44th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2000

URGING THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO TO RECOGNIZE GRADUATE STUDENT WORKERS AS EMPLOYEES.

WHEREAS, graduate student workers at the university of New Mexico are teaching assistants, research assistants, graduate assistants and professional assistants; and

WHEREAS, graduate student workers essentially perform the work of professors, work that is basic to the function and success of the university, by performing necessary teaching and research functions for the professors; and

WHEREAS, graduate student workers, in addition to their teaching and research functions, perform duties such as grading student work and providing office hours for student instruction, which would not otherwise be available to the students; and

WHEREAS, graduate student workers, through their high quality research, attract other graduate students to the university of New Mexico, which stimulates enrollment of graduate and undergraduate students and which ultimately strengthens the economy of New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, graduate student workers who earn salaries are subject to all the same taxes that employees are subject to, and the university catalogs graduate student workers as employees;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the board of regents of the university of New Mexico be urged to recognize the graduate student workers as employees for all purposes, including for the purposes of bargaining for compensation, health care and other benefits; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be delivered to the board of regents of the university of New Mexico.