Graduate student salary increase only for new students Graduate student stipends on our campus were low, and our new president increased some stipends. This applied to our department. However, I figured out it only apply to the new students. So we are currently getting paid $1,800 per month, they will get paid $2,200 per month for recruitment purposes.

What would be the best way to approach this, so that current student can also get an increase?
Assuming the poster is in the United States:


You can request a salary increase.  Sometimes requests are granted.
You can leave the university to get higher pay elsewhere.
You can organize students in to a union, which will strike if an acceptable salary is not provided by the university.  Most universities in the United States do not have a graduate student union which negotiates an employment contract.  These are different from the student union which offers campus recreation at universities in the United States.


On your own, a PhD student has very little bargaining power.