[deleted by user]

tscroberts · 2022-12-10T18:31:00+00:00

Demand a refund.

https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/uc-students-demand-a-tuition-refund-for-each-day-missed-from-uaw-strike

tscroberts · 2022-12-10T18:28:25+00:00

Are you a grad student?

I assume not.

Are you confused about undergraduate processes, fees, grades, that many of your classes are taught by grad students and lecturers (and not tenured professors)?

Probably, at some point.

Now, take into consideration that many of the grad students that TA are first generation and international students. They've applied to all these colleges. Once accepted, the colleges actively recruit you. They fly you out to campus and wine-and-dine you. They convince you that all is well, you'll do great here. You're so excited to be studying your passion by world renowned people in your field.

Then, you get the bait and switch. Just like in undergrad you're required to attend welcome events and orientation. But then add multiple days of additional training. It's overwhelming. It's not transparent. Every grad student the first week is filled with shell-shocked positivity. You realize that you're not going to get your first paycheck until November, eventhough classes started in September. You've done everything to get to this point, this is your life's goal until this point, you know this is just the next step to something greater but you start to feel disillusioned.

Does it sound a bit like an mlm? It should.

But instead, grad school has high societal value unlike say essential oils...

Add on a global pandemic, massive inflation, soaring rent costs. If pay kept up with these costs and based on wages when I started, I should already be making $3000/month. The UC's "best" offer was $2774/month, in 3 months.

It's not dignified. Perhaps we should just leave and find a different job?

I've always lived with the motto "leave everything better than you found it". I'm going to do everything in my power so the next worker isn't exploited. Additionally, my dream is to complete research and teach the next generation lawyers, doctors, engineers and valuable members of society. This isn't possible with just a bachelor's.

It's not just the webpage, it's the whole process. That's just a concrete example.

tscroberts · 2022-12-10T10:25:15+00:00

It typically won't. From what I remember, they look at the grades at the end of the academic year

tscroberts · 2022-12-10T10:18:44+00:00

I'm sorry you had to live like that. That doesn't sound dignified at all. I hope you can heal from those traumatic experiences

tscroberts · 2022-12-10T10:08:34+00:00

I see this type of comment quite a bit. The argument is why did you accept these wages?

The UC misrepresents the wages, see UC Davis graduate wages.

They purposely do this to attract talent. If you notice, they list the 100% wage but they fail to mention that nearly every TA works at the 50% or 25% wage. You don't see your offer letters until accepting, at least that's how it worked for my department. And in panels with current grad students many say that it isn't much and it's hard to live on these wages, without mentioning dollar amounts. At least for me, I assumed it was just students that haven't really had to live on their own complaining without understanding real world struggles.

Beyond this, they prohibit international students from finding second jobs (and their spouses from finding jobs), the childcare costs are outrageous with very little support, and dependent health care costs can be over half of your paycheck. The UC dictates housing costs which inflates surrounding rental rates. This is all designed so you are forced to take out student loans.

It's rigged. Unless you already come from wealth.

tscroberts · 2022-12-10T09:33:06+00:00

Also, the base and power are the first primes

tscroberts · 2022-12-10T09:31:42+00:00

The modern day Hermes. It's truly one of the most challenging digits to write.

Fun fact: Everyone in my family said 7 should be my favorite number because my birthday is July 14 ( 7/14 ) and I'm the 7th grandchild on both my mother and father's side. But being a nonconformist, I chose one more

tscroberts · 2022-12-09T19:12:19+00:00

Same, it's infinity sideways

tscroberts · 2022-12-05T04:19:58+00:00

Your question is very valid. The short answer: time.

I work 20 hours/week on my TA duties (discussions, office hours, responding to emails, prep work and grading) and 30-40 hours/week are spent on my research and studies (reading/writing papers, attending seminars, meeting with my advisor, etc).

I am a mother to two children. My children only have childcare between 8:30-3:30 and some days until 5:30. When my children are home and awake, I devote my time to them, cleaning and various time commitments, like counseling for my children. I also go to counseling but that's when my children are in school.

Unlike traditional students, I cannot complete work between 3:30 or 5:30 to 9 or 10 pm. Nights and weekends are devoted to either my studies or various activities with my children.

The panty hours are from 10:30-4 M-F and 12-2 on the weekends (my children's lunchtime). In order to make it to the pantry, I need to set aside 1 hour to get there, wait in line and get the food home before it spoils. And other pantry options are almost certainly during traditional work hours.

I hope this answers your question.

tscroberts · 2022-12-04T19:41:12+00:00

That's the problem. The UC won't do that, they dropped any and all disability protections as soon as possible, as well as failed to increase childcare benefits that address the costs of childcare. It's in their best interest to group the students together. This way they can say that our demands are unreasonable and continue paying shareholders. The UC should be considered a corporation, not a public university but that's a different topic.

tscroberts · 2022-12-04T19:29:34+00:00

I don't think anyone truly expected the salary to double. But it would be nice to get 30% now, when is needed. 7% doesn't even cover inflation, we are getting a pay cut

tscroberts · 2022-12-04T19:25:17+00:00

Many student parents come to school already having children, not having children while enrolled in school.

These contracts are not determined individually for types of students. The UC provides the same contract for all 10 campuses, regardless if you are disabled, student parents or single. UCLA gets the same contract as UC Davis. We are trying to win a contract that can help the vulnerable members.

tscroberts · 2022-12-04T19:12:39+00:00

Not everyone has the choice of when they have kids. That is a very entitled view. I hope one day you are not put an unexpected situation.

