Boston University (BU) has suspended applications to a dozen doctoral programmes in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences for the next academic year following a historic seven-month strike by graduate workers. The affected programmes include American and New England Studies, Anthropology, Classical Studies, English, History, History of Art and Architecture, Linguistics, Philosophy, Political Science, Religion, Romance Studies, and Sociology. These programmes typically enrol an average of nine students per cohort, according to data from 2022.
The decision, according to BU, followed “careful consideration,” with plans to reopen admissions in future years. Applications remain open for other programmes, such as Chemistry and Creative Writing, with deadlines in December and January.
The suspension, initially reported by Inside Higher Ed, comes in the wake of a prolonged strike led by the Boston University Graduate Workers Union (BUGWU), represented by SEIU Local 509. The strike, which lasted 206 days and ended in October, centred on demands for higher stipends. Doctoral workers, previously earning between $27,000 and $40,000 annually, secured a new contract providing a $45,000 stipend with a 3% annual increase over three years.
The deans of the College of Arts and Sciences, which oversees the affected programmes, cited “budgetary implications” of the new contract in communications with faculty. The increased stipend and benefits for doctoral students added significant costs. In September, professors were informed that admissions would be reduced due to these financial pressures and the need to prioritise commitments to current doctoral students.
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While BU declined to comment directly, spokesperson Colin Riley highlighted a university task force’s report on the future of doctoral education. The report, completed last year, noted a shrinking job market for PhD graduates and increasing financial challenges linked to graduate student unionisation nationwide.
SEIU Local 509 expressed concerns about BU’s rationale, arguing the decision undermines disciplines like Philosophy, History, and English, where graduate students contribute significantly to teaching and research. The union questioned whether the suspension is linked to the contractual gains achieved during the strike and criticised the lack of clarity surrounding the decision.
The job market for doctoral graduates remains challenging, with fewer tenured positions available. This has implications for institutions like BU, where graduate students outnumber undergraduates, posing complex financial and academic challenges. The union has called for more transparency from BU, particularly regarding its commitment to the affected academic disciplines.
