The Undergraduate Assembly passed a resolution condemning the Graduate Employees Together-University of Pennsylvania's use of striking tactics, while simultaneously pledging neutrality on the topic of unionization.
With a vote of 13 to 6 with one abstention, the UA held their first special midweek meeting in at least four years -- which was attended by members of several class boards, GET-UP, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly and the undergraduate support committee of GET-UP.
After lengthy debate and presentations from multiple groups, the UA put its support behind a statement asking "that GET-UP refrain from the tactic of striking to promote their goals."
Several members noted the confusion this stance could create.
"Ultimately, a vote in favor of the proposal could be construed as a vote against the graduate student right to unionize," said College junior and UA member Jason Levine.
However, many members still felt a proposal was needed to express the body's stance on striking.
"It's time not to let the undergraduates become the pawns -- we need to make a stance before a wave of strikes even start," said UA Vice Chairman and author of the proposal Matt Lattman.
Some UA members said that they saw the strike as negatively impacting undergraduate education.
"We're here to represent the interests of 10,000 undergraduates -- it's the UA's responsibility to say something to protect the interest of the students," UA Education Committee Chairwoman and Wharton sophomore Cynthia Wong said.
She specifically cited the "atmosphere [the strike] will create on campus" as being adverse to learning.
However, some saw the strike as a minor sacrifice that could reap greater benefits in the future.
"The privileges that the University and the undergraduates will gain in the future from this strike far outweigh the present consequences," College freshman and UA member Nassar Mufdi said.
Another view of the issue maintained that the strikes were unfairly intertwining undergraduates with a graduate student cause.
"If the graduate students win, it doesn't necessarily mean we win," said Lattman, an Engineering senior.
College sophomore and UA member Andrew Roach echoed these concerns.
"I view the strike as a way to take undergraduates hostage," he said. "They're trying to bamboozle the administration by using us in a negative way."
GET-UP member Michael Janson stressed the "lack of education" undergraduates have had on the subject, criticizing the format of the meeting. He said that he thought "the debate was not correctly moderated."
Others saw any undergraduate statement at all about the issue as inappropriate.
"Either way, we're going to make friends or enemies ... I think we shouldn't be taking a stance at all," College freshman and UA member Georgiana Cavendish said.
