When: July 12th

Time: noon -1 pm

Where: 115 International Center

This year’s GEU Outstanding Supervisor is Dorinda Carter Andrews from the Department of Teacher Education, and Teacher Education has been chosen as the GEU Outstanding Department. Read more details about the award here.

Dan Clark, President, Mathematics Education

Claire Yates, VP of Organizing & Outreach, Teacher Education

James Holly Jr., VP of Contract Negotiations & Enforcement, Mechanical Engineering

Elizabeth Kenyon, Information Officer, Teacher Education

Amber True, Treasurer, English

GEU, as part of the Coalition of Labor Organizations at Michigan State University (CLO) sponsors the voluntary vision program, which is administered by Michigan Employee Benefit Services (MEBS), a Michigan-based company.

To enroll, go to https://tpaenrollment.com.  This website is open only during the enrollment period of March 1 to May 31, 2012.  Some documents that might be of assistance are:

• MEBS Open Enrollment Employee Letter
• Volunteer Vision Plan Rates
• Vision Plan Enrollment Form

All inquiries about the vision program should be directed to MEBS.  Call 1-800-968-6327 and select option 6, or email billingmail@mebs.com.

1) Contact the Graduate Employees Union! Just email us at geu@geuatmsu.org . We’re here to help you through situations like this!

2) Speak the the administrative assistant of your employing department. Often they can get the process moving, but sometimes they can’t, can’t in a timely manner, or something else is causing a problem.

3) Contact payroll. Sometimes paperwork can get back logged, and they can help move things more quickly or even potentially cut you a handwritten check.

4) File a complaint with the state at http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/email_parser/before_filing_wage_claim.htm . That may sound drastic, but it is a mechanism the university has recommended that TAs use in order to get the money they are owed, and it helps more TAs be paid on time in the future. If you have questions about this, just contact the GEU.

GTA Tuition Waiver Pool Application and Details

Keep in mind, once you are awarded extra tuition waiver credits, they cannot be awarded to someone else.  So please be responsible and courteous to your fellow TAs when you apply.

Visit www.mysmilecoverage.com/MSUGA to enroll.

What does the new plan look like? Click this link: GradAsstDentalPlan for a PDF of rates and benefits.

Glossy brochures are en route, but in short, if you are a TA or RA, it will be $128.64 for 12 months of coverage. This includes 2 exams, cleanings, x-rays and as many fillings as you need (hopefully none) with no additional cost. Crowns and extractions are covered at 80% with a $25 co-pay. If you need to see someone pretty quick – you can make an appointment now with any Delta PPO dentist.
Click here to find a PPO dentist near East Lansing.

Vision Insurance is BACK!

Open enrollment for the popular optional vision plan is once again upon us.

Enrollment will be open from Aug 1 – Sept 30, 2011 for a November 2011 start date. This is a 2 year commitment. Payroll deduction is available. This is a special enrollment period for GEU members only, so you will need to fill out a paper application and fax or mail it to MEBS.

Brochure w-rates 7.1.11
GEU Vision Enrollment Form

This year’s GEU Outstanding Supervisor is Stephanie Nawyn from the Department of Sociology, and English has been chosen as the GEU Outstanding Department. Read more details about the award here or read the State News article about the winners here.

Stephanie Nawyn (Sociology) and GEU President Sam Otten

Sam Otten with Stephen Arch and Stephen Rachman (English)

Congratulations and thank you, also, to the other nominees.

Dear Malcolm,

I notice you haven’t had a column for a while—does this mean grad students are being treated so well by the University that there are no more problems and you will be able to move back to Ireland?

Anyway, I had a quick question about tuition waivers.  I am originally from the great state of North Carolina and am completing my Ph.D. in history at MSU.  I was a TA in the fall and spring and I am taking a 5 credit class this summer to complete my studies.  As I am being appointed as an instructor and not a TA for my summer teaching class I realize this means I have to pay tuition but does this mean I have to pay out of state tuition or do I qualify for in-state tuition.  I would like to be able to afford more than just corn puddin’ this summer and paying in-state tuition would help out my bank balance!

Yours loudly,

Bolshy from Boone

Dear Bolshy,

Hearing you loud and clear!

Firstly, for the last time I am Scottish not Irish!

I have been very busy recently assisting the GEU bargaining team with their contract negotiations—now that is done I can go back to my day job—helping the hard-working grad students of MSU.

The pertinent part of the contract that answers your question is Article 20 Section II http://www.hr.msu.edu/documents/contracts/GEU_2008-2011.pdf “[A tuition waiver shall be provided during the period of employment.] This exemption also applies to Summer Semesters preceding and/or following a full academic year’s appointment.”

So, as you taught in the fall and the spring you do indeed qualify for in-state tuition for the summer.  This should save you quite a few Roubles!  Of course if you were a TA for the summer you would get 5 credit hours waived as a part of your TAship—but alas the university is now hiring most grad students as instructors and not TAs in the summer.  As part of the recently ratified new contract for TAs, which comes into effect in August, there are 100 floating credits that can be applied for by TAs who need to take extra credits to satisfy their course requirements.  The GEU is setting up a special interest group that will oversee the handing-out of these credits.  Keep watching your e-mail and checking our website for more details.  We are hopeful that this will help many of our members for whom the 9/9/5 tuition waiver is insufficient.

Have a great summer!

In solidarity,
Malcolm

If you want to be like Malcolm MacDuff and know your stuff then take a look at the GEU’s contract (http://www.hr.msu.edu/documents/contracts/GEU_2008-2011.pdf).   We also have plenty of copies available in the GEU Office at 319 1/2 East Grand River Avenue (just West of Barnes & Noble, on the second floor).