We’ve learned that some members of the Student Worker Collective at Dartmouth (SWCD), a union which represents student employees in Dartmouth Dining Services and undergraduate advisors, are taking part in a work stoppage beginning today. We want to assure you that we will continue to provide key services to support you.

Dining Services:

There will be no impact to dining services at '53 Commons, Collis Cafe, and Courtyard Cafe.

All Fresh Zone locations will continue to operate 24 hours a day.

Hours may be reduced in the evening and on weekends at all other cafes and House Center B’s Snack Bar. Students can learn about the most up-to-date schedules on the dining website.

Residence Halls:

Our live-in professional staff, Assistant Directors of Residential Education (ADs), will increase regular building walkthroughs.

ADs will hold office hours and will email their residential students directly to share those hours.

Event schedules in each residential community may be modified. Students can learn about the most up-to-date schedules through their House Community’s newsletter.

Undergraduate student employees play an important role in campus life. Since October, Dartmouth has bargained in good faith with SWCD, steadily moving toward compromise and addressing every proposal raised by SWCD. When it became clear that key differences remained and SWCD’s positions had largely stalled or reversed, Dartmouth issued a last, best, and final offer—reflecting meaningful improvements in student working conditions and our final position on all proposals.

Highlights of Dartmouth’s contract offers include:

Increasing starting wages for new student dining workers to $23 per hour, with $.50 termly wage increases for all. Currently, the average hourly wage for student dining workers across all dining locations is $24.94 per hour.

Increasing UGA stipends 3% each year of the contract, from $2,000 to $2,060 per term for first-time UGAs and from $2,100 to $2,163 per term in year one.

A free Ivy Unlimited meal plan for each UGA, an increase from the current 80-meal plan, which represents a credit increase from $2,029 to $2,697 per term. Converting both stipends to hourly wages, current UGAs will make $27.77 per hour and new UGAs will receive $27.18 per hour.

Increasing paid time off, including mental health days, for both dining workers and UGAs, which can be used for bereavement.

Increased training for UGAs, incorporating UGAs’ feedback.

A summary of Dartmouth’s last, best, and final offer is available (PDF). You can also learn more about previous bargaining sessions.

We know you may have questions about the strike, negotiations, and the impact to students or campus operations. The Office of Labor Relations has published FAQs to help answer these questions. For additional information or specific concerns please contact the Office of Labor Relations.

Lastly, we want to remind you that our community resources remain on-hand 24/7 to provide support, guidance, or connection.

Dear families and supporters,

We’re sharing the campus update below from Provost David Kotz and SVP Josh Keniston. 

Our top priority is always our students’ safety and well-being. Please encourage your student to check in with their assistant director for their residential needs and remind them of community resources that are on hand 24/7.

We welcome hearing from students during our weekly office hours on Thursdays 11 a.m.-12 p.m. We also invite you to view the FAQs, which includes a section for families, and we hope to be in touch with updates.

Best regards,

Anne and Eric

Message from Provost David Kotz and SVP Josh Keniston

Dear students, 

We’ve learned that some members of the Student Worker Collective at Dartmouth (SWCD), a union which represents student employees in Dartmouth Dining Services and undergraduate advisors, are taking part in a work stoppage beginning today. We want to assure you that we will continue to provide key services to support you.

Dining Services:

• There will be no impact to dining services at '53 Commons, Collis Cafe, and Courtyard Cafe.
• All Fresh Zone locations will continue to operate 24 hours a day.
• Hours may be reduced in the evening and on weekends at all other cafes and House Center B’s Snack Bar. Students can learn about the most up-to-date schedules on the  dining website.

Residence Halls:

• Our live-in professional staff, Assistant Directors of Residential Education (ADs), will increase regular building walkthroughs.
• ADs will hold office hours and will email their residential students directly to share those hours.
• Event schedules in each residential community may be modified. Students can learn about the most up-to-date schedules through their House Community’s newsletter.

Undergraduate student employees play an important role in campus life. Since October, Dartmouth has bargained in good faith with SWCD, steadily moving toward compromise and addressing every proposal raised by SWCD. When it became clear that key differences remained and SWCD’s positions had largely stalled or reversed, Dartmouth issued a last, best, and final offer—reflecting meaningful improvements in student working conditions and our final position on all proposals.

Highlights of Dartmouth’s contract offers include:

• Increasing starting wages for new student dining workers to $23 per hour, with $.50 termly wage increases for all. Currently, the average hourly wage for student dining workers across all dining locations is $24.94 per hour.
• Increasing UGA stipends 3% each year of the contract, from $2000 to $2060 per term for first-time UGAs and from $2100 to $2163 per term in year one.
• A free Ivy Unlimited meal plan for each UGA, an increase from the current 80-meal plan, which represents a credit increase from $2,029 to $2,697 per term. Converting both stipends to hourly wages, current UGAs will make $27.77 per hour and new UGAs will receive $27.18 per hour.
• Increasing paid time off, including mental health days, for both dining workers and UGAs, which can be used for bereavement.
• Increased training for UGAs, incorporating UGAs’ feedback

A summary of Dartmouth’s last, best, and final offers, is available (PDF). You can also learn more about previous bargaining sessions.

We know you may have questions about the strike, negotiations, and the impact to students or campus operations. The Office of Labor Relations has published FAQs to help answer these questions. For additional information or specific concerns please contact the Office of Labor Relations.

Lastly, we want to remind you that our community resources remain on-hand 24/7 to provide support, guidance, or connection.