FAQs for Implementation of New Labor Contracts for GSRs, ASEs and Postdocs

UCR Graduate Division, Labor Relations and Academic Personnel continue to appreciate your patience and collaboration as questions/answers are added to this FAQ.  We encourage you to check back periodically because updates will be made as more answers are received. Please find the ASE, GSR, and Postdoc Contract Implementation FAQs below.

If you don't see your question answered here, please contact patrick.napier@ucr.edu.

Basic Principles and Concepts

The Contracts

Although the contracts are finalized, the PDFs are unformatted; links to the final articles can be viewed below. Formatted contracts will be posted on the UCOP website, Bargaining Units and Contracts 

Salary Scales and Timing

 The new ASE and GSR contracts are in effect immediately following ratification. Some portions of the contracts, including wages, will be phased in over time. The new rates will govern our minimum rates of compensation for graduate academic student employees. 

The AY 2022-2023 salary rate is effective April 1, 2023, and future increases are expected to be effective each October. Updated salary scales, once formatted, will be posted annually on the UCOP website Current Academic Salary Scales .

Important Notes:

  • Please remember that neither the University nor the contracts require 12-month appointments. The tables above show both the 9-month and 12-month equivalencies.
  •  For new students (entering FA23), a department may make a determination about the appropriate placement of a student on the GSR steps/salary points. Current GSRs should be placed on the