 2017
Annika Yates MA, 2018
Roman Zabicki AB 1999, Computer Science
I would add that if the University of Chicago wants to remain competitive
when looking for grad students, we must recognize this union.
Michael Zmora AB 2004