Student Engagement and Inclusion to stop hiring graduate student employees

The department of Student Engagement and Inclusion will no longer hire graduate students for Student Assistant 1 and 2 positions.

According to Kim Morton, executive director of Student Engagement and Inclusion, the department will only post positions for undergraduates going forward. There may be case-by-case exceptions if the department determines that it makes sense to hire a graduate student, said Morton.

This change happened after the University of Alaska and the Alaska Graduate Workers Association-UAW Union negotiated a Collective Bargaining Agreement earlier this year.

The agreement raised the pay rates of graduate students in Student Assistant 1 positions to a minimum of $17.50 per hour. Student Assistant 2 positions will now earn $18.50 per hour. The new pay rate took effect on July 14. 

There are currently four graduate students who work in Student Assistant 1 and 2 positions under Student Engagement and Inclusion, said Morton.

“The majority of our positions are really geared towards undergraduate students, and the work associated with it is really primarily for undergraduate students,” said Morton. “So I believe that we will be limiting those positions to undergraduate students only, unless it makes sense for the work needed to have the education and experience of a graduate student.”

Morton explained that for the graduate students currently in these roles, the department “will be reviewing the positions and determining if there are additional expectations that might make sense due to the increase in the wages.”

Previously, both undergraduate and graduate students were paid the same regardless of their academic credentials, said Morton.