GEO Officer Elections, UIUC Debt Reveal, Defund UIPD Referendum Results, and More!
Table of Contents:
Announcements
Next GMM — GEO Officer Elections
At our next GMM on April 22, we will hold GEO officer elections! The positions up for election are: Co-presidents, Communications Co-Chairs, Solidarity Co-Chairs, Co-Treasurers, Co-Grievance Officers, Secretary, and Officers-at-Large (up to 3). Any GEO member can nominate themselves for any position. If you are interested in running, please email geo@uigeo.org.
2021 Student Fees
Many members have requested clarification on the university’s partial coverage of grad worker healthcare fees this summer.
If you have a Spring 2021 appointment and you enroll in coursework during Summer 2021 (0 hours or more), 87% of your health insurance fee will be covered by the university. In addition, all summer tuition and fees will be waived with the exception of the General Fee.
This means that if you enroll in any number of credit hours over the summer semester, you should see about $321 in fees on your student account.
You can see a breakdown of grad student fees at the Registrar’s website and more information about accessing summer healthcare based on different enrollment/employment situations on the Grad College’s website.
Defund UIPD Referendum Results and Next Steps
Image Description: A blue flyer that says “the referendum to defund UIPD has passed!” in white and red text. Underneath the text is an orange circle with white text that says “78% of voters voted yes to defund the UIPD!” Under the circle there is a colorful pie chart with an arrow connected between one piece of the pie and a hand with a heart in it’s palm. On the left side there is an orange square that says “next steps? Join our general meeting on April 6th at 5pm CT. DM us for info!” On the bottom right corner there is white italicized text that says “care not cops. Defund UIPD.”
THANK YOU FOR VOTING YES ON THE REFERENDUM TO DEFUND UIPD by 25%. According to preliminary election results, 78% of voters approved the referendum. More people voted for defunding the police than any other category! This is a non-binding referendum, so there are URGENT next steps. Email DefundUIPD@protonmail.com to get involved!
Events
UIUC Debt Reveal, April 15, 12:30-2:30pm, Main Quad
Image Description: Black flyer features an orange smiling theater mask and a gold frowning theater mask side by side with grey ribbons connecting them to orange and purple GEO logos, surrounded by gold sparkles. Below it reads in whtie and gold text “People First Cancel Debt Presents: UIUC DEBT REVEAL. April 15 @ 12:30 PM-2:30 PM. Where? Main Quad. Contact GEO@UIGEO.ORG for more information
Do you know how much money UIUC has in debt? What does the University owe you? How would a “People First” University be? Join the "People First, Cancel Debt Committee" of the GEO, and other Universities around the US, to reveal the University's Debt in a political performance featuring "The Money Maker" and Wall Street Vultures. We will be having one-on-one conversations and a visioning session on how a #PeopleFirst University would be. Will have candy and sweets so don’t miss it! #870million #CancelDebt
Image Description: A flyer reads in blue text “STUDENT DEBT AND UNIVERSITY RESERVES: DID YOU KNOW?” with purple and orange GEO logos on each side. Blue-green bolded text reads: UIUC currently has $870 million in unused, unrestricted reserves. Tuition and Enrollment (especially in out of state and international categories) have both risen in recent years. Bulleted underneath it says: In 2019, UIUC had $500 million in excess cash flows even with a drop in state funding of ~$230,000. Blue-green bolded text reads: How do YOU think this money should be spent? Bulleted underneath it says: What are some pressing student, staff, BSW, and community needs? Reduced Tuition, Food Security, Housinog, Layoff Prevention, Mental Health...Debt Cancellation? Blue-green bolded text reads: Join the Conversation! Bulleted underneath it says: Join the People First, Cancel Debt Committee for the National Debt Reveal on April 15th on the Main Quad! On the right side there is a QR code with an arrow captioned “Check out a past presentation on UIUC’s debt crisis!” Several hashtags follow: #usethereserves! #870million #UofUS>UofI #PeopleFirst #CancelDebt #HELPdon'tHoard #RELIEFnotReservatin
Solcomm Virtual Movie Night, April 11, 6pm
Image Description: A red and yellow striped bag brimming with popcorn sits below white text that reads "G.E.O Movie Night; Solidarity Committee's Screening of", and the title "10,000 Black Men Named George" in bold red text. Below the title, white text states "Come learn about Union activist Asa Philip Randolph's efforts to organize the black porters of the Pullman Rail Company in 1920s America." "April 11th, 2020 at 6 p.m. C.S.T. Zoom Meeting ID: 840 0145 5803 Password: 674063"
Come join GEO this Sunday, April 11, at 6pm CDT for a virtual screening of 10,000 Black Men Named George, a film about the true story of legendary Black labor activist A. Philip Randolph and the organization of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first Black-controlled labor union in the U.S. All are welcome!
Practicing Abolitionist Unionism, April 28, 6pm
Why should a labor union like the GEO be concerned with the project of abolition, in either its historical or contemporary forms? How should the social technologies and ongoing structures of mass incarceration, police violence, settler colonialism and racial capitalism inform the politics and organizing strategies of the GEO?
And to what extent are these things “labor issues”?
The ideal objective of this event, slated for Wed., April 28, at 6pm CDT, is to explore these questions with our general membership and union siblings, and, to a lesser extent, the wider public. We will hear and learn from fellow unions at Northwestern GWU, University of Michigan GEO, and more - all of whom are practicing abolitionist unionism!
This event aims to prioritize dialogue and sharing information. Space will be opened for discussion at all levels, from those new to abolition, to those on the frontlines.
Stay tuned for a registration form, flyer, and more information!
“La Gente Antes que la Deuda”: Reflections and Actions of the University of Puerto Rico’s student strike. April 30th, 5pm
Image Description: Picture of approximately 100 to 200 college students from Puerto Rico sitting in the bleachers of a basketball arena. Students are sitting in two levels of bleachers and in the second level there is a hand painted banner that reads in Spanish: “El pueblo antes que la deuda”, In English “People before debt”
In 2017, the students of the University of Puerto Rico led a 72 day strike against the nearly 500 million dollar budget cut that the colonial Oversight Board demanded of the University. This Board, imposed by the Government of the United States in 2016, has implemented several austerity measures to pay up Puerto Rico’s 72 billion dollar debt. A debt caused by nearly 120 years of colonial exploitation. Join Verónica Figueroa-Huertas, Gabriel Casal-Nazario, Gabriel Díaz-Rivera and our very own GEO member, Karla Sanabria-Véaz, in this interactive talk on how a movement of thousands of students changed the resistance of an entire country.This event will also serve as a fundrasier to pay for the legal defense of the students that are still being unfairly processed by the government of Puerto Rico. Please register here and stay tuned to GEO’s facebook for more information. You can reach out to Karla at officer2@uigeo.org for more information. ¡Ni pa Buitres, ni Corruptos, la UPR es nuestra y punto!
In Solidarity,
Graduate Employees’ Organization
809 S. 5th St., Geneva Room
Champaign, IL 61820
Email: geo@uigeo.org