Negotiating Funding Packages

[Dali21oh]

I never notice people talking about negotiating the terms of the funding packages they're offered from graduate programs. Presumably, the programs in our field(s) are already so competitive that many of us are hesitant to press the issue. But, as well all know, we also get paid miserably as GTAs, TAs, etc. 

 

Is anyone willing to share experiences or information on this topic? I'm in a position where, even though I've been offered "full funding" (I hate this term) from some excellent programs in my field, I'm still having a hard time accepting the idea that it's a wise investment to make--mainly because I have student loans that need to be paid of, like, now. I can't afford to make such a small salary for the next five or so years. 

 

I know that budgets in these departments are tight pretty much across the board, but there's got to be at least some wiggle room. I have a real problem with this idea that I should feel super accomplished about the funding packages that have been offered to me. "Oh yay! You're telling me I'm so awesome that I deserve not to be paid a living wage for the next five years? Thanks!" (sarcasm, of course)

 

No offense to people who haven't gotten in where they wanted (I've been rejected a lot of places, too), and I'm sorry, but this is bigger than our short term feelings of rejection. In the long run, getting rejected might actually be the best thing that ever happened to you. (Please don't ask me why I applied in the first place just because I'm resistant to the idea of subjecting myself to poverty for at least the next half decade.)

 

Ok, rant done. I'm just interested to see if any people on here have tried to push for better funding or know people who have done so. Thanks! 

[ComeBackZinc]

I know that this has happened in the past, successfully, but of course it's in the tiny minority of cases. Many state schools, for what it's worth, have a particular funding package that is set far above the heads of the actual departments and thus can't be negotiated with. But yes, I know that some students have accomplished such a negotiation. Go with care, no matter what you do.

 

I personally have subsisted on my stipend and some money from editing, publishing, and odd academic summer jobs, without taking on loan aid. Because I have a very bad back, and the health insurance here is great, it's actually a clear net financial win for me. I do want to say that you're perfectly right to think in these terms about grad school, and far too many people don't do that. At the same time, almost anything else you choose to do will be a better financial investment of your time and energy. Just food for thought.

[Katia_chan]

I will be making more as a PHD student than I make working right now.  So I'm taking what they offer and running with it.  Yes we are getting paid for teaching, but if you think of it, we are also getting paid to *study*.  Where else will someone give you that opportunity?  It may not be much, but someone is still paying you to go to school.

 

My teaching load will be the same as it is right now, as an adjunct, and I will be making more plus being able to go to school.  I'm not saying you shouldn't bargain, but I do think we need to be careful not to lose sight of the fact that we should be a little grateful.  There is no law that they *have* to pay us any more than an adjunct makes per credit hour.  I know it's expected, but it's still a nice opportunity.

[mikers86]

Like ComeBackZinc said, depending on the program it's set above the dept. There's sometimes wiggle room for relocation, etc., but from what I've seen and heard from people I know in other programs, it's extremely difficult to do.

[ryhmesandammo]

I never notice people talking about negotiating the terms of the funding packages they're offered from graduate programs. Presumably, the programs in our field(s) are already so competitive that many of us are hesitant to press the issue. But, as well all know, we also get paid miserably as GTAs, TAs, etc. 

 

Is anyone willing to share experiences or information on this topic? I'm in a position where, even though I've been offered "full funding" (I hate this term) from some excellent programs in my field, I'm still having a hard time accepting the idea that it's a wise investment to make--mainly because I have student loans that need to be paid of, like, now. I can't afford to make such a small salary for the next five or so years. 

 

I know that budgets in these departments are tight pretty much across the board, but there's got to be at least some wiggle room. I have a real problem with this idea that I should feel super accomplished about the funding packages that have been offered to me. "Oh yay! You're telling me I'm so awesome that I deserve not to be paid a living wage for the next five years? Thanks!" (sarcasm, of course)

 

No offense to people who haven't gotten in where they wanted (I've been rejected a lot of places, too), and I'm sorry, but this is bigger than our short term feelings of rejection. In the long run, getting rejected might actually be the best thing that ever happened to you. (Please don't ask me why I applied in the first place just because I'm resistant to the idea of subjecting myself to poverty for at least the next half decade.)

 

Ok, rant done. I'm just interested to see if any people on here have tried to push for better funding or know people who have done so. Thanks! 

 

I'm so happy someone has raised these questions. I don't have any experience with such negotiations yet, but I do plan to make schools aware of my other funding offers with the expectation that I'll be offered more competitive packages if possible. I was lucky to be told by a professor who contacted me with an offer to think of him as my "agent" - he wanted me to know that the school was willing to be aggressively competitive with their offer, and that I should feel comfortable disclosing competitive offers so that he could use the info as a lever for more money for me from the dean. This came from someone at a state school, a UC, for what it's worth.

 

I don't know to what extent this varies from institution to institution, but I do think it's appropriate to be savvy in negotiating - just as you would any other job offer - and to be critical of these funding packages, which in many ways are exploitative. We are made to feel like gods for being offered a shot at functioning as cheap labor, and I think the competitiveness of being offered admission to these programs makes us feel meek about questioning some of their terms.

[ComeBackZinc]

I will be making more as a PHD student than I make working right now.  So I'm taking what they offer and running with it.  Yes we are getting paid for teaching, but if you think of it, we are also getting paid to *study*.  Where else will someone give you that opportunity?  It may not be much, but someone is still paying you to go to school.

 

My teaching load will be the same as it is right now, as an adjunct, and I will be making more plus being able to go to school.  I'm not saying you shouldn't bargain, but I do think we need to be careful not to lose sight of the fact that we should be a little grateful.  There is no law that they *have* to pay us any more than an adjunct makes per credit hour.  I know it's expected, but it's still a nice opportunity.

 

Yeah I am in the same boat-- in addition to my quality of life being much higher as a grad student, as sad as it is, I'm actually financially better off now than I was before.

[Dali21oh]

Lots of great thoughts here already, thanks. Hypothetically, I'm at a point where I think I would take a $35k job with benefits doing something relatively tolerable over entering a PhD program in this field, a field that I love, and at least defer for a year to see what other options there are outside of being an academic. Problem is, that $35k job with benefits is 100% hypothetical lol. I think it's an important thought, though. Many people in the Humanities are in this position of not having other skills to rely on, so we just keep pursuing this highly risky profession since we feel like we don't have other prospects. 

 

I think I might be slightly better off as a PhD student than I am as an adjunct right now, but I'm trying to detach from myself from the idea that I need to be in academia. I would love to, yes, but I would also love to not be *wildly* in debt. I'm just not sure what else I would do besides this. I've been so obsessed with trying to become this ideal PhD candidate that I haven't really spent much time exploring other job markets.    

Edited February 15, 2014 by Dali21oh

[katja454]

Just my 2 cents, since I negotiated a bit last year and it definitely worked in my favor. Since this is grad school and not a job, funding is a slightly different animal than the work that you actually do. So, while you might not be able (or not feel comfortable) just asking for more money, you might decide that it would be worth asking for less teaching one year, or some sort of TAship rather than teaching comp., etc. Depending on your circumstances, that could be just as important; it won't do much in terms of cost of living, but you can also be thinking about how quickly you want to move through the program and how you're able to balance coursework/research with teaching responsibilities. 

[scuttlebutt]

I'm so happy someone has raised these questions. I don't have any experience with such negotiations yet, but I do plan to make schools aware of my other funding offers with the expectation that I'll be offered more competitive packages if possible. I was lucky to be told by a professor who contacted me with an offer to think of him as my "agent" - he wanted me to know that the school was willing to be aggressively competitive with their offer, and that I should feel comfortable disclosing competitive offers so that he could use the info as a lever for more money for me from the dean. This came from someone at a state school, a UC, for what it's worth.

 

I don't know to what extent this varies from institution to institution, but I do think it's appropriate to be savvy in negotiating - just as you would any other job offer - and to be critical of these funding packages, which in many ways are exploitative. We are made to feel like gods for being offered a shot at functioning as cheap labor, and I think the competitiveness of being offered admission to these programs makes us feel meek about questioning some of their terms.

I had a DGS from a UC school share similar sentiments. He also told me that if I felt the UC school wasn't the best fit, I should inform the program that I was choosing of my other financial offers (assuming the other offers were higher than my program of choice).

[Imaginary]

Like ComeBackZinc said, depending on the program it's set above the dept. There's sometimes wiggle room for relocation, etc., but from what I've seen and heard from people I know in other programs, it's extremely difficult to do.

 

When you say "it's extremely difficult," do you mean any type of negotiation, or "wiggle room for relocation" specifically? I have been wondering about asking if there might be funds for relocation, but I'm feeling uncertain.

[mikers86]

When you say "it's extremely difficult," do you mean any type of negotiation, or "wiggle room for relocation" specifically? I have been wondering about asking if there might be funds for relocation, but I'm feeling uncertain.

In general, but every program is different. The worst they can do is say no.

[bennoarchimboldi]

Once you have 2 acceptances send both an email saying, "I'm really excited about coming and intellectually I'm there, but the delay is because I'm working out my financial situation before committing." 

 

If they have any money they'll give it to you, and if they don't they won't. All departments, even shittily funded ones, have some extra cash lying around that's used to lure admits. You just have to hope it's not been allocated yet. Remember, now till April 15 is the only time in your entire career you have any power. 

[hashslinger]

You should always try to negotiate--if you have leverage, that is.

 

We often look at these schools/programs as cash-strapped, but truth be told, it's often not the case.

 

My program, for instance, always pretends to be poor. However, our offers vary wildly and the university in general has more money than it knows what to do with. We have a standard TA package that is really not so impressive. But last year we offered someone a stipend in the high-20s, with multiple teaching-free years, to lure them away from a top-ranked program. (Sick, IMO.) If you are good enough, and if you have competitive offers, they will fight for you. Programs don't like getting shown up by other schools. 

 

And yes, the worst that can happen is that they can just say no. I once had a solid offer to attend one school and very little funding to attend another school. So I brought the offer to the DGS of the second program. He said that he really wanted to fund me but that the funding was all gummed up in collective bargaining and that he basically couldn't do anything. So I took that as a sign and just went to the first program. But I didn't get any "bad feelings" from the DGS or feel that I had offended him by trying to negotiate.

 

And as others have said, money isn't your only bargaining chip. If you have more time "off" from teaching at one school, or summer funding, of funded language study, or an opportunity to work at the writing center, then you can always try to get the same perks for yourself at the other program.

 

So don't feel guilty or grateful. Go forward and bargain your ass off. Such opportunities are rare. Take advantage.

[Nyctophile]

Very enlightening....thanks people!