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MU Graduate Students Hold Walk-Out and Rally, Want University to Meet "Basic Needs"

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Kristofferson Culmer

More than a 1000 graduate students and their allies – faculty, staff, undergraduate students and families – gathered at noon Wednesday in support of graduate students and their demands.

Some graduate students also took part in an all-day walk-out to illuminate the role they play in the education of undergraduate students and in research.

The rally and walk-out were planned as a response to the health insurance subsidy issue that has been taking place over the last two weeks. 

MU graduate student found out they were losing their insurance subsidies twelve days ago with just 13 hours’ notice.

Then six days ago, students were told the University would “defer implementation” of its plan to cancel subsides, and graduate students were guaranteed health insurance coverage for the next year.

But what started as a meeting to discuss healthcare options has evolved into something more. Through social media and group conversations – MU graduate students have decided the health insurance issue was the last straw.

“At that moment we asked ourselves “What are we gonna do?” and for the first time since I’ve been a grad student here at Mizzou, every grad student spoke with one voice and said we're not going to take it anymore,” Kristofferson Culmer said.

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Kristofferson Culmer is an MU Ph.D. candidate and the President of the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students. He said graduate students are asking the University to support their “basic needs.”

Students say that support from the University has been decreasing over the past few years. So the newly created Forum on Graduate Rights wrote a list of grievances that include health insurance that is guaranteed “for the full term of their graduate student employment,” assistance with childcare, university housing and higher stipends.

“You need to know that you are able to provide for yourself, your family, pay your rent, buy food, things of that nature,” Culmer said. “So this isn’t us asking for anything luxurious, this is for providing essentially basic needs for grad students.”

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Nick Potter and his nearly 3-year-old son Cosby.

Several graduate students at the rally even brought their children along. Nick Potter was one of them. He is an English Ph.D. candidate and was accompanied by his nearly three-year-old son. He said the issues graduate students are asking the University to address affect more than just the individual graduate students.

“I have two children - I think it is important to know that graduate student rights don’t only affect graduate students, but in fact their families and the students who they serve,” Potter said. “We are responsible for our children and we need help in doing that - in that we can take care of our responsibilities here at the school in addition to our responsibilities at home.”

Students gathered at the Columns in front of Jesse Hall, and then proceeded to march across campus while shouting “MU Grads Do” along the way.

Once gathered at Traditions Plaza, students watched as numerous graduate students, faculty members and even representatives of the labor union supporting campus workers came to share their stories and their support.  

One of the faculty members that spoke at the rally was Angela Speck. She is the Director of Astronomy and said graduate students are essential to the University's mission.

“Without them we will not have a university and they need to know that they have the support of the faculty and so does our administration,” Speck said.  

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Angela Speck was one of the faculty members that spoke at the rally.

Alan Whittington is the Department Chair for Geological Sciences and also spoke at the rally. He said he hopes the administration will respond to the graduate students' demands, though he acknowledged the challenges the university is facing.  

“I do understand the university budget is pinched at both ends - state support is down and our tuition increases are capped by law, so the university budget is very tight, but this is not the place to try to save money,” Whittington said.

Whittington said he decided to speak at the event because he knows what the graduate students are going through and supports their demands.

“I think they've been very badly done by,” Whittington said. “And from a purely selfish point of view, it’s hurting our reputation. It’s hurting our ability to recruit good grad students.”

During the end of his speech to the entire group Kristofferson Culmer spoke about the need for graduate students to work together – to prompt change.  

“Think about how you feel right now. All the energy. All the excitement. All the emotion. All the support,” Culmer said. “For us to have more progress, more success, we're going to need this day not to be the last day, but the first day. That this day be the start of something. August 26, 2015 - Grad Student Day here at Mizzou.”

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Rebecca Smith is an award-winning reporter and producer for the KBIA Health & Wealth Desk. Born and raised outside of Rolla, Missouri, she has a passion for diving into often overlooked issues that affect the rural populations of her state – especially stories that broaden people’s perception of “rural” life.
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