Member Emails

2026-02-09: SGWU 2026-2027 Local Executive Board and Trustees

SGWU members can vote for our 2026-2027 Local Executive Board and Trustees. Sign a union card today! Elections start Feb. 16 and end Feb. 20.

TL;DR:

If you’re an SGWU member, you can vote for our 2026-2027 Local Executive Board and Trustees. Sign your membership card ASAP at sgwu.us/card to make sure you receive a ballot.
Elections will be held via secure email ballot starting on Monday, February 16th, and ending on Friday, February 20th at 11:59 pm PT.

Dear Graduate Workers,

Nominations for the 26-2027 SGWU Local Executive Board and Trustees have closed. Here’s our election schedule:

A Candidate Forum will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, February 17th at 7pm, where members will have a chance to hear from the candidates.

Elections will open on Monday, February 16th, and conclude on Friday, February 20th at 11:59 pm PT.

Results will be announced on Saturday, February 21st.

Here are the positions up for election and their current nominees, to appear on the ballot if in good standing:

President: Liam Sherman

Vice President for Membership - Nick Snyder

Recording Secretary - Colin Unger

Communications Secretary - Victoria Varlack

Treasurer - Emma Cuddy

Financial Secretary - Molly Corr

Campus Chief Steward - Helene Koumans

Area Chief Steward - Sciences (2 seats) - Ben Alexander, Daniel Howell

Area Chief Stewards - Biosciences (2 seats) - Gloria Ye, Gisel De La Cerda, Cesar Mena

Area Chief Steward - Humanities (1 seat) - Quinn Monette

Area Chief Steward - Social Sciences (1 seat) - no candidates!

Area Chief Stewards - MICE (2 seats) - Michał Gerasimiuk

Area Chief Steward - MSCE (1 seat) - Theo Yang

Area Chief Steward - Doerr (1 seat) - Allie Ćemalović

Area Chief Steward - AAME (1 seat) - Somi Eigbe

Area Chief Steward - BEL (1 seat) - Haley Lepp

Trustees (3 seats) - Wagner Nors, Paul Markley

More information, including candidate statements, will be sent out before the Town Hall.

SGWU Special Elections Committee

📅 UPCOMING EVENTS

What?	When?	Where?
Candidate Town Hall	Feb. 17 7-8pm	Zoom
Elections open	Feb. 16th	Vote by email ballot
Elections close	Feb. 20th 11:59PM PT

General Membership Meeting	Feb. 25, 6-7PM	EVGR C 134
Membership Building Committee	Thursdays 6-7PM	Green Earth Sciences 365 and Zoom

Graduated? Unsubscribe here

2026-02-09: Questions about Cardinal Care? + Meet Your Organizers Today

SGWU is meeting with admin Wednesday (Feb. 11) to discuss Cardinal Care! Submit your comments today.

SGWU is meeting with admin tomorrow , Wednesday (Feb. 11) to discuss Cardinal Care!

What questions do you have? What do you want to see on the agenda?

Please submit your questions ASAP via this form (email not required, but recommended if you want us to follow up on your question!)

We’re also hosting the first of several Meet your Organizers socials today, Feb. 9!

When: Feb. 9, 12-1:30PM
Where: Engineering Quad by the Y2E2 Coupa
We’ll have lunch from Asian Box including gluten-free and vegan choices – priority given to those who RSVPed, but please stop by!

We’re here to talk about issues big and small. Are you concerned about Cardinal Care or protecting international students? Do you have questions about your advisor relationship or research rotation? Worried you’re being underpaid? Let’s discuss it over lunch.

Union organizers are grad workers like you! We’re looking for new volunteers on four committees – come meet current organizers and learn about their work.

Grievance Committee: protects grad workers whose rights are violated.
Membership Building: hosts socials and general membership meetings, educates workers on their rights and benefits.
Communications: writes emails, the monthly newsletter, creates social media posts and flyers.
Data and Tech: maintains internal tools, databases, and our website.

In solidarity,
SGWU

Graduated? Unsubscribe here

2026-02-02: Free Lunch Meet your Organizers Monday 2/9

Meet your organizers at our Feb. 9 lunch social! Share your concerns and join the fight to improve Stanford for all grad workers.

TL;DR:

Meet your organizers at our Feb. 9 lunch social! 12-1:30pm in Engineering Quad
Please RSVP for Asian Box catering (including gluten-free and vegan food)
Share your concerns and join the fight to improve Stanford for all grad workers

—————

Dear Graduate Workers,

We’ll be hosting the first of several Meet your Organizers socials next Monday, Feb. 9!

