UNM graduate workers demand dental and vision coverage after years of delays

More than 100 graduate student workers demonstrated in front of Scholes Hall in Albuquerque on Thursday, demanding that the University of New Mexico administration guarantee them dental and vision insurance.

The 1,500 members of the bargaining unit work up to 20 hours a week in teaching or research roles. While UNM is the only public university in New Mexico to provide health insurance to its graduate student workers, that coverage currently excludes dental and vision care. Students must purchase these benefits separately at an additional cost.

Earth and planetary sciences Ph.D. student Lexi Kenis described the financial strain of the current system. After sustaining dental trauma from a kick to the face while coaching gymnastics in 2019, Kenis delayed treatment when she began her graduate program in 2021. She said she was forced to buy a kit to create her own teeth because she could not afford an implant. "I literally bought a kit to make my own teeth because I’m missing a tooth and I can’t afford the implant," Kenis said. "In my mind, the repercussions for not seeking dental care, they’re only going to be worse." She noted that she needs an implant and a new crown, expenses that exceed her $2,600 monthly salary.

Union leaders state that university officials promised to initiate the process for vision and dental insurance last year. However, the administration has delayed submitting the request for proposal, the formal procedure used by government agencies to solicit vendors. Because this process typically takes six months, United Graduate Workers of UNM leaders believe it will not be complete before spring bargaining begins.

In a statement, UNM spokesperson Steve Carr said the university would remain attentive to graduate workers’ concerns ahead of negotiations. "The University of New Mexico recognizes the importance of compensation and benefits for our graduate student workers," Carr said. "Negotiations between the administration and UGW on benefits actually begin during the spring semester. The university is committed to listening and negotiating in good faith with our graduate student workers."

UGW President Zach Strasberg said the cost for dental and vision coverage for the 1,500 graduate workers is projected at approximately $625,000, according to an estimate provided by UNM to the union. He noted that this figure is $225,000 less than the new university president’s salary. "They have the money to pay him. They should have money to make sure people’s teeth and eyes are OK," Strasberg said.

Sociology doctoral student Rachel Johnston, who is on a waitlist for a liver transplant, said she must pay out of pocket for dental exams to prove she is free of oral infections and remain eligible for the procedure. "It would make me feel like I could confidently say that the transplant will go through, and that I do not have to worry about suddenly being dropped from the list, impacting whether or not I even live," Johnston said. On Thursday afternoon, students carrying signs and megaphones attempted to enter Scholes Hall but were turned away by UNM police officers at multiple entrances. Strasberg said the group planned a peaceful confrontation. "We weren’t going to do violence," he said. "We just want insurance."