Dental Insurance (ongoing)

To raise awareness about SAS graduate students’ need for dental coverage as part of their healthcare plans, SASgov sponsored an essay contest. In this contest, graduate students from across the School of Arts and Sciences submitted essays explaining why they needed dental insurance, and the winners of the contest were awarded dental insurance coverage paid for by SASgov.

• Read winning essays
• Photograph
• To read the DP’s coverage click here

Tuition Reform (ongoing)

Because of recent changes to the tuition structure enacted to decrease the time that it takes doctoral students to obtain their degrees, students beyond their fifth year of study face considerably higher financial burdens than they previously faced (read the DP article here ). SASgov attempted to persuade the administration to lessen the tuition fees but was ultimately unsuccessful. SASgov will persist in trying to alleviate this burden. But, instead of doing so by advocating for a decrease in tuition fees, SASgov will work with the administration and with SAS graduate students to aid students in finishing their degrees sooner.

Stipends

In a survey conducted in fall 2007, SASgov learned that SAS graduate students were overwhelmingly dissatisfied with stipend levels. Concerted efforts by SASgov helped bring the severity of this problem to the administration’s attention, and stipend levels were significantly increased for the 2008-2009 academic year.