State Board says Temple U. grad students can unionize by Billy O'Keefe TMS Campus October 19, 2000 In a decision that could spark a na tional trend, the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board ruled this week that graduate students hired by Temple University as graduate assistants are employees of the university and are entitled to the same protections and benefits as any other employee. The ruling ends a 20-month legal struggle between the university and the Temple University Graduate Stu dents' Association, which represents the school's more than 1,100 gradu ate assistants. At issue is the TUGSA's members' right to enjoy the protections of the state's Public Employe Relations Act, which allows public employees to unionize and collectively negotiate wages, hours and other stipulations of their employment. TUGSA's first stab at forming a union in February 1999 was supported by more than 60 percent of its mem bers, who cited insufficient training, flimsy benefits and the lack of a den tal plan, among other issues, as rea sons. University lawyers argued that the assistants' status as students barred them from sharing the same privileges as full-on employees, despite the fact that grad students at Temple teach a third of all undergraduate classes, con duct research in laboratories on cam pus, and provide administrative sup port for various departments and pro grams. Survey: to be millionaires by Stephen Sharkey TMS Campus October 18, 2000 No offense to Regis Philbin but it's one thing to ask. "Who wants to be a millionaire?" and quite another to ask, "Who expects to be a millionaire?” A recent survey by accounting firm Ernst & Young revealed that most college students do, in fact, expect to rake in the big, big bucks. In August, Ernst & Young conducted a survey at their intern convention at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., in which they polled 800 college students from around the world. The survey sought to learn the financial expecta tions and future priorities of today's college students. Of the students that responded, 75 percent expect that they will someday be millionaires. Thirty percent expect to be millionaires when they are in their fourties. Seventy-six percent responded that they do expect to be better off then their parents. Several students speci fied that they will place more empha sis on their own career development - - 25 percent while others plan to place more emphasis on balancing their careers and personal lives -- 47 percent. The survey also showed that nearly 50 percent intend to retire with finan cial security in their fifties, a stark con trast to the seven percent that never expect to be comfortable enough to retire. More highlights of Ernst & Young's survey: When do you expect to be a millionaire? Of 797 surveyed: • 30 per cent expect to become millionaires in their 40s • 19 per cent think they will become millionaires in their 50s • 17 per cent expect to become millionaires in their 30s • 5 per cent expect to become millionaires in their 60s • 5 per cent expect to become millionaires in their 20s • 25 per cent think they will never become millionaires. Do you expect to be better off then your parents? Of 796 surveyed: • 76 per cent think they will be better off than their parents • 19 per cent expect to have the same level of income and quality of life as their parents • 5 per cent think they will be worse In January, the labor relations board's hearing examiner dismissed TUGSA's proposal, citing a similar opinion handed down in 1976 by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. But TUGSA, along with the American Federation of Teachers, appealed the decision, pointing out that new regu lation by National Labor Relations Board rendered the 1976 decision obsolete. The three-person labor relations board sided unanimously with TUGSA, concluding that assistants are not obligated as students to seek employment at Temple, and that their work and presence should command as much respect as that of any other employee. “ I'm ecstatic. This ruling vindicates what we have said all along,” said Temple grad student Ayanna Laney who is employed at the university as a researcher. “We do a third of the undergraduate teaching at Temple. We keep the labs and offices running. Of course we're employees. Temple wouldn't work without us.” The board has now relegated the case back to the hearing examiner in order to determine the size and scope of the union. Predictably, the two sites are again at odds, but while TUGSA hinted at hopes of including all 1,100 students in the union, the university remained has taken a wait-and-see approach. “As we have stated on numerous occasions, we will continue to follow the legislatively mandated procedure for resolution of these issues,” read a statement issued by the university. students expect off than their parents How do you plan to invest your money? 