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JAMES FRYER ILLUSTRATES STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

January 13, 2020

James Fryer created a set of vivid illustrations for a feature in the Times Higher Education (THE) magazine entitled "Strength in Numbers," describing the importance of unionization as a component of addressing the graduate student mental health crisis.

Much is known about the stress suffered by the graduate students who teach and perform other essential tasks within universities. These young people, while tackling the workload of a full professor, are not considered statutory employees in the US, and as such have no bargaining rights. The burden they have to endure, for a fraction of the pay a full instructor would enjoy, obviously creates negativity and ultimately contributes to poor mental health.

Because grad students are viewed primarily as students, they are not covered by federal labor protections; if unionized, they would have a collective voice to address their rights. Having graduate student-led labor unions at all US research universities, private and public, is a necessary (though not sufficient) step toward solving the graduate school mental health crisis. James created three illustrations, each conveying a positive coming-together: a collective union for the better. Scroll down to see this artwork in context.


 

 

 

 

 

Tags: James Fryer, Editorial, Education, Illustration, Magazine

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