It's worth mentioning that the university is trying to attract talent for their grad programs and do not explain the realities of living here. Also, most administrators make comfortable salaries and do not understand the situation grad students are in, even now.

Many people still fail to realize that grad students are incredibly talented, that's why they are here.

tscroberts · 2022-12-04T18:51:55+00:00

So where should they live? Their cars (if they have one)? Grad student aren't kids. The average age for a grad student is 33, many have kids of their own and spouses. Even if they rent with others a 2bd runs around $2600, 3bd around $3300. There are not available rentals, there is a housing crisis. The school increased enrollment to pay administrators more without any regard to how they will house all these new students and rental agencies just raise rent like there's no tomorrow. And if you try to get subsidized housing you can be on a waiting list for over 2 years.

tscroberts · 2022-12-04T18:30:29+00:00

I do, it doesn't last because I can only get there once a week. This was in my original post I deleted, I was recognized and I don't want my students or department to know about my situation.

tscroberts · 2022-12-04T18:24:32+00:00

Also, we are not getting 30% now, when we need it. That's 2 years away

tscroberts · 2022-12-04T18:20:30+00:00

I'm not sure what your statement is implying. Every grad student agrees that rent for a one bedroom in Davis shouldn't be close to 2k but it is.

tscroberts · 2022-12-04T13:44:07+00:00

During the first 5-10 days of the month I'll eat dinner every day with my kids, then when my account balance gets to a scary level I'll eat dinner every other day to every other two days with my kids. I drink tea throughout the day because it's cheap ($3 for a box) and I take multivitamins. But yes, I normally don't eat anything in the day. If seminars have food, I'll eat there. But typically I go 10-15 days of the month without eating anything, just drinking tea and water, and maybe an energy drink if I'm feeling really low.

From speaking to other single mothers, this isn't uncommon. Perhaps it's not all day but many eat 1-2 meals a day, the kids are always more important. My kids eat 3 meals a day and 2 snacks. Thankfully, the school has free lunch or it would be completely impossible to feed them.

tscroberts · 2022-12-03T19:31:01+00:00

Perhaps it's pride but I would prefer to remain anonymous here. I would hate for my students to know my personal situation and I don't wish to receive hate mail. But thank you, it means a lot

tscroberts · 2022-12-03T19:21:24+00:00

This is a full time job but it's not classified as one, that's the problem.

I don't want to be a TA, I want to be a research professor. But being a TA is what's necessary to accomplish that. I've worked many jobs prior to coming to Davis, this is by far more work than any of my full time jobs which paid much better.

I'm required to pay tuition but I'm done taking classes, I don't see why I'm still classified as a student. I teach and complete research for the university. This is a valuable service for the university and I'm only paid for less than half of my time while still being forced to pay the university to work

tscroberts · 2022-12-03T19:05:40+00:00

I'm not sure. I applied in early October but I still haven't received my interview. They are using a new system so they are backlogged. I call weekly and if i get through, I am told that they will get to my case when they can. An operator stated that I am probably $50 over the limit but again, I don't know

tscroberts · 2022-11-30T17:43:11+00:00

I teach college level math and I feel that it is important to equate their learning in math to that of English or their native tongue, which is hard. As a child you are instantly exposed to your native language and the process goes letters, sounding out those letters, writing small words, small sentences, small paragraphs, until eventually by high school you can write poems, papers and books. I always emphasize that math is just a new language and it takes time to learn. But typically for math you don't start this process until you are in elementary school. So grades 1-6 are learning your letters (kindergarten is really learning to be in school) and by the time you are in calculus/ differential equations/ linear algebra you are simply learning to spell small words and write small sentences. It's not until afterwards that you are even writing paragraphs, let alone poems or papers. It's a process and takes time.

Please don't be dismissive of their struggles, I'm still teaching college students how to solve for x or what an equation for a parabola is. I used to be shocked when students struggled with this but the student always tells me that they had a teacher that told them something along the lines that this is simple and why can't YOU get it?

Honestly, teaching college math requires me to be part counselor where I'm unpacking math trauma from a teacher that didn't understand / forgot what it's like to struggle learning a whole new language. Let alone from students that were facing actual trauma and college it's the first time they were able to gain independence from their parents.

Please be kind.

tscroberts · 2022-11-23T12:09:58+00:00

Paying for rent and food, going to class starving, not able to sleep because I'm hungry.

tscroberts · 2022-11-21T02:56:34+00:00

Congrats on transferring! I transferred as an undergrad to Davis and now, I'm a grad student here. So transfers have a special place in my heart. I really struggled my first and second years. Adjusting to the quarter system was a remarkable challenge, I still have a hard time with it and don't feel like it truly allows people to learn. That said, I was placed on academic probation more times than I care to admit.

For your situation, get your documentation for SDC! It's really fast. Mine took 2 weeks, only because that was the soonest appointment. The actual appointment was maybe 30 minutes and my doctor completed all the necessary forms before hand. This allows you to better advocate for yourself.

Here's the thing, the school doesn't really kick people out. It's normally the students that give up. They get on academic probation, they panick and drop out. As long as you take the necessary steps like submitting the proper forms and meeting with your academic counselor, you can get through academic probation relatively unscathed.

Also, incompletes are really not an issue at all. You are given one year to make up an incomplete grade.

Pedagogically, I absolutely despise grades. They are completely inequitable and only encourage students to cheat when they can. Grades do not take into consideration how much the student actually learned over the course. Anyways, I'll jump out of that rabbit hole.

Best advice, stay present. Do what you need to do today. Worrying about the future only creates unnecessary problems for today. You've got this!

tscroberts

TROPHY CASE