Academic Student Employee Comparison
Terms/Conditions of Employment
The following provides a summary of terms and conditions of employment for ASEs and WSU and UW, along with citations of source documents. WSU ASE terms are set by policies and procedures established by WSU administration and can be changed without negotiation with ASEs. UW ASE terms are established through a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which is negotiated between UAW Local 4121 and the UW Administration, and can only be changed when the Union and Employer negotiate changes.
- Wages/Compensation
- Fee/Tuition Waivers
- Health Insurance
- Family/Medical Leave
- Sick Leave
- Childcare
- Appointment Security
- Non-Discrimination and Harassment
- Grievances/Dispute Resolution & Just Cause
- Workspace, Health and Safety
- International Students Rights
- Workload
- Vacation & Holidays
- Transportation
Graduate appointee wages have increased by 5.4% since 2015.
Under the CBA, Graduate appointee base wages have increased by 32% since 2014/15 and by 90% since negotiating the first CBA in 2004. Summer graduate appointee wages have increased by 120% since 2004.
ASEs in base rate departments receive 7.5% promotion-based increases wage based on changes in degree standing, job duties and experience. Departments can choose to pay above the base and not provide step increases. In addition, all wage ranges increase across the board annually under the current CBA. See here and here.
The minimum wage for hourly ASEs on all campuses is now $16.72. This has increased by 50% since Spring 2015.[1]
[1] UAW Local 4121 played an active role in increasing the Seattle minimum wage to $15, and in ensuring that UW applied this wage to hourly employees.
ASEs with 50% FTE appointments pay at least the following required fees per year out of pocket. The (%) indicates the percentage of total costs of Resident Graduate tuition/fees[2]:
- Pullman: $2,033 (15.1%)
- Spokane: $1,133 (9%)
- Vancouver: $950 (7.7%)
- Global: $766 (6.3%)
- Tri-Cities: $1,293 (10.2%)
WSU is not required to disclose costs of OOP tuition/fees at time of hire.
WSU Administration may impose additional fees at any time.
[2] The following fees are paid OOP:
- Services and Activities ($558-$482)
- Building ($342)
- Student Rec Center ($314) -Pullman
- Health/Wellness ($408) -P ($184) -Spokane
- Pullman Transit ($72) -Pullman
- CUB Renovation ($240) -Pullman
- Media ($10) -Pullman
- Technology ($40) – Vancouver
- Student Union ($300) – Tri-Cities
The following fees may be waived (as determined by the State and Board of Regents):
- Operating Fee ($11,150 per AY)
No tuition waivers are provided for summer term (Graduate Appointment Processing Memo Section D)
Per the CBA, ASEs with 50% FTE appointments pay $744 (Seattle) in required fees per year out of pocket. This amount equals 4.3% of the total costs of Resident Graduate (Tier 1) tuition/fees.
The CBA also provides 50% FTE ASEs with a lump sum payment of $100 per year (effectively lowering OOP/Total Ratio to 3.8%).
The ratio of out-of-pocket costs to total tuition/fees has decreased steadily as a result of the CBA.[3]
UW must disclose any costs of OOP tuition/fees per CBA at time of hire.*
UW Administration may not impose additional tuition/fees unilaterally. If students impose a new fee, the Union will have the opportunity to bargain.*
[3] The following fees must be waived per the CBA:
- Operating Fee ($15,790)
- Building Fee ($488)
- Tech Fee ($114)
- U-Pass Fee ($252)
- Total: $16,644 per AY
The following fees are paid OOP per the CBA (Seattle)
- Facilities Renovation ($210)
- Intramural Athletic Fee ($96)
- Services and Activities Fee ($438)
WSU pays 100% of premium for Grad Appointee Medical Insurance (subject to change)
- $500 per year deductible.
- $7,000 per year Out of Pocket Maximum ($14,000 per family)
- Each dependent pays $1,093 premium per semester. Dependents are not eligible for dental coverage. Limit 2 dependents.
- Plan provides $200 vision allowance at certain campuses.
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UW pays 100% of premium for eligible ASEs for comprehensive (medical, dental, vision) Grad Appointee insurance per the CBA (cannot be changed without bargaining).
- $300 per year in-network deductible
- $1,200 per year Out of Pocket maximum ($2,400 per family)
- UW pays 65% of Dependent premiums for medical/dental coverage per the CBA = approx $500/quarter. No limit on number of dependents. Insurance provides dental for dependents.
- Plan fully includes gender-affirming healthcare
- Plan provides comprehensive Vision coverage.
Graduate Appointees are provided up to 4 weeks Paid Parental Leave (need to have been full-time student for at least one academic year to qualify).
Additional unpaid leave may be granted beyond 4 weeks but assistantship not guaranteed.
Under Washington State Law (and codified in the CBA) all ASEs are eligible for up to 12 weeks Paid Family/Medical (need to have worked 820 hours in the previous year to qualify).
ASEs with 50% appointments may take up to 1 academic quarter of unpaid leave for Family/Medical reasons and maintain health insurance provided at no cost to the ASE (prorated for appointments of less than AY). Appointment security is not relinquished as a result of taking leave under the CBA.
Childcare subsidy of up to $300 per semester. Subsidies disbursed on a first-come first-served basis for an estimate 20 families.
If an ASE does not qualify for Childcare assistance (up to $2,100 per quarter for qualifying students), CBA provides $1,250 per quarter (maximum of $60K per year).
ASEs have no contractual protection against elimination or reduction of appointments.[4]
No guaranteed minimum appointment length.
[4] “Once the department/program chair has determined that a position is available and that a prospective graduate student is eligible for admission with regular graduate student status, the chair may make an unofficial offer of a graduate appointment to the student, subject ultimately to administrative approval by the Graduate School.” (Appointment Processing Memo Section C)
Per the CBA, UW must fulfill appointments that have been offered and accepted by ASEs. Work assignments may change but compensation/benefits may not. Positions can only be eliminated due to acts of nature or when UW declares financial emergency
Appointments are for one academic year when sufficient funding is available.
Training WSU sexual harassment training is focused on definitions and compliance-based practices. Not oriented towards prevention and culture change but rather minimizing legal exposure. Academic Student Employees are not involved in the presentation and it is not tailored specifically to ASE experiences.
No data collection about ASE experiences to modify/improve representation and protection systems.
Reporting No recognized peer-led advocacy process.
No right to appeal to third-party arbitration (CCR has the sole jurisdiction to investigate).
Training Union and UW jointly develop training specifically for ASEs and Postdocs that is peer-developed, peer-led, data-driven, and prevention-based.* Goals are to shift culture and create new community norms, as well as explain what constitutes discrim/harassment and intersectionality of behaviors. Practically designed to empower individuals to be connected with union (and other) resources to take action.
UW and union jointly develop and disseminate equity survey once per year and use data to develop better systems to fight discrimination and harassment.
Per the CBA, UW hires (with Union agreement) 2 ASEs to develop and administer the program.
Reporting CBA includes negotiated, survivor-centered grievance procedure for addressing discrimination and harassment issues (as well as any other contractual violation), including interim measures, access to neutral third party arbitration and union representation by a trained peer advocate during the course of a grievance
Set by WSU and may be changed at any time.
No provision for peer representation.
Steps of Procedure: Students are encouraged to work with their faculty advisor. If advisor does not resolve the situation, student may speak with Chair or Graduate Program Director or Ombud. Then with the Associate Dean of the Grad School, who self-designates as an “impartial arbitrator”
Under certain limited circumstances an individual may file a formal grievance and/or appeal to the Provost’s office.
Appointments may be terminated for policy violations as determined by the administration.*
Negotiated by ASEs and UW Admin. Applies to every provision of the CBA.
ASEs may be represented at all stages of the grievance procedure by other ASEs who are elected as union representatives.
Steps of Grievance Procedure: ASEs are encouraged to resolve issues informally (and often do). ASEs may choose to file a grievance with faculty supervisor or Chair; if not satisfied with response, may appeal to Graduate School or Labor Relations (or start the grievance procedure at this step). If not satisfied with this response, ASEs might include an option of appealing to neutral third party selected by both union and employer. UW faculty/admin are *not* the final decision-makers, which helps ensure fair settlement at lower levels.
Appointments may only be terminated for just cause (an important and well-defined due-process standard).
