Economic Articles
The Dartmouth/GOLD-UE collective bargaining agreement offers a range of economic benefits. Below is a partial list of these benefits, which apply to students covered by the agreement under the specified terms of the contract:
Graduate students enrolled in a degree program at Dartmouth who are performing teaching and research in exchange for payment (hourly or stipend) are in the bargaining unit.
The bargaining unit covers:
- Research assistants (RAs)
- Teaching assistants (TAs)
- Graduate instructors
Excluded from the GOLD-UE bargaining unit are the following:
- All undergraduate students
- Graduate students not seeking Dartmouth degrees, including visiting students
- Standardized patients, tutors, and graders (unless also receiving a stipend to perform teaching and research services, and then only for such stipend-bearing services)
- Office clericals
- Managers
- Guards and supervisors as defined in the Act.
Dartmouth's contract implementation team is actively working to roll out these benefits. Some are already in place, while others, such as retirement plan participation, will be available once the necessary information is collected and systems are updated.
We will update the Guarini community on our website and through our newsletter as we have more information.
Compensation
- Stipend. Increase stipend from $40,000 to $47,000 in year one of the contract.
- Annual increase for stipend. Either an increase equivalent to the 12-month percentage change in the CPI-W in the prior calendar year or 3%, whichever is larger.
- Hourly rate. Hourly wage rate of $21.00, increasing by $0.50 per contract year.
- Length of assignments. Dartmouth has committed that it will not give assignments that are less than 20 hours a week for the purpose of offsetting wage increases.
Guaranteed Funding
- Dartmouth currently guarantees five (5) years of funding for full-time PhD students making satisfactory academic progress and will continue this.
- Guarani School Transitional Funding Support Policy also continues to apply.
Medical Benefits
- Medical insurance premium.
- Dartmouth currently pays 100% of the premium ($4,123) for DSGHP (the student health insurance plan) for stipend-supported graduate students. This includes one eye exam per year and a $110 corrective lens reimbursement, as well as pediatric dental and vision benefits.
- Dartmouth will continue to pay 100% of the premium for DSGHP (the student health insurance plan) for stipend-supported graduate students under the contract.
- Dependent medical insurance. For stipend-supported graduate students, Dartmouth will pay 40% of dependent premium costs for dependents enrolled in the DSGHP.
- Dental. Effective for the 2024-25 plan year, the Dartmouth Student Group Health Plan will include dental coverage for members and eligible dependents through Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. For stipend-supported employees, dental premiums will be covered at 100% through the medical premium.
- Support funds. Dartmouth has established support funds for graduate students to assist with paying medical expenses:
- $125,000 Student Employee Support Fund, increasing by $10,000 per contract year
- $75,000 Student Employee Dependent Support Fund, increasing by $10,000 per contract year
- Medical leave. Graduate students are currently eligible to apply for Time Away for Medical Reasons (TAMR), an existing Dartmouth policy. Graduate students are also currently eligible for Time Away for Personal Reasons and Time Away for Military Service.
- Medical leave grant. Under TAMR, graduate students may receive up to 4 terms of DGSHP coverage at no cost to them. Under the contract, graduate students on an approved TAMR may now apply once per calendar year for a one-time grant equivalent to 60% of the then-current stipend amount. The grant is limited to a maximum of two months, and prorated if the TAMR period is less than two months.
Dependent Childcare
- Policy: Dartmouth is modifying the Guarini Child Accommodation Policy to provide that if both parents are full-time stipend supported graduate students, the benefit by this policy can be shared between the parents as they choose, but the total amount of the accommodation will not exceed 24 (up from 12) weeks.
- Subsidy: Dartmouth has increased the existing Guarini Childcare Subsidy to $5,000/year per child under 6 who have not yet entered kindergarten, capped at 3 children.
- Access to childcare. Dartmouth has committed to expanding childcare access and to providing annual updates to GOLD-UE on steps taken to do this and will meet biannually with GOLD-UE to provide any updates on progress towards childcare expansion.
- Childcare support fund. Proposed childcare support fund of $200,000, increasing by $10,000 per contract year for any GOLD-UE members, regardless of the age of their children, who need financial assistance.
- Current emergency funds. Guarini School students may also apply for short-term loans for emergency needs. The loans are interest free.
Employee Assistance
- F/EAP Program. Graduate students and their household members can participate in the Dartmouth's Faculty/Employee Assistance Program (F/EAP).
- Healthcare counseling. Graduate students may contact Dartmouth College Health Service for education on the DSGHPinsurance coverage specifically, and may access F/EAP for consultation on health care plans generally.
- Parking. Parking permits for graduate students will not exceed the cost of permits for other Dartmouth community members. Graduate students will have access to at least one free parking lot.
- Relocation bonus. Dartmouth will continue the existing relocation bonus of $1500 for incoming graduate students
- Support for international employees. Incoming international employees on F student visas will also receive a one-time lump sum payment of $1,200 during their first term of enrollment at Dartmouth. Payment will be made following completion of all required paperwork and for incoming international employees, beginning their programs.
- International Employee Support Fund. Dartmouth is establishing an International Employee Support Fund, beginning in year one of the contract at $50,000, increasing by $5,000 per contact year. International employees may apply for reimbursement from the fund for required visa fees and/or airfare when required to travel overseas for visa processing and renewal.
Retirement
- Graduate students in the GOLD-UE bargaining unit may now participate in the Supplemental Retirement Account (SRA).
Tuition and Fees
- Tuition remission. Currently, graduate students in PhD programs receive tuition remission equivalent to the amount of tuition they are charged ($84,912). Dartmouth has agreed to continue tuition remission
- Fees.
- Purpose. Dartmouth has committed that it will not create nor charge graduate students in the GOLD-UE bargaining unit new fees for the purpose of offsetting wage increases under the contract..
- Notice. Dartmouth will give 45-days' notice to GOLD-UE before charging graduate students a new fee.