Column: GTAs are a single bright spot in the endless black void that is KU

By: Peter Berard (Lawrencerock.com Editor/Designer)

The single greatest asset to learning at the University of Kansas is its Graduate Teaching Assistants. Anyone who has been a freshman or sophomore at KU knows this to be true. As Amy Cummins pointed out in her recent column, GTAs not only lead discussion sections, provide homework assistance, and make and grade tests, they also teach many classes autonomously including mandatory classes such English 101 and 102. GTAs are at the front lines of teaching at the university and are directly responsible for the quality of education that most first- and second-year students receive. The GTAs are the heart and soul of the University of Kansas.

It is unacceptable that the administration will not recognize the needs of its very own GTAs. It is certainly not asking too much for the GTAs to request higher wages, especially when the salary of KU GTAs pales in comparison to that of similar universities. It is not as though they are greedy - GTAs aren't involved in teaching for the money. They are simply asking for enough money to survive on, and the salary of $8,500 per year that some GTAs receive is not enough to get by. The only reason I can think of for the situation is that the administration got jealous of all the sweat shop and slave labor that was going on around the world and wanted to create a similar situation here at KU.

What is even more important to the GTAs than the actual monetary benefits of a raise is the gesture of appreciation it symbolizes. GTAs work the longest hours and do the most work of anyone at the University. Not only do they assist and teach classes but they take classes as well. They have to juggle the life of both a student and teacher at once. The last thing these people should be worrying about is whether they have enough money to pay next month's rent. GTAs are the most enthusiastic and passionate people on campus because they are in the prime of their academic lives, but if they have to constantly worry about money, then they will not have the energy to effectively teach and assist their students. This, of course, decreases the quality of education that KU students receive. If the administration believes that they don't need to give GTAs a raise because there will always be people to fill the positions, then they are misguided. The quality of KU's GTAs is the single most important thing this university has going for it.

Why are GTAs the only thing KU has going for it? Well, let's take a look at some examples: 1. KU continues to drop in the US News and World Report academic ratings every year. 2. Our administration overlooks the fact that the men's tennis and swimming teams were cut in the name of saving money last year, even though they spent thousands of dollars more hiring a new athletics director over our old one, Bob Fredrick. 3. Our short sited parking department would rather spend countless man hours handing out tickets instead of finding solutions for the ever increasing traffic and parking problem. 4. The University still doesn't have online or telephone enrollment, a service that most other University students have enjoyed for DECADES! 5. The different schools that make up KU don't communicate or work together very well, if at all. This is evident if anyone has had to make twelve trips around campus just to get their permit to enroll ready for enrollment. So I ask the administration, what exactly does KU have going for it?

The bottom line to all of this is that the KU administration must compensate the GTAs fairly for the value they bring to this University. The GTAs are key in making this school what it is, and everyone, not just the administration, should recognize this.