Read on Twitter
In other news, I was literally dragged back to Twitter because paying students a living wage for.. *checks notes*... doing work that requires a living wage is apparently debatable.
As a former research assistant in econ, biology, and public health, I have thoughts. A thread/ https://twitter.com/jenniferdoleac/status/1350147987490672644
As a former research assistant in econ, biology, and public health, I have thoughts. A thread/ https://twitter.com/jenniferdoleac/status/1350147987490672644
This take is tone deaf for a couple reasons, no disrespect to OP:
I don’t think people who hire research assistants actually understand the living conditions of RAs. For starters, LOTS of RAs live with 5-8 OTHER people because expenses are high and wages are low.
I don’t think people who hire research assistants actually understand the living conditions of RAs. For starters, LOTS of RAs live with 5-8 OTHER people because expenses are high and wages are low.
2) High rent + low pay for a job that honestly requires a lot + imbalanced power dynamics + being very junior meaning you can’t advocate for yourself
an abusive environment where academics can and DO work RAs to the bone without accountability. Just a mess.
an abusive environment where academics can and DO work RAs to the bone without accountability. Just a mess.
Someone may say “well then don’t become a research assistant— that's not an option in STEM and econ/policy/biz because no researchno LORweak app no graduate acceptance. Hence why academia SUCKS and oftentimes doesn't hold people accountable because ~tenure~ or whatever tf.
no LORweak app no graduate acceptance. Hence why academia SUCKS and oftentimes doesn't hold people accountable because ~tenure~ or whatever tf.
It’s QUITE funny that people hesitate to pay students and early career researchers, who CARRY research projects imho. This kind of behavior is on bar with refusing to co-author with students because ~seniority~ when students pull their weight.
It’s tacky, elitist, and abusive.
It’s tacky, elitist, and abusive.
This is your daily reminder that not paying junior people who just arrived into a field and probably help out substantially with most of your code, literature review, analysis, and other things is an ABUSE OF POWER.
Pay us fairly and do better. That’s it. That's the tweet.
Pay us fairly and do better. That’s it. That's the tweet.
And DON'T BE FOOLED, the ONLY reason you're not hearing from RAs is because power. We probably have the least amount of power and the most to lose.
And that's academia: You can boldly proclaim that you don't pay junior people enough and not be held accountable because power.
And that's academia: You can boldly proclaim that you don't pay junior people enough and not be held accountable because power.
