Notice on Compensation and Stipend Increases

Dear Students and Faculty,

As you are aware, the University and the Student Workers of Columbia union (SWC) have made little progress in negotiating a successor contract since our first and only bargaining session in March. Information on our most recent bargaining attempt is available. Still, the University remains fully committed to supporting our graduate student community and student employees.

Columbia has some of the finest young scholars in the world, who are focused on their coursework, teaching, and research, and who contribute much to making Columbia the great institution that it is. Accordingly, although the University continues to navigate difficult financial headwinds that will persist for the foreseeable future, Columbia will implement the following increases to student support, applied pro rata effective October 16, 2025:

• Compensation will increase by 3% for PhD student employees who hold a teaching or research appointment in a guaranteed year of support in GSAS, SEAS, the VP&S Coordinated Doctoral Programs in Biomedical Sciences, the School of Nursing, the Columbia Business School, the Mailman School of Public Health, GSAPP, Journalism, SIPA, and the School of Social Work. This increase will apply to the pay period beginning October 16, which is paid on November 7. PhD students receiving stipends at an on-appointment rate, including those beyond their guaranteed years of funding who have been released from teaching duties, will also receive 3% increases. Stipends payments will be issued the week of October 27, reflecting the increase for fall, prorated from the October 16 effective date.
• PhD students not on appointment in guaranteed years of funding will also receive 3% increases to their minimum support stipends. Stipends payments will be issued the week of October 27, reflecting the increase for fall, prorated from the October 16 effective date.
• In each academic unit, compensation will increase by 3% for undergraduate students, Master’s students, non-PhD doctoral students, and PhD students beyond their guaranteed years of support who hold appointments as Teaching Assistants, Teaching Fellows, Preceptors, Readers, Teaching Assistants III, Graduate Research Assistants and Department Research Assistants. This increase will apply to the pay period beginning October 16, which is paid on November 7.
• The University will also increase the minimum hourly rate for student employees who perform instructional or research work from $22.50/hour to $23.00/hour, starting October 20, 2025.

With the academic year now well underway, the University is disappointed that the union has not returned to the bargaining table or responded to the University’s proposals. Most recently, after canceling an agreed-upon bargaining session on September 11, without explanation, SWC refused to bargain at a scheduled meeting today, October 6. The union has posted that the University “canceled” today’s session. The University’s bargaining team was present at the neutral Interchurch location from the agreed-upon start time and remained ready to bargain. SWC’s delegation arrived an hour late to present demands but would not stay to negotiate or discuss scheduling future sessions, asking instead for email replies. The full update on the scheduled October 6 bargaining session is available.

Additional information regarding negotiations is available under the Current Negotiations tab on the Student Benefits website.

Thank you for everything you do to support our community and advance Columbia’s teaching and research mission.

Sincerely,

Amy Hungerford
Dean and Executive Vice President, Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Cas Holloway
Special Advisor to Acting President Claire Shipman