Dartmouth's Economic Proposal FAQs

Dartmouth's offer increases the stipend  to $47,000 in the first year of the contract, which is well within the range of the stipends paid by our peer institutions to their graduate students who teach and perform research.  Dartmouth's stipend offer also provides for a guaranteed annual increase of 3%, or the 12-month percentage change in the CPI-W in the prior calendar year, whichever is larger. The CPI-W calculation includes, among other items, the cost of housing, transportation, and food.

Currently, graduate students receive dental and vision benefits through the Dartmouth Student Group Health Plan (DSGHP), including pediatric dental and vision benefits.

The health and wellbeing of our students is of utmost importance.  Dartmouth already pays 100% of the DSGHP premium for stipend-supported employees. On April 25, Dartmouth proposed it would also pay 25% of the premium for eligible and enrolled dependents of stipend-supported employees. GOLD-UE made no movement towards an agreement on this proposal, re-proposing their demand that Dartmouth should pay 100% of the dependent premium.

We also shared with GOLD-UE our plans to add a dental plan, at no additional cost, for all students in AY 2024-2025. Currently, all students can access a dental saving plan through BASIX Student Health Discount Program. ​​ As a savings plan, there are no benefit limits, exclusions or claims submitted. Students pay the provider discounted rates directly, and their dependents may access these discounts as well. (See Dartmouth Student Group Health Plan, page 33.)

For vision, stipend-supported graduate students will continue to receive one eye exam per year at no cost and a $110 corrective lens reimbursement, which are enhanced benefits as of AY 2023-24. (See Dartmouth Student Group Health Plan, page 10.)

Pediatric vision and dental benefits are covered under the Dartmouth Student Group Health Plan, page 33-34.

Dartmouth has proposed creating two medical funds to help pay for medical costs, one for graduate students in GOLD-UE and one for their eligible dependents who are covered under the DSGHP. Dartmouth has proposed the medical fund for graduate students be funded in the amount of $100,000 in AY24-25, and the medical fund for graduate students' eligible dependents be funded in the amount of $60,000 in AY24-25. The funds will each increase $10,000 per contract year.

Currently, full-time, stipend-supported graduate students have available up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave under the Child Accommodation Policy.  In addition, full-time, stipend supported graduate students have available medical leave under the Time Away for Medical Reasons (TAMR) Policy.  

Under TAMR, the amount of leave a graduate student may take is determined on an individual basis.  While on a TAMR medical leave, the graduate student is expected to take a break from their studies, research, and anything that will interfere with their healing.  Students insured under the Dartmouth Student Group Health Plan will have access to need-based financial assistance for their coverage for up to a year, or four academic quarters, after their current DSGHP policy ends.  They also have access to free teletherapy counseling and mental health resources through Uwill for the duration of their leave, up to two years. 

For students who may face financial challenges, Dartmouth will work to identify funds and support on a case-by-case basis with the input of the time-away director.

Dartmouth recognizes that child care access and affordability are a concern for students, faculty, and staff alike. We also recognize that not all graduate students have dependents. To help meet diverse student needs, Dartmouth had proposed a Graduate Student Employee Relief Fund in addition to an enhanced child care subsidy. This proposed fund would be accessible to all members of GOLD-UE who could use this fund to help defray expenses, such as: 

• Costs related to caring for children or other dependents;
• Transportation, or transportation-related expenses; 
• Heating and essential utilities;
• Rent;
• Required visa fees and/or airfare for international students when required to travel overseas for visa processing and renewal.

At the April 25 session, GOLD-UE rejected the idea of a broad-purpose fund and  countered with a proposal to divide the fund into two smaller funds.  The first fund is limited to child care at the Dartmouth College Child Care Center (DCCCC) to cover a proposed rate that is lower than the lowest tier rate at the DCCCC. GOLD-UE members whose dependents are not enrolled at DCCCC would be unable to access these funds. GOLD-UE re-proposed that Dartmouth pay for the full cost of members' child care as well as at summer camps.

Currently, only faculty and staff are eligible for DCCCC due to how Dartmouth's fringe-benefits pool subsidizes DCCCC. Graduate students' departments do not pay into the fringe pool.

Dartmouth has proposed increasing Guarini's current child-care subsidy of $3,000 to $5,000 per year per child for up to three children under six years of age who have not yet entered kindergarten, in accordance with the Guarini Childcare Subsidy policy. 

GOLD-UE proposed a second, smaller fund limited for international students. This fund could be used solely for the purpose of required visa fees and/or air travel overseas for visa processing and renewal. This second fund would be in addition to the one-time $1,200 payment for international students to assist with fees and costs associated with their international status. The one-time payment is in line with what other institutions have agreed to with their graduate student unions.