By Alex Burke
University of Maryland graduate teaching assistants protested delayed payments during UMD President Darryll Pines’ State of the Campus Address last Thursday, voicing their outrage over unpaid work that has left them struggling financially.
Pines delivered his State of the Campus Address during a University Senate meeting on March 6 at the Adele H. Stamp Student Union.
Following Pines’ address, the Senate held a platform for Harriet Goers, a doctoral student in the Department of Government and Politics, to address the pressing issue regarding payment delays for teaching assistants. Goers shared her frustration over the financial burden she and many of her colleagues are experiencing due to unpaid work.
“I have not been paid since I taught a course over the winter. That’s two months, two rounds of rent payments. That is two rounds of utility, gas, water bills, countless groceries,” Goers said.
A group of TAs attended the meeting in protest, standing in solidarity with their peers affected by the delayed payments. Goers emphasized that the financial burden of these delays is impacting the well-being of TAs.
“This is devastating for some of my other colleagues who are facing similar delays to payments that they are owed,” Goers said.
TAs, who are vital to the university’s academic operations, are being forced to wait for payments that should have already been disbursed due to new technology systems being implemented by the university.
“We are not asking for more money. We’re not asking for more benefits. We’re simply asking the university to honor the contracts it signed with us,” Goers said. “Imagine not being able to trust your employer to pay your salary on time. Imagine being in a state where you do not earn enough money to save enough to carry yourself over that financial burden.”
In response to these concerns, Pines offered a public apology on behalf of the university.
“I was not aware of this problem … Let me look into it, and hopefully I can get back in touch with you,” Pines said. “This should not be happening … Please accept my honest and genuine apology.”
English professor Kimberly Coles also spoke on behalf of graduate students, raising concerns about the disappearance of summer fellowships due to lack of funding from the university.
“We could not supply matching funds for them that they have previously been guaranteed,” Coles said. “They are the most vulnerable members of our community.”
Pines said the issue will be taken up through the graduate school.
“We are committed to the excellence of our graduate students and to supporting them to the best of our ability going forward,” Pines said.
During his address, Pines emphasized the university’s focus on excellence, particularly in business and engineering, with 71 programs ranked in the top 25 nationally. He also highlighted the $5.3 million raised during Giving Day, showcasing strong Terp pride and community support.
“This truly is a testament to the do-good commitment of Terps, and I’m really thankful for all of them and their service,” Pines said.
Pines also discussed the Trump administration’s recent executive orders that could potentially impact college campuses, especially in the event of a possible government shutdown. He explained the university’s awareness of the disruptions a shutdown could cause, particularly university funding and research collaborations.
“I wanted to assure you that the campus has been tracking what is happening,” Pines said, indicating that the university had created an initiative with a website that tracks updates from the White House that could affect the university.
Pines acknowledged the growing concerns surrounding executive orders and the broader implications for higher education. He assured the community that the university remains committed to supporting both its students and faculty amid these challenges.
Featured image: University Senate Director and Executive Secretary Veronica Marin (left), Senate Chair Jordan Sly (middle) and Parliamentarian Daniel Falvey (right). Photo by Alex Burke.