Dear Richard,

Graduate teaching and research Assistants are integral to every great research university. Assistantships not only provide a means to fund student scholarship, they help create the immersive experience that is so core to our graduate education model. I firmly believe that assistantship stipend rates must be both fair and competitive for Cornell to attract and retain the very best students, and also as a matter of moral principle.

The decision to recommend different minimum stipend rates for TAs and GA/GRAs in 2014 was difficult, but necessary. In an environment where the university is continuing to seek aggressive expense reductions, we’ve increased the number of graduate fellowships and we’ve implemented a policy to supplement external awards won by research master’s and doctoral students. While TA stipends are funded almost exclusively with Cornell’s institutional resources, GA and GRA stipends are most frequently funded on external grants that are, unfortunately, becoming more competitive. To ensure that Cornell faculty remain effective in securing these research dollars we had to acknowledge that Cornell’s minimum RA/GRA stipend rate is currently above that of many flagship state universities. Faculty across numerous fields, but especially in the life sciences, are pressed for flexibility in an effort to continue supporting their students on lean existing grants. Increasing the GA/GRA stipend rates in this climate would have resulted in fewer students receiving support which is counter to our overall goal.

GPSA Resolution 4 (“Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant Stipend Difference”) includes language suggesting that students were not engaged in the discussions of stipend rates for 2014–2015. I understand that the Dean Barbara Knuth met with the GPSA leadership and Associate Dean Sarah Wicker presented data to the full GPSA in the fall of 2013. Student trustee Darrick Evensen was a strong and vocal participant in the trustees’ discussions so I do believe that the system of shared governance worked in this case, although the outcome may not reflect the hopes of many students. I quite enthusiastically accept your request for ongoing dialog among the GPSA, faculty and Cornell’s leadership about future graduate stipend rates.

I applaud the initiative that the GPSA has taken in Resolution 5 (“Creation of an Ad Hoc Sustainability Committee”) to advance Cornell’s sustainability outcomes. I encourage you to work closely with the Office of Sustainability and other campus stakeholders. I believe that Graduate Students are especially well-positioned to promote both the Green Lab and Green Office certifications so I’m confident that this new committee will be a valuable addition to the ever-building momentum for sustainability in all levels of Cornell.

Sincerely,

David Skorton