G raduate students are an integral part of every university, contributing in a variety of ways by teaching classes, conducting research and applying for research grants.
The minimum stipend awarded to graduate students at UNC is $15,200 — an amount falling $5,600 below the livable wage in Orange County when student fees are considered and ranking third lowest when compared to UNC’s peer public institutions .
It is important to raise the minimum because stipends reflect the value that UNC gives to its graduate students. The Graduate and Professional Student Federation estimates that raising the minimum stipend by $5,600 to match the livable wage in Orange County would amount to a total cost of $3.3 million .
Increasing the stipend by such a significant amount might seem unreasonable, but it is important to note that several graduate programs already pay stipends greater than $20,800. These programs are usually in the math, natural science and health science departments, while lower payouts are more prevalent in humanitarian and social science departments .
Raising the minimum would not only improve UNC’s ranking compared to its counterparts, it would also attract top students who would have otherwise taken their skills to schools paying higher stipends.
Former Provost Bruce Carney and the Board of Trustees have been supportive of the need for an increase in the minimum stipend — advocating their support by implementing a $500 increase at the end of 2013, with another $500 increase set to go into effect at the end of 2014 .
Raising the minimum stipend to match the living wage would make UNC a more competitive option for students strapped for cash while also ensuring that UNC continues to bring in the most competitive students in the nation.
