By Dar Danielson (Radio Iowa)
The state Board of Regents will vote on an increase in tuition and mandatory fees undergrad and graduate students at their meeting today in Iowa City.
Graduate students spoke out against their increases Wednesday during a public comment period. Amanda Kozar is a grad student in history, and says they can’t afford increases.
“There are multiple factors and being able to afford to live and work here, but one that grad workers care a lot about is fees since this is something the regents vote on you already know he was paid to work here,” she says. Kozar says inflation and other costs make it tough. “Most leases in Iowa City begin before the semester starts leading to graduate students having to foot the bill themselves,” she says. “Between moving expenses, security deposits, university fees, the U-bill and the monthly payments, the current pay scheme is unsustainable for graduate students.”
Noah Neibor is also a history grad student. “I and my fellow workers request that these fees be abolished altogether as they are an unnecessary burden upon us,” he says. He says the Board has the ability to address the issue. “I asked you today to not set your mind to just numbers or revenues. First of all, set your mind to the workers who make up 60 percent of the University of Iowa food bank clientele, because they are too poor to afford groceries,” Neibor says. “Set your minds to your international workers who faced added fee burns unjustly as they often support families here and abroad. Set your mind to those workers who must stretch every dollar beyond its limits as they earn wages 25% lower than the Johnson County livable wage.”
Nicole Yeager says other universities have recognized this and taken steps to help and keep graduate students. “I assure you that the wages we have here at the University of Iowa for graduate workers and workers, really across every level including psychologists are atrocious and embarrassing, and you must act now,” Yeager says. You must eliminate fees you must increase wages for workers and you need to prioritize mental health by ensuring your workers can afford to to eat and live.”