0/796 surveyed: • 30 per cent plan to invest in long term conservative stocks or mutual funds • 29 per cent plan to invest in high risk, aggressive stock investments (such as World Funds) • 10 per cent plan to invest in their company's retirement plan • 10 per cent will invest in an individual retirement plan • 2 per cent plan to invest in bonds or CDs • 17 percent don't know how they will save for the future. When do you think you will retire? Of 703 surveyed: • 49 per cent think they will retire in their 50s • 22 per cent expect to retire in their 60s • 14 per cent think they will retire in their 40s • 5 per cent think they will retire in their 20s • 4 per cent think they will retire in their 30s • 7 per cent expect to never retire. What is your top priority in the next 3 years? Of 703 surveyed: • 47 per cent say that balancing their career with their personal lives is a priority • 25 per cent place an emphasis on career development • 8 per cent want to build a sound financial base • 7 per cent want to pursue continu ous learning opportunities • 6 per cent want to pursue work opportunities in other countries • 6 per cent want to become dot-com billionaires What will be your top priority when managing work and per sonal live? Of 703 surveyed (42 per cent male, 57 per cent female): • 81 per cent view family and friends as top priority in balancing work and personal life • 9 per cent view their career as their top priority • 3 per cent place an emphasis on sports or outdoor activities • 3 per cent place continuing education as a priority • None view community service as a priority • 4 per cent have other priorities NATIONAL CAMPUS NEWS There’s no excuse for student vote apathy, former President says by Andy Argyrakis Campus Correspondent Benedictine University TMS Campus October 23, 2000 Former President George Bush, along with his wife and former First Lady Barbara Bush, feel young people within society need to take a pro active stance within the nation's current political realm. The couple is tired of hearing the media speak of declining voter turnout and apathy amongst the college aged citizens of the United States. For many college students, this year's election marks their first as be ing old enough to go to the polls, but the Bushes don't want to hear any complaints when it comes to this year's candidates not appealing to young people, including those against their son George W. Bush, Texas Governor and Republican presiden tial hopeful. “ I am not particularly sympathetic to those who say ‘What are you go ing to do for me’ or ‘Are you going to get me involved?’” Bush said on Sunday, Oet. 22, when TMS Cam pus caught up with him before a lec ture at Benedictine University in Lisle, IL. “ Well, suit up and go down to some campaign headquarters and support a candidate. You have to get out there and get involved.” The couple has recently relived the former president’s 1988 and 1992 campaigns as they watched their son ex- perience the same tri umphs and challenges. However, they made it very clear that in the case of their son, or any other candidate in this election, it is crucial for young people to get out on their campus and in their town to spread the word. Bush noted that students during this election year have many more ways to get informed about a candi date then they did just over a decade ago when he ran for office. “ They ought to get out and work for a candidate,” he said. “ Col- lege kids have plenty of access. They have all those comput ers they use these days and can get on that Internet and get more infor mation than they can digest.” The former President went on to mention that each voice that gets in volved in the political scene, regard less of who they support, adds fuel to the fire of anyone that cares about the future of government. “ It doesn't matter where you start, but pick a candidate [whether it be] a Republi can or Democrat, liberal or conser vative and get in and work,” he said. “Then you're going to be part of the process. The minute you do that, you disproportionately can be heard over the people who sit around and complain and whine that nobody understands them.” The couple wanted to use Benedictine University as a plat form to share such thoughts because of its location just outside of Chi cago and the connection Mrs. Bush already had with the university. “ They have a speaker series here and Barbara was a huge success last time,” laughed the former Presi dent. “ The college thought it was a huge success before and I enjoyed it a lot,” echoed his wife, who last appeared on campus in 1998. Despite the warmth the couple re ceived this time around from the university's administration, their af ternoon speech as part of the university's “Great Issues, Great Ideas” lecture series was sparsely attended by Benedictine students, making a case for the couple's frus tration with apathy on college cam puses. However, the couple still had Former President George Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush discuss the role students must play in the upcoming election dur ing a visit to Benedictine University in suburban Chicago. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2000 some specific advice to share about maintaining a successful balance throughout the college years. Mrs. Bush broke up her code for success in school into a simple, yet poignant for mula. " First you have to study hard. You've been given a wonderful gift, not just to learn, but to learn at a col lege institution," she said. " Next, play hard. Life is meant to be fun after all. Just don't break the rules. [Finally 1 in your mad dash around campus every day, don't forget to cherish your rela tionships with your friends and fam ily. You won’t regret failing a test or not closing a business deal at the end of your life, but you will regret (ne glecting! those relationships." Fler husband mirrored such state ments, adding that a complete person needed to also be active in their com munity and always seek to help oth ers. “ There is no definition of a suc cessful lifestyle that does not include service to others." he said. “ We live in an era of prosperity that mankind has never known before. Good people can get involved and make a difference no matter what."
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers