EALCS Statement in Support of UC Graduate Student Negotations

We, the faculty of the East Asian Languages & Cultural Studies, are concerned about the skyrocketing rents and cost of living in Santa Barbara that have adversely impacted the lives of our graduate students. Our graduate students’ work as T.A.s, Teaching Associates, and Research Assistants provide a valuable service in our university’s teaching responsibilities.  The living standards of our graduate students will have an important impact on our future ability to attract the highest quality and most accomplished students from around the world.  We thereby encourage the UCSB administration to urge UCOP to negotiate in good faith with UAW in order to bring as much financial relief to our graduate students and their families as possible.