Current Issues

• Graduate Housing
  • Issue(s):
  • The Board of Regents for The University of Texas System are currently undergoing a process that will determine how the land on which graduate student housing currently sits might be redeveloped.
  • The graduate housing provided by The University of Texas does not meet the needs of its current and incoming graduate population.
  • GSA's Position:
  • GSA would like to see the Regents and The University of Texas honor the importance of graduate student research by expanding graduate student housing opportunities at some location upon the current Brackenridge Tract.
  • Related documents: A presentation on the basics of the issue, Brack track timeline.
• Health Insurance for Fellowship Recipients
  • Issue(s):
  • University of Texas graduate students awarded fellowship funding are currently ineligible to receive the health insurance that Teaching Assistants, Assistant Instructors and Graduate Research Assistants receive.
  • GSA's Position:
  • GSA would like to see the State legislature amend the current law precluding graduates from receiving state employee health insurance.
• Movement on a More Robust Statistics Offering
  • Issue(s):
  • Although The University of Texas is home to several prestigious statisticians, the statistical offerings currently available to graduate students fails to meet the demand of its current and incoming graduate student population.
  • GSA's Position:
  • GSA would like to see The University of Texas begin the initial planning efforts that might establish a statistics center that would provide a more robust statistical offering to graduate students across the campus.
• Increased Funding for Teaching Assistants, Assistant Instructors and Graduate Research Assistants
  • Issue(s):
  • As compared to The University of Texas' academic competitors, several of The University's departments continue to underfund their graduate student workers.
  • GSA's Position:
  • GSA would like to see graduate student salaries across the campus meet or exceed the salaries of the premier institutions with whom The University compares itself.
• Educating Texas Legislators about Higher Education Issues Specific to Graduate Students
  • Issue(s):
  • The Texas State Legislature continues to hinder The University of Texas' ability to recruit graduate students and graduate professors by underfunding higher education.
  • GSA's Position:
  • GSA would like to fully educate elected representatives about the importance of graduate research at Tier I universities.
• Inspiring Current and Future Graduate Student Bodies to Participate in Their Own Governance
  • Issue(s):
  • Due to the time and energy expended earning a graduate degree at a premier institution such as The University of Texas, graduate students are often disconnected and uninvolved in their own governance.
  • GSA's Position:
  • GSA would like to demonstrate to all University of Texas graduate students how a mobilized and engaged student body can help develop more supportive institutional policy.