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LAWRENCE -- The University of Kansas and the Graduate Teaching Assistants Coalition, in less than two hours on Wednesday, came to tentative agreement on salaries, the remaining barrier to a new three-year memorandum of agreement.
GTAC, the bargaining unit for graduate teaching assistants, agreed to the university's offer of a 10 percent increase to the merit salary pool for each of three years. In addition, the agreement would establish a new base salary for a half-time academic year appointment, of $8,000 for year one, $9,000 year two and $10,000 year three of the agreement. The merit raises and salary schedule would be in effect for the 2002-03 academic year.
"With this accord, we are seeing the first major impact of the recently approved tuition increase," said Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost David Shulenburger. "Revenue from the new tuition rates enabled us to make a significant salary offer for the three years of the contract. The positive effects will be felt all around. Not only will GTAs be better compensated for their performance in the classroom, but the university also will be better able to recruit the best and brightest graduate students."
In fall 2001, a total of 910 graduate students were employed as GTAs, earning an average salary of almost $10,000.
The contract now moves to the ratification process. After sign-off from the university and GTA membership, the agreement will be forwarded for ratification by the Kansas Board of Regents and the Kansas Department of Administration.
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