Issues

Graduate student workers at Duke face many obstacles to success. Read more at each of these pages to learn where the union stands on each issue, what we’ve accomplished, and where we’re going next.

Rising Cost of Living

The cost of living in Durham-Chapel Hill for a single person with no dependents is ~$39,000 per year (using MIT’s living wage calculator). If you aren’t privileged to have external funding as a graduate student at Duke, you’re likely making less than a living wage. DGSU is fighting to fix that.

International Student Issues

From visa applications to summer continuation fees and mandatory English-language courses, international students have many more hurdles than citizens do. If you have questions about unionizing as an international student, check out this guide; for issues related specifically to international students, click here.

Harassment and Discrimination

Harassment and discrimination are rampant throughout academia and higher education, and Duke is no exception. Read more about how DGSU addresses Harassment & Discrimination at Duke.

Antiracism

Black. Lives. Matter. After the murder of George Floyd in 2020, we sent a petition to The Graduate School demanding significant changes towards antiracism at Duke. Read more about our demands and the administration’s response here.