Many of UF's graduate assistants will be getting a raise this year and next.
After more than a year of negotiations, UF and the graduate assistants union have agreed to increase minimum stipends by more than $3,000 for some assistants.
Those with half-time, nine-month appointments will see a minimum pay of $9,500, an increase of $1,250. The minimum for them will be upped again to $10,000 in the next academic year.
As a point of comparison, Florida State University's minimum stipends for similar contracts are $6,000.
At the University of South Florida, they are between $9,000 and $10,250.
UF's agreement still needs to be ratified by the Board of Trustees, which will likely happen in December, UF spokeswoman Janine Sikes said.
Bret Seferian, chief negotiator for UF's chapter of Graduate Assistants United, said while he's happy with the raise, it will only affect about 600 of the more than 4,300 graduate assistants at UF.
The rest already make more than the minimum.
Seferian said the union sought a $400 bonus for all graduate assistants, but UF countered that it did not have enough money for that.
He pointed to UF's recent announcement that it will hire up to 100 new professors with about $10 million of stimulus money as proof that UF has the money but doesn't want to spend it on graduate assistants.
"It's just a question of priorities," he said.
Sikes said UF offers graduate assistants tuition waivers and health insurance in addition to stipends and said the university's compensation package is competitive with its peers.
She also noted the union approved the conditions of the agreement.
Another important change in the contract, Seferian said, is a clause that gives assistants more time to file grievances.
Previously grievances had to be filed within 10 days. The new limit is 25 days.
Seferian said UF will also be required to tell assistants why they've been fired, which will help make the grievance process smoother.
While the graduate assistants union has reached an agreement on its contract, last month the faculty union declared an impasse in negotiations over issues such as salaries and the availability of sabbaticals.