ASEs covered by applicable health and safety policies. ASEs may consult with the Risk Management Advisory Committee (comprised of executives, vice presidents, directors and others), which includes no student representatives.
ASEs covered by applicable health and safety policies. CBA protects ASEs against working in an environment that poses imminent threat to health and safety.
ASEs may work with trained peer representatives to address health/safety concerns and appeal to neutral third party arbitrator if necessary. Local 4121 is represented on UW Campus-Wide Health and Safety Committee.
UW is obligated to provide access to facilities, services, texts and instructional support required for the position, at no cost to the employee.
All ASEs in bargaining unit (except any in stipend-only classifications) are covered by Workers Comp insurance so that they do not have to pay out-of-pocket for healthcare necessitated by workplaceinjuries or conditions.
WSU International students have access to the Office of International Programs.
Multiple Registered Student Organizations and Student Government provide opportunities for connecting with each other.
CBA provides a number of protections that are especially relevant to international student employees:
- Appointment Security. UW must fulfill appointments that have been offered and accepted by ASEs. Work assignments may change but compensation/benefits may not. Positions can only be eliminated due to acts of nature or when UW declares financial emergency.*
- Dispute Resolution. ASEs are protected against arbitrary dismissal (the university can only discipline or dismiss you for “just cause” – a set of legally defined rights that include due process and protection against disparate treatment);
- Representation. ASEs have the right to appeal University decisions to third party arbitration (to create accountability and discourage discriminatory treatment); and to be represented and advised by a peer union member who is trained in enforcing the collective bargaining agreement (so that you don’t have to manage difficult situations alone or rely on the employer for guidance);
- Health Insurance. Greater stability and transparency in health care benefits – as well as a network of peers and work groups who can help guide and interpret health insurance plans for people from outside the U.S.
- Leave/Vacation. Paid vacation and leave time off for traveling outside the U.S., caring for family members, personal illness, etc.
International Solidarity Work Group has worked with UAW experts and national network of UAW members to advocate for change. This has resulted in several improvements in recent years, including:
- Defeating ICE’s directive to deport international students from working at Universities with online enrollment;
- Stopping WA state from imposing an additional surcharge on international student tuition;
- Eliminating the International Student Fee for all UW students;
- Successfully fighting U.S. Government travel ban through protest and litigation;
- Expanding the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program after a lawsuit threatened to reduce it;
- Passing the Washington DREAM Act;
- Supporting multiple immigrant rights organizations to expand our advocacy for non-citizens.
ASEs with 50% FTE appointments are required to work an average of 20 hours of work per week during the term of the appointment.[5] Graduate Assistants can only work 5 hours beyond this amount absent approval from their Department Chair and the Graduate School.
There is no campus-wide provision establishing recourse against working additional unpaid hours.
[5] “Half-time service requires an average of 20 hours of work per week during the term of the appointment. Other fractional appointments, when permitted, will be made on a proportionate basis. For teaching assistants, the “20 hours of work per week” is satisfied if a graduate teaching assistant has out-of-class preparation and meets six to eight classes per week or directly serves twelve to fifteen hours of laboratory per week.
ASEs with 50% FTE appointments cannot be required to work more than 220 hours/quarter. Those ASEs who wish to work additional unpaid hours may choose to do so. No ASE can be required to work unpaid hours. Departments/hiring units must offer either a reduction in workload or extra compensation for additional required hours worked.
CBA includes no limitation on working other positions outside of Assistantships (though other policies, such as those restricting international student employment, may apply).
ASEs have the right to address workload violations through the CBA grievance procedure. ASEs also have the right to address workload increases that result from class size increases.
No unit-wide provision for guaranteed paid vacation time off.
ASEs required to be at work on “each normal workday, including periods when classes are not in session, with the exception of legal holidays” (designated by Board of Regents and subject to change).
50% FTE appointments receive 4 weeks vacation time off with pay per 12-month appointment, (prorated).
If required to work on a holiday (bargained by Union and UW and only changed by vote of ASEs), ASE must be given another day off with pay.
Public transit pass charged as an unwaived student fee at Pullman campus.
All ASEs receive fully subsidized transit pass (normally $84/quarter).
Parking provided on the same basis as full-time staff.