Ph.D. students, in the sciences and engineering at least, spend the majority of their time doing research that benefits the university. Much like professors, th

Ph.D. students, in the sciences and engineering at least, spend the majority of their time doing research that benefits the university. Much like professors, they have teaching obligations, make research contributions, and generally work to advance their field. While they are labeled students, the day-to-day life of a Ph.D. student looks more like an employee than a customer. This is why there’s been a push to unionize, and why even charging tuition in the first place is suspect.