I think I’m somewhere in between student and employee, but much closer to employee. Research Advisor has funding for my thesis project, so if I weren’t doing it she’d have to hire a technician at a much higher rate to get the work done. I am lucky enough to have an outside fellowship, so neither she nor my university have to pay me (well, my university department supplements my stipend a little). If I didn’t have that funding, I would have to TA for my
For those students with a tuition waiver, the value of tuition can be considered a big contribution to their compensation. That means a student at a private university gets compensated dramatically more than one at a public institution, even if their
In the end, I feel that grad school is a luxury. I am very lucky to become so highly educated, that there are opportunities for me to do such interesting work, and that I don’t have to spend my time on nothing but food acquisition. But I’ll be happy when grad school is over, both because I’m tired of its obligations and I want more pay.
It seems like the grad student's real position is a perennial issue. Posts like this made me want to write about it too, although more explicitly. More to come.
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Yep, we are pretty hard to classify :) I've been lucky to be on a fellowship all along, which means that technically I haven't had a job in a really long time, but I'd say I am living pretty well for an unemployed, complete with free education (but no health insurance)!
Looking forward to seeing if you find that the weird concept that a grad student is doesn't fit nicely in other categories either :)
But when you consider your value to society, it seems like you should be paid way more than you are. Because the truth is, with your education, and your skills, you could leave school and go consult on Wall Street (whatever that means, but trust me, they'd hire you) and you could be making 80 or 90 grand a year.
This is what frustrates me. I know nothing about science or what you are studying, but I'd hazard a guess that you are underpaid given the value you add to society. And that seems unfair.
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I TA and get paid badly for it (does include Healthcare, but then this is Europe and not some weird new world country). But my status is Student, fun hey.
The fun thing about classification is how my university works it. For things like healthcare benefits, etc., we're students. But for things like childcare (which we have on campus and gives a preferential rate for students), we're employees. I don't think I'd mind the duality of our situation if it wasn't for the fact that I feel like the university uses that to take advantage of grad students.
yup, it's very much an in between position. kind of a job, but both much more than "just a job" (in terms of identity, commitment, passion...) and much less than a "real" job (pay, benefits).
I am constantly sick of being an "employee" and the sad rate of pay I get. I do get a tuition waiver, but I've never really considered that value, because I would never be at a program without one (I just couldn't afford it.) I once divided my salary up my hour and it horrified me so much I will never do it again.
It is even more difficult when one tried to explain this to those outside the academic circle. Yeah mom I'm at school today, yep I know it's sunday. My husband and I would always say we are going to work, except for the first year when we took all those classes.
But I have to feel good about getting any salary since my friends in other departments don't get paid at all plus they pay for tuition. Guess I picked the right field.
oh-and we get health insurance. It's been pretty good for me (with er visits and broken bones) but a friend who is really sick and takes lots of medicine always reaches his allowable coverage every month/year.
Oh yeah...cheap labor. Which is why some Universities never really want to see you fledge.
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