When: Feb. 9, 12-1:30PM

Where: Engineering Quad by the Y2E2 Coupa

Please RSVP! We’ll have lunch from Asian Box including gluten-free and vegan choices.

We’re here to talk about issues big and small. Are you concerned about Cardinal Care or protecting international students? Do you have questions about your advisor relationship or research rotation? Worried you’re being underpaid? Let’s discuss it over lunch.

Union organizers are grad workers like you! We’re looking for new volunteers on four committees – come meet current organizers and learn about their work.

Grievance Committee: protects grad workers whose rights are violated.
Membership Building: hosts socials and general membership meetings, educates workers on their rights and benefits.
Communications: writes emails, the monthly newsletter, creates social media posts and flyers.
Data and Tech: maintains internal tools, databases, and our website.

In solidarity,

SGWU

📅 UPCOMING EVENTS

What?	When?	Where?
Meet your Organizers Social I	Mon. 2/9 12-1:30pm	Engineering Quad by Y2E2 Coupa
Meet your Organizers Social II	Tues. 2/17 time TBD	TBD
February General Membership Meeting	Wed., 2/25, 6-7PM	TBD and on Zoom
Data and Tech Committee	Thursdays, 3-4PM	CoDA E203
Membership Building Committee	Thursdays, 6-7pm	Green Earth Sciences 365 and Zoom

Graduated? Unsubscribe here

2026-01-30: SGWU Leadership Elections - Nominations Close Today!

Nominations to elect our new executive board close today at midnight!

Dear Graduate Workers,

Nominations to elect our new executive board close today at midnight! You can nominate yourself or another worker via this form. You can learn more about the open positions here and learn about the election protocol here.

If you or someone you know are interested in helping lead the union and fight for our 2027 contract, think about nominating them!

Best,

Your Local Executive Board

2026-01-29: Statement in Support of the January 30 Day of Action to

Nationwide day of solidarity on Friday, Jan 30; White Plaza rally 12pm tomorrow; get trained with the Santa Clara Rapid Response Network

TL;DR:

Participate in the nationwide day of solidarity on Friday, Jan 30
White Plaza rally at 12 PM tomorrow (1/30)
Get trained with the Santa Clara Rapid Response Network

Dear Graduate Workers,

On Friday, January 30, we call on our members to join the nationwide day of action to honor those killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and to oppose the escalating federal violence directed at immigrants, people of color, and marginalized communities.

Last week’s general strike in Minneapolis—the first cross-sector general strike since Oakland in 1946—marked a rare and consequential moment in U.S. labor history. General strikes arise when institutions fail to protect human life and dignity, and when collective action becomes necessary to disrupt business as usual.

We are living in such a moment. Federal immigration enforcement has resulted in deaths, family separations, and pervasive racialized violence. Community and labor leaders have demanded that we cannot continue business as usual while our neighbors are being imprisoned and killed by the state.

These attacks are inseparable from conditions in higher education. Universities depend on the labor of international students, scholars, and workers, many of whom now face heightened surveillance, visa precarity, and the threat of deportation. Stanford students and scholars have already experienced visa revocations and abrupt status changes, disrupting research and placing individuals at serious risk. At the same time, immigration enforcement has increasingly targeted people of color regardless of citizenship status, reinforcing racialized violence that extends far beyond immigration law.

Federal attacks on immigrant communities coincide with broader efforts to undermine higher education itself, including defunding and political interference in research, as well as direct assaults on fields such as race and gender studies, climate science, and public health. Together, these actions threaten the fundamental purpose of the university: the free pursuit of knowledge and the ability to teach, research, and learn without fear.

As academic workers and educators, our labor is bound up with broader struggles for justice. Participation in the nationwide day of action and solidarity is a collective declaration that these conditions are unacceptable—and that we refuse to carry on as usual while members of our communities are harmed and killed.

Many of you have asked how you can participate in meaningful and supportive ways. There are several actions you can take:

Join the nationwide day of action on Friday, January 30. We encourage all graduate workers to flex their time or discuss options with your advisor about taking the day/time off to participate in this day of action.
Attend the rally at 12:00 PM at White Plaza in visible solidarity with workers, students, and communities nationwide.
Get trained with the Santa Clara County Rapid Response Network, which mobilizes volunteers to respond to ICE activity, support impacted community members, and document enforcement actions.
Do not spend money tomorrow, in accordance with the demands of the organizers
Check in with your labmates, coworkers, professors, and advisors to coordinate participation and mutual support.

In solidarity,

Your Local Executive Board

2026-01-22: GMM today moved to EVGR B 144!

General Membership Meeting moved to EVGR B 144

Our General Membership Meeting today has been moved to EVGR B 144, still at 6pm!

Come by for Panda Express, share your thoughts on Cardinal Care, and help us elect the next union leadership. Please RSVP here!

2026-01-22: GMM TODAY w/ Panda Express Cardinal Care,

Reminder - General Membership Meeting today! Nominate workers for union leadership, fight for Cardinal Care (+ call for testimonials) and safeguard grad worker financial aid programs.

Dear Graduate Workers,

A reminder that our next General Membership Meeting is today at 6pm in EVGR C 134 Theater.

Please RSVP to help us plan for food or to receive a Zoom link to attend remotely.

This quarter, we will elect the next Local Executive Board (LEB), who will lead contract negotiations as our current contract expires in November 2027. If you are interested in running, please attend this GMM to learn more about the election process and different roles!

Nominate your coworkers for union leadership via this form (sgwu.us/s/nominate), open now until Friday, 1/30. Learn more about the open positions here and learn about the election protocol here.

Also on the agenda:

Local Executive Board elections
- Overview of nomination and election process
- Nominations of the elections committee, who will oversee this election cycle
- Ask-me-anything with your current LEB!
Organizing efforts to secure healthcare benefits in our next contract
- Please continue sending us contact@sgwu.us your testimonials on the new Cardinal Care disaster as we prepare for our meeting with Stanford admin!
Organizing efforts to protect financial aid programs for grad students
- Stanford has been eroding the Graduate Student Aid Fund and Emergency Grant-in-Aid. To help us hold Stanford accountable, submit your experience to our survey.
Participation in Stanford Non Violent Alliance (SANO)

In Solidarity,

Your Local Executive Board

2026-01-21: GMM (w/ Food!) Tomorrow + Nominate Your Coworkers for Union

Reminder - General Membership Meeting tomorrow. Discuss elections for union leadership, the fight on Cardinal Care (+ call for testimonials), and safeguarding grad worker financial aid programs.

Dear Graduate Workers,

A reminder that our next General Membership Meeting will be held on tomorrow Thursday, January 22nd at 6pm in EVGR C 134 Theater.

Please RSVP to help us plan for food or to receive a Zoom link to attend remotely.

On the agenda this month: elections for union leadership, the fight on Cardinal Care (+ call for testimonials), and safeguarding grad worker financial aid programs.

Send your nominations for our new executive board via this form (sgwu.us/s/nominate), open now until Friday, 1/30. Learn more about the open positions here and learn about the election protocol here.

In solidarity,

Your Local Executive Board

2026-01-20: Meet SGWU @ Winter Orientation Next Week! (Free food,

New research, teaching, and course assistants - welcome to SGWU! Winter orientation is Monday, Jan. 26 at 6pm.

TL;DR:

New research, teaching, and course assistants: welcome to SGWU!
We’re hosting a winter orientation Monday, Jan. 26 at 6pm – learn about your workers’ rights and how SGWU supports grad students at Stanford
Ask us anything! We want this session to be valuable for new and returning grad students, so bring your questions and pick up your free SGWU shirt!

—————

Dear Graduate Workers,

We’ll be holding a winter orientation and Ask Us Anything session with free dinner and free SGWU shirts!

⏰ Monday, Jan. 26 6-7pm

📅 In-person (location TBD) and on Zoom

If you missed SGWU’s autumn orientation, have new questions after autumn, or just want to hang out with other grad students, come by and meet us!

Please RSVP (for zoom link, in-person location, helping us buy enough food).

If you have a teaching appointment (TA or teaching fellowship) or biweekly research appointment (RA), these job positions are in SGWU’s bargaining unit. This means your pay, benefits, and safety are protected by our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), aka “the contract.” If you’re on a research fellowship, Stanford has excluded you from the bargaining unit but you can still participate in SGWU and receive many of the benefits our union has won. Check our membership and dues FAQ for more on this topic – or come to orientation to learn all about your union.

In solidarity,

SGWU

📅 UPCOMING EVENTS

What?	When?	Where?
General Membership Meeting (please RSVP)	Jan. 22, 2026 6-7pm	EVGR C 134 and on Zoom
Data & Tech Committee Meeting	Thursdays 3-4pm	CoDA E203 and Zoom
Membership Building Committee	Thursdays 6-7pm	Green Earth Sciences 365 and Zoom
Meet your Organizers Social (please RSVP)	Feb. 2, 5pm	Engineering Quad

Graduated? Unsubscribe here

2026-01-19: Nominate New Union Leadership Today and Attend 1/22 GMM

Nominations to elect our new executive board are now open!

Dear Graduate Workers,

Nominations to elect our new executive board are now open! You can nominate yourself or another worker via this form. You can learn more about the open positions here and learn about the election protocol here. The nomination form will close on Friday 1/30.

We will be sharing more information about elections and voting on an elections committee at our January General Membership Meeting. Mark your calendars for Thursday 1/22 at 6pm (there will be food!) in EVGR C 134 Theater. RSVP here to help us plan for food or to receive a Zoom link for remote attendance.

If you or someone you know are interested in helping lead the union and fight for our 2027 contract, think about nominating them

Best,

Your Local Executive Board

2026-01-15: SGWU Leadership Elections - Nominations Open 1/19

Nominations to elect our new executive board open on Monday 1/19 and will continue through Friday 1/30.

Dear Graduate Workers,

Nominations to elect our new executive board open on Monday 1/19 and will continue through Friday 1/30. This next board is crucial, as they will also lead contract negotiations; our contract expires in 2027. You can find information on the open positions here.

In order to run, you must be a member in good standing for at least the past three months. The nomination form will open on Monday; self nominations are encouraged. If nominated, you must confirm your intention to run in order to appear on the ballot. We will be sharing more information about elections, and voting on an elections committee at our 1/22 GMM (RSVP here!)

If you or someone you know are interested in helping lead the union and fight for our 2027 contract, think about nominating them!

Best,

Your Local Executive Board

2026-01-12: 1/22 GMM Cardinal Care + Union Leadership Elections

January General Membership Meeting, help us track Graduate Student Aid Fund and Emergency Grant-in-Aid reimbursements, and send us your testimonials on Cardinal Care as we prepare to meet with admin.

Dear Graduate Workers,

Welcome back and happy new year! Our next General Membership Meeting will be on January 22, 2026 at 6pm in EVGR C 134 Theater.

Winter quarter is a crucial time for our organizing efforts because we will elect the next Local Executive Board (LEB), who will lead contract negotiations as our current contract expires in 2027. If you are interested in running, please attend this GMM to learn more about the election process and different roles!

Nominations for LEB roles open 1/19 and continue until 1/30.

On the GMM agenda this month:

Local Executive Board elections
- Overview of nomination and election process
- Nominations of the elections committee, who will oversee this election cycle
- Ask-me-anything with your current LEB!
Organizing efforts to secure healthcare benefits in our next contract
- Please continue sending us contact@sgwu.us your testimonials on the new Cardinal Care disaster as we prepare for our meeting with Stanford admin!
Organizing efforts to protect financial aid programs for grad students
- Stanford has been eroding the Graduate Student Aid Fund and Emergency Grant-in-Aid. To help us hold Stanford accountable, submit your experience to our survey.
Participation in Stanford Non Violent Alliance (SANO)

In Solidarity,

Your Local Executive Board

2026-01-07: December 2026 Newsletter

DEC 2025 Newsletter - Cardinal Care Referral Requirement, Appointment Letters, Local Executive Board Election Timeline, Jan. GMM, Know Your Contract Benefits!

DEC 2025 AT A GLANCE

STANFORD GRADUATE WORKERS UNION • Dec 31, 2025

Black line.

📢 Announcements

🔴 Cardinal Care Referral Requirement in Effect

🟡 Check Your Appointment Letters

🟣 Local Executive Board Election Timeline + Jan GMM

🧑‍⚖️ General Membership Meeting

📜 Know Your Contract Benefits

✍️ International student benefits!

💡 Free Caltrain GoPass for off campus workers!

💸 Financial Resources

📅 Mark your calendar!

👊 About us

Local Executive Board

Standing Committees

Get in touch

📢 Announcements

🔴 Cardinal Care Referral Requirement in Effect

As of Jan 1, 2026, the new Cardinal Care referral requirement is in effect. Please see an email titled “Important Reminder Regarding the Cardinal Care Health Insurance Referral Requirement” from Vaden for more details. SGWU is aware of numerous instances of disruptions of care and has requested to meet with Stanford administrators. If you are facing problems with the new health insurance, email contact@sgwu.us

You can read our summary of changes to Cardinal Care and notes from our previous meeting with Stanford admin here.

🟡 Check Your Appointment Letters

Bargaining unit members (CAs/TAs/RAs), you should receive an appointment letter 14 days before your winter quarter appointment begins. Please check your work hours and report any contract violations to SGWU via contact@sgwu.us.

We have also received reports that departments are blaming pay cuts and reduced hours on “union-related” policies. As a reminder, nothing precludes a department from providing compensation above what is in the CBA (Article 21) or giving a worker more hours if they want. Furthermore, the CBA does not apply to non-bargaining unit positions, most commonly administrative work. Please report any misinformation about the CBA to contact@sgwu.us

🟣 Local Executive Board Election Timeline + Jan GMM

At our September GMM, SGWU members ratified the following timeline for the next LEB election cycle. If you are interested in running, we encourage you to attend our 1/22 GMM, where we will talk about the election process and different leadership roles.

Nomination period: last two weeks of January (1/19-1/30)
Nominees accept + campaign: first two weeks of February (1/30-2/19)
Election period: third week of February (2/16-2/20)

🧑‍⚖️ General Membership Meeting

Our members voted to not hold a December GMM. Our next GMM will be in January 22nd 2026 at 6pm in EVGR C 134 Theater and all rank-and-file members are welcome to raise discussion topics for GMMs here:

🔗 Submit Issues Here

If you’re interested in becoming a union steward and helping to enforce our contract, please attend a steward training.

🔗 Stewards Training RSVP

📜 Know Your Contract Benefits

✍️ International student benefits!

Incoming international PhD students receive a $1,200 one-time payment to cover visa related expenses within 30 days after matriculation. The payment should be automatically deposited to your bank account (approx $1k after tax withholding).

💡 Free Caltrain GoPass for off campus workers!

Graduate workers who reside off campus are eligible for a free Caltrain GoPass. Request yours at https://transportation.stanford.edu/getting-stanford/public-transit/caltrain-gopass/caltrain-gopass-commuting-graduate-students
—|—|—

💸 Financial Resources

If you are facing financial hardship, our contract protects your right to get reimbursed for certain types of expenses via university resources.

We are surveying application outcomes for these financial aid programs. Please submit your experience so we can ensure you get the full benefit of our contract.

Emergency Grant-in-Aid: out-of-pocket medical, mental, vision and dental care costs; bike repairs; computer repairs; legal expenses related to maintaining visa status.
Graduate Student Aid Fund: spousal Cardinal Care insurance premiums; campus health fee and/or Cardinal Care premiums for students with significant debt burdens or required expenses beyond customary cost of attendance
Graduate Family Grant: flexible funds to cover childcare, healthcare and rent for students with dependents

If you’ve been denied for any of the above funding sources, please send us an email at contact@sgwu.us

📅 Mark your calendar!

Upcoming events, training sessions, workshops, GMMs… you name it

Event

Time

Location

Contact

General Membership Meeting (GMM)	Jan 22nd 6pm	EVGR C Theater	leb@sgwu.us
Membership Building Committee	Thursdays6–7pm	Room 365, Green Earth Sciences or on Zoom	organizing@sgwu.us
Data + Tech Committee	TBD	TBD for Winter Q	recording@sgwu.us
Union Social	TBD for Winter Q	Between EVGR B and C	organizing@sgwu.us

👊 About us

Stanford Graduate Workers Union (United Electric Local 1043) represents graduate workers’ interests as university employees and negotiates collectively over employment conditions like pay, benefits, health and safety, and protections against harassment and discrimination. We believe that graduate workers at Stanford power the research and teaching integral to the University’s operations, reputation, and mission, and we deserve to have fair compensation and working conditions.

Local Executive Board

Our elected officers and Area Chief Stewards carry out decisions made by the membership in between General Membership Meetings, handle grievances, keep our union running, and respond to urgent situations. The local executive board is elected annually for a one-year term.

Standing Committees

Our three Standing Committees (Membership Building, Communications, Data and Technology) help run the day-to-day operations of our union. These Committees meet weekly and are open to all rank-and-file members.