AARON CERNY

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Graduate students should be rewarded for dedication to UF

This past Friday, President Bernie Machen declared that UF needs to transform itself in order to become one of the nation's top public universities. Machen said that the plan is to "focus more on graduate education and research." As co-president of Graduate Assistants United (GAU), our graduate employee labor union, I welcome the president's new vision if - and only if - his focus on graduate education includes support for all departments, students and graduate assistants. Indeed, graduate assistants need additional help and focus these days, especially in this difficult economic climate.