On Friday, May 1, the University of New Hampshire Graduate Employees United organization (GEU-UNH), in conjunction with the Faculty Union and local political leaders, held the People’s State of the University in the Memorial Union Building (MUB). The event was inspired by an event held by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) several years ago.
The People’s State of the University aimed to foster discussion around the current economic and social climate within the university, inviting not only students and faculty but community members as well. The event featured a diverse panel that represented the undergraduate and graduate student body, the Durham community, the faculty and lecturers union, and the tenure track union.
The discussion ranged from issues with the graduate student union to ongoing budget cuts impacting other academic programs and resources. Community members asked questions, voiced concerns and discussed actionable steps for students, faculty and staff.
On-going contract negotiations between the UNH graduate student union and the university were the impetus for the May 1 event, along with the walkout that occurred during UNH President Elizabeth Chilton’s State of the address in early Feb. 2026, in which members of GEU-UNH walked out of the address in protest of the inadequate funding that the graduate program receives.
The UNH graduate student union has been in contract negotiations with the university administration for over 18 months. According to Sam Crawford, Sociology PhD student and GEU-UAW bargaining committee member, talks began in the fall of 2024, their first semester with UNH. Negotiations have been ongoing since then.
“On August 26th of 2025, we proposed our economics package (compensation, healthcare benefits, parental leave, etc.) and have been met with significantly more pushback from the university now that we're discussing money,” said Crawford. “They've gone so far in their counterproposals to strike language guaranteeing graduate employees any amount of parental leave."
“It's my hope that the diversity of the panel at the event shows folks that many people from various organizations and groups are united not only in a desire to improve our collective situations vis-à-vis UNH, but in our shared commitment to the mission of the University, even if the administration seems to have lost sight of it,” said Crawford.
