Graduate students meet with Temple protesters

A small group of University graduate students made the trek to Temple University on Friday to show support for Temple faculty, who have been on strike for over four weeks. Four graduate student leaders attended a rally at the Bell Tower, the center of the North Philadelphia campus, where they were welcomed by Temple graduate and undergraduate students, according to Jeff Abrahamson, a third-year mathematics Ph.D. student. During the faculty strike, the Graduate Student Employee Association, a Temple graduate student group, have picketed and refused to teach in order to call attention to the needs of the 750 teaching and research assistants. GSEA went on strike for two days during the first week of the faculty strike, and many members still walk the picket lines with the faculty and do not attend classes. On Thursday, Temple graduate students held a teach-in. About two weeks ago, seven Temple graduate students were arrested for blocking the entrance to Temple President Peter Liacouras' office. After spending seven hours in prison, they were released on their own recognizance. They have also been banned from Temple until a university hearing. Temple graduate student leaders estimated last week that 40 percent of teaching assistants are not teaching and are walking the picket lines, 20 percent are teaching and 40 percent just stay home. Both graduate and undergraduate students have rallied almost every day at Temple to protest the strike and voice their support for faculty members.

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