USF graduate assistants: School delays pay talks until July

Graduate assistants at the University of South Florida face a pay gap that will persist until at least July. The university denied the union's request to negotiate raises for the upcoming academic year during this month's scheduled bargaining session. This delay leaves staff waiting for compensation adjustments while covering rising living expenses.

Tessa Barber, president of the Graduate Assistants Union (GAU), stated that the university’s bargaining team informed the group that the Board of Trustees had not authorized any pay increases. The administration told the union to wait for the final budget, a process that could extend into the summer. Barber described the situation as a violation of the understanding reached in the previous agreement, which anticipated negotiations for the 2026-2027 school year later this year.

The union argues that graduate labor is essential to the university’s operations. Barber noted that more than 25% of classes at USF are taught by graduate students. She added that their research generates hundreds of millions of dollars for the institution. Despite this financial contribution, she said pay has remained stagnant while housing, food, and gas costs have risen. Many assistants now rely on outside service industry jobs to maintain financial stability.

The university has begun restricting outside employment for these staff members. Barber said the school is cracking down on the practice of working other jobs, creating a situation where employees face stagnant wages and higher costs while losing the flexibility to supplement their income. She characterized the delay in negotiations as disrespectful to the immediate financial struggles of the staff.

USF President Moez Limayem addressed the stipend levels during a town hall earlier this year. He acknowledged that current stipends are not high enough but maintained that graduate assistants are not intended to live solely on that income. The GAU has been organized since 1980, making it one of the oldest graduate assistant unions in the country.

The union's status faces legal challenges under Senate Bill 1296. This legislation requires 50% of workers to vote in a union election for the result to be valid. A staff analysis by the state legislature indicated that the law could conflict with the state Constitution. The GAU is scheduled to hold its next bargaining session on USF’s campus on November 13 at 10 a.m. This session will be open to the public.