Graduate student council reaffirms decision not to return money to administration

TAs will be able to take paid time off to focus on their degrees if they have been working at the university for longer than a standard graduate student term.

Additional money was recently allocated to the Final Project Fund, which gives long-time teaching assistants stipends to finish their degrees.

After Graduate College Dean Gary Pivo reviewed the budgets of individual graduate projects and programs, all excessive funding - a total of $200,000 - was allocated for the fund, said Kirsten Copeland, president of the Graduate and Professional Student Council at the council's meeting last night.

Prior to this new addition, the fund had a $60,000 budget.

The announcement made to grant additional funds at last night's GPSC meeting was also a sign that administrators are still interested in keeping a good faith relationship with GPSC, Copeland said.

Council members were again asked last night to return $200,000 - an overflow of funds originally for fall 2001 tuition waivers - to help with $15.8 million in state-mandated budget cuts.

This money would come from a different fund from the $200,000 allocated for the Final Project Fund.

Pressure to return the money has increased from university administrators, despite a recent 12-10 vote by GPSC to not give back funds.

That money would have made up 10 percent of the additional $1.9 million needed for the budget cuts.

Despite her belief that graduate students should not be required to give money back, GPSC representative Beata Blachuta voted to return the funds to the administration because she said she understands that the entire university is having to return funds.

"I don't think they're out to get us," Blachuta said.

Some council members said that the administration did not provide them with enough information to make a decision to give back these funds.

"The only indication of their intentions came from Kirsten," said Curt Corum GPSC representative.

Copeland said she believes the administration will continue with its requests for this funding, regardless of the recent vote.

"The issue is definitely going to be revisited," she said.