University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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Genetics GSI Laura Schwartz assists a Biology 305 student in preparation for an upcoming exam. While students were always appreciative of the assistance given by GSls, one of the largest concerns for students when enrolling in a GSI taught class was the occasional language barrier. S. Thomas photo Statistics 40 1 GSI Jooyoung Hawong explains a problem to junior Olivia Seagle and senior Liz Hall, both psychology majors and statistics minors. GSls often held special review sessions to help students study as exams approached. S. Thomas photo 104 Voices

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in, the voluu Danny Jones, homeless for six years after his house burned down, sits outside Starbucks Coffee on State and Liberty. Although he has been harassed by police, he said he would rather be taken to jail where at least he can get a warm meal. J. Neff photo or substance ib ianddsoriierly.il ic. Many be jj ental illnesses; ra flital illnesses d Brian Turner, originally of Santa Barbara, California, reclines against the steps of the church on the corner ofWilliam and State Street. Turner was traveling through Ann Arbor on his way to New York City to live with his sister and selling artwork to buy a bus ticket. Turner stopped in different cities including Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo when he ran out of money. His final destination was Billingham, Washington, where his mother lived. . Neff photo Homelessness 103

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Senior biology major Josh Grant works with students as a GSI for Chemistry 2 1 1 organic chemistry lab. Students enjoyed working with Grant because he was closer in age and could make lab more fun. S. Thomas photo issues graduate student politics by kara deboer The Graduate Employees ' Organization (GEO) at the University was the second-oldest in the nation, representing about 1,600 Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) and Graduate Student Staff Assistants (GSSAs). According to its website, the organization was an activist, democratic and volunteer-run organization where graduate employees come together to improve the wages and working conditions for themselves and for those to follow. Tuition waivers and health benefits were just a few conditions the GEO had already won for its members. In the winter semester of 2003, the GEO held demonstrations to push issues with which they had grievances. On March 11, 2002, the GEO had a walk-out, which offered students the opportunity to skip class to show support for GSI and GSSA issues. The strike drew about 800 union members and undergraduate students to picket lines, and even caused students to strike on the Michigan State University campus where a GEO contract was soon to be signed. Later that month, a group of about 200 GEO members picketed on campus again. The GEO held this strike in protest of the University ' s use of a private pharmaceutical drug company and residence hall librarians ' stunted pay in comparison with all other graduate students ' pay. GEO President Dave Dobbie addressed the Regents in June 2003 on a highly contested issue for graduate student employees: the raising cost of healthcare benefits. Recently, the University has announced a departure from its long tradition of providing full healthcare benefits to employees, he said, adding that the rising costs and new structures of health provision have not changed the fundamental responsibility of the University to provide for the health... of its employees. In addition to pushing this issue, the GEO welcomed the Lecturer ' s Employee Organization (LEO), which included non-tenure-track faculty, to the bargaining table. Affiliated with the GEO, the LEO could now negotiate security, salary, and other employment arrangements. Students were used to GSIs teaching discussion sections for large lectures and other small classes. While some appreciated the youth and vivacity graduate students were able to add to their classes, some students had trouble understanding international student GSIs. Senior nursing major Janel Hasse recalls the first day of a sociology class with a foreign GSI: He walked into the first day of class and said, ' I ' ll teach you Sociology, and you ' ll teach me English. ' She continued, I don ' t remember agreeing to that trade-off. Although some students had negative experiences with GSIs, they realized that the success of the many courses relied on GS Is to help professors. Graduate Student Politics 105