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University of Iowa graduate students gathered on Oct. 26 to censure administrators’ plans to cut TA positions and hike tuition. The University has recently cut 150 TA positions, and graduate students expect many more to be cut in the future.

Approximately 50 students carried signs at the hour-long rally. The students staged the rally just days before the state Board of Regents are set to meet to discuss  the $24.7 million budget shortfall.

 “There are any number of ways that we can cut the budget without sacrificing jobs,” said Bill Peterson, the president of the Campaign to Organize Graduate Students (COGS).

Rather than cutting TA positions, the graduate students propose a cut in the top UI administrative salaries and energy conservation. Currently, the top 68 administrators make more than $14.5 million according to COGS.

Students shouted “chop from the top” at the rally and held signs condemning UI President Sally Mason for considering a bonus on top of her  $450,000 annual salary while TAs making $20,000 may lose their jobs.

Cutting TA jobs would negatively impact education quality and would also force many graduate students who depend on UI salaries to leave, students at the rally said.

“The students did not cause this budget crisis, and yet we are the ones who are going to make up the difference,” said graduate student Kari Thompson. 

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