Testimonials

“During my time as a PhD student at RPI, I have sought treatment for my cat’s gastrointestinal disorder.”

“Sometimes I need to take her to the emergency vet or her specialist, and that is a large expense while waiting for payout from my pet insurance.”

“Better pay would allow me to more easily afford her needs and spend less time worrying.”

—Jasper Scelsi, 4th year graduate student.

“I began transitioning while at RPI, which, between dysphoria and body changes, meant that my old clothes no longer worked for me. Because of the low stipend and unavailability of plus-sized clothing at thrift stores and closets, I have been unable to afford to buy many new clothes, and wear the same 3 outfits in rotation. 

Additionally, I am unable to afford new glasses, meaning I am using a 2-years out of date prescription and scratched lenses. Further, due to dietary restrictions for common staples (wheat, gluten, onions, garlic, most fruit), my grocery expenses are much higher than average, and food banks tend to not carry food I can eat.”

—Moxie Broekhuis, 4th year graduate student.

”In industry, I had employer-backed health insurance that included separate dental and vision coverage.”

“After starting graduate school, I noticed a major decline in benefits; my premiums increased, I could no longer see my previous doctors, and I lost access to vision insurance.”

“These changes significantly affected my ability to access routine and preventive care.”

“This has created financial strain, making it harder to focus on my research.”

“Given these challenges, I fully support forming a union to help ensure that graduate workers have affordable, reliable health benefits and a voice in decisions that affect our well-being.”

—Zea Harrison-Bachman, 1st year graduate student.

”I suffer from a significant visual impairment (to the point where I can't drive; I'm legally blind). Vision coverage is so important for me, but I'm going to need to either (1) wait until after I graduate to get new glasses, or (2) pay a large sum of money out of pocket. A strong union advocating for vision coverage for all students is therefore very important to me.”

—Elias Goodrich, 5th year graduate student.