Am I going to get in trouble?

[Pouncingmailbox]

Hi Guys,

 

I am starting my second year of graduate school this year in a life sciences PhD program.  Over the summer our pay got reduced for tax reasons as a result of not being enrolled in classes during the summer semester.  Because of this, I started doing Fiverr gigs, learning about TaskRabbitt and looking at the gigs page on craigslist to make a little extra money.  This was actually a pretty cool experience. I got connected to some companies in industry, made some easy side money and most importantly it gave me an idea...  Why not start a gig economy website specifically for grad students...?  So I started one and currently have it up and running, although there is no user base yet.  My question for all of you is, am I going to get in trouble with my program for doing this?  

 

Our program made us sign a non-compete clause in our contract that prohibits us from getting another job while we are in the program.  But that same contract stipulates that we work 20 hours a week but the culture compells us to work about 60.  

Importantly, this website is not an employer. It is only a platform (similar to craigslist) that allows graduate students to become self employed.  On top of that it is gig (task) based and not a steady form of employment.  

 

I really think that as grad students we highly skilled, highly motivated people that are being taken advantage of by being compelled to work insanely hard for low pay.  I personally want and would use a platform where I can make a little bit of extra money on my own terms and my own time.  I know this website will help a lot of students.  But I also don't want to get kicked out of my program!

 

What do you think?

 

 

[iphi]

I would say that since this is more lie consulting work you should be ok. I know plenty of students who do things like this. As long as there's no contract with another employer and no regular paychecks/stubs I think you're fine. They're more worried that you'll be screwing the university out of a research breakthrough.

[Crucial BBQ]

What is the chance of your program finding out it is you behind this website?  

 

Does the clause stipulate no more than 20 hours/week?  Or does it stipulate at least 20 hours/week?

 

If the hours are capped at 20/week you can argue that your recent pay cut on top of a 60 hour work week is note paying the bills.  This might go over better at a less research-intensive institution than U of Iowa, but it might be worth a shot if it comes up.

[TakeruK]

It depends on the specific policies of your school and your funding sources. At my (research intensive) school, graduate student often form startup companies based on their skills. However, they have to be very careful to not ever use any school resource for their own private company! For example, while you are at school, using school computers or internet etc. you should not be doing any activity connected to your business, including responding to emails from your clients etc.

 

In addition, my school has both conflict of interest and conflict of commitment policies. The first policy is to ensure your academic integrity--grad students can't do activities that might cause a conflict of interest with their academic integrity. The second policy is to ensure your ability to proceed along your degree in a timely manner. So, at my school, it would basically be okay as long as your research is not affected. However, there are some things that are automatically considered conflict of commitment. For example, a graduate student in a position like CEO, CFO, CTO, etc of their company is automatically considered in a conflict of commitment. So, for the graduate students whose companies take off and do well, they are given the option of appointing someone else to take over the CEO role or take a leave of absence (with permission of their supervisor) for up to 2 years to get their company where they are comfortable handing it over (or selling it). 

 

In all cases though, grad students in your position at my school would have to declare their competing interest (i.e. this website) and sign some forms affirming that it is neither a conflict of interest nor a conflict of commitment. So at my school, you would get in trouble if you try to hide it and get caught.

 

I think you really should check with the policies in place at your school to be certain. There may be people at the university level that you can get confidential advice about this.

Edited August 29, 2014 by TakeruK

[Pouncingmailbox]

Thanks for your input TakeruK!  You bring up some very good points.  I think I will try to talk to some people at my University, maybe the student legal services office, before I make my next move.  

 

Do you guys think that it is even worth pursuing this?  I think it is a really cool idea but I am starting to see that it might be a serious time commitment.  Building the website was the easy part... managing it might prove to be more cumbersome.  I might need to recruit some people from the business school who are interested in startups or something.

 

Would anyone use a site like this?

[Eigen]

Just to clarify, the 20 hours per week is your assistantship. 

 

The other work you do in your lab, for your dissertation, etc. is likely a great deal more. The reason you're paid so well for 20 hours of week per work is to free up your time to complete your studies, which is usually why a no compete clause exists. 

 

You also have to factor in the cost of your tuition waiver in whatever you're being paid, as it's technically compensation and part of the same package, as well as any benefits in terms of health insurance. 

[Pouncingmailbox]

Eigen, yes, you are absolutely right.  Once you factor in all those things grad school (in the life sciences) starts to look like a pretty great deal on paper.  It is also a pretty great deal in real life...  We get to study what we love, learn new things every day, eventually get an advanced degree and get paid a living wage!  So I am definitely not trying to complain.  I made this thread because I want to learn how to protect my place in my program which is obviously my priority.  

 

This being said I also think that as grad students we should exercise our right to work on reasonable side projects, continue hobbies and participate in sports and events outside of our lab. Without the ability to do things outside of the lab many of us would (and some do) go insane.  So far I have spent a very modest amount of time on this project.  I think it is a cool project and something that I would like to continue to work on. 

 

Some graduate students in other disciplines are not compensated nearly as well.  For example PhD students from our english lit department make about half as much as we do in the life sciences.  Other students like Medical and Dental students rack up 6 figure debt that they will carry with them for years after graduation.  I think that this website could become a valuable resource for graduate students from a wide variety of disciplines.  It is set up in a way that allows students to post jobs that they know they complete quickly and easily and allows them to charge whatever they want for their work. This could provide a much needed source of easy extra income for students while minimizing the additional time commitment.  Furthermore it has the potential to help connect graduate students to potential employers in industry.

[spunky]

i think it's a great idea. but i also think it's an idea that, if pursued seriously, would probably suck up more time than you'd like.

 

i'm a small (online) business owner and the opportunity to 'expand' my business presents itself every once in a while (at least once or twice per year). as you mentioned, i like the business because it frees me from the terror of tuition increases, stipend reductions, budget cuts, etc. that can happen at any given moment (and which i know deeply impact other grad students in my department) but when i look at my schedule and make a realistic assessment of my time, i realize that expanding the business necessarily translates into reducing the hours i have allocated for research/PhD work. and i like my research too much to sacrifice it for a better paycheque since i'ma already making decent money... but i still keep the business running on the side because if getting an academic job fails (which is highly likely but i still keep my hopes up) i can always do my business full-time and live off that.

 

so my advice would be: great idea, but be ready to make sacrifices (particularly if you're just starting up) and these 'sacrifices' could be more costly than what you'd be willing to take on.  

[Vene]

Other students like Medical and Dental students rack up 6 figure debt that they will carry with them for years after graduation

Professional programs are a very different beast even if it is still a graduate degree. In many ways they really are a continuation of undergrad instead of programs designed to generate scholars.

[danieleWrites]

Contractual loopholes exist. If you got a W2, you probably violated the no-outside-jobs clause. If you get a 1099, you may or may not have, depending on the wording of the contract. If you got paid under the table, yeah. If you have to turn in a FAFSA, the school will know how much money you earned.

The first thing you should do is read the contract you signed carefully. I can't imagine how a web-based employment service is in competition with biology, so it's unlikely that you've violated any non-compete contracts (read your contract). By working a job while being in school, you may have violated the contract. You may only violate it if you're working a job while being in school and doing assistanceship work. Read the contract. It will explain it to you.

The second thing you can do (but only if you feel it's safe for you) is wander into your DGS office and inquire about the future. If I'm not enrolled in classes next summer and my stipend gets cut again, is it against the rules for me to get some temporary part time jobs during the summer? Like working with a temp agency? I burned through my savings this summer and I need to make some plans in case this comes up next year.

Personally, I wouldn't use a site like that. I think that many grad students that I know would use that kind of site, though. As to whether or not you should pursue it? I have no idea what's right for you or what your contractual obligations are. The problem will be finding out what kind of companies will use a site like that.