Highlighting a speech from the Board of Trustees meeting

Solidarity means something important to GEU members. Not all of us make the minimum salary, but we all want the minimum salary to increase for those who do. Not all of us have a spouse or child in need of dependent healthcare coverage, but we believe it should be given to those of us who do. Below is a speech from the Board of Trustees meeting highlighting why what we do is important, even if it doesn't always directly impact our bottom lines.

 

Good morning Trustees,

My name is Amineh Farzannia and I am a graduate student in Math Department. Today I am talking to emphasize  the need for anti-harassment language in our contracts. Given the situation in math department which is very much probable to happen in any other department, we need a very strong anti-harassment language in our contracts.

Some international students have contacted GEU and recently complained about the following issues in math department.

1. Students have claimed that they were subject to hostile behavior  from  the Graduate coordinator, including his intimidating and threatening speech. For example, the graduate coordinator  used racially degrading remarks to several graduate students such as "I don't consider you as a good student" or "this place is not for you" or "If you don't solve your problems, I will sent you back home within a week".

2. International Students have declared that they are not treated equally. One American student has indicated that during an office meeting, this gentleman has said that international students are not good TAs because of their "accent" and their "English".

3.There have been some changes in the department regarding governing policies of the department which are  big concerns. For instance, Recently, some of the International students were prevented from enrollment for Fall 2015 and Spring 2016 because the graduate office considered them as students who are not in" good standing" The

department is totally reluctant to define the term "Good Standing".

 

4. Some of the departmental positions which were supposed to be assigned based on "merit basis" are now mostly assigned arbitrarily. I interpret this to be based off of the Graduate Office's discriminatory actions.

5.I  personally  have been subject to a two-year abusive practice  by my administration and some of the faculty members. I have not been able to focus on any research due to  stress from  two years of harassment created by math department. 

Unfortunately, There are many other issues happening in layers but  due to the lack of time I prefer to stop here. At the end, It is necessary to mention that all of the above claims are based on documentations.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak.