Many of us are angry, sad, anxious and scared in the aftermath of the 2016 General Election. Many of us are also ready to stand together to defend our friends, co-workers, and students. The stewards and executive board of the Graduate Employees Union are committed to making our campus and community- including our union – inclusive, welcoming and safe for those who are Muslim, Jewish, undocumented, POC, LBGTQIA+, or otherwise threatened and scared. The GEU office is open to our members as an intentionally safe space to hold meetings or come and spend time off campus with people who support social justice and equality.
Now more than ever, the GEU is only as strong as the energy put forth by our members. Now is the time to act to defend one another. Our committees are all working to make our campus a safe and more inclusive place. Listed below are many opportunities to get involved in the fight for a just and equal campus. Please, join a committee today!
Join a Committee
To join any committee, just email geu@geuatmsu.org
| Committee | Description |
| Stewards Council | Stewards organize in their departments, listening for issues and serving as the first person to go to if a graduate student has a problem. If a member has a problem, a steward can bring it to Member Defense or help solve it- including discrimination and healthcare. Stewards are the primary decision makers for the union, and the front lines for justice. |
| Member Defense Committee | The Member Defense committee is our first line of defense, actively and proactively working to defending our members against workplace discrimination and injustice of all kinds. The reach and influence of this committee grows with each new member who signs on. |
| Political Action Committee | Political Action Committee fights to advance public policy that will protect and empower our members by educating our membership, organizing them around political goals, and persuading our elected leaders to stand up for justice. |
| Budget Committee | The Budget committee, in addition to drafting policies and budgets for the union, manages our Solidarity Grant which provides support for members in crisis. Now, more than ever, our members will need sound fiscal stewardship and our solidarity. |
| Events and Planning | Our members need places to feel safe, loved, and respected. The events and planning committee is focused on providing those spaces for GEU members, making sure that no matter your country of origin, your religion, your race, gender, or sexuality that you know that you are loved and supported. |
| Mental Health Support Group | Members of the mental health support group work to advocate for resources for mental health on campus and provide a safe place for GEU members to discuss their struggles with mental health. |
| Healthcare Information Committee | With the repeal of the Affordable Care Act seeming probable, there is a lot of information on healthcare people will need to know- since the GEU contract will be the only thing guaranteeing graduate students health care coverage from then on. The Healthcare Committee educates members on their rights to healthcare in our contract and provides information on key aspects of health insurance. |
DONATE TO SUPPORT PRO-JUSTICE ELECTED OFFICIALS IN MICHIGAN
While the 2016 elections are over, we have elections next year for critical local offices like city councils, who can pass laws protecting the most vulnerable of our members. We can start building now to make sure pro-justice candidates win these critical races by donating to the AFT Michigan Political Action Committee. Even $1.00 a month for the next year could be critical to winning races in Lansing, East Lansing, and Meridian Township. Donate here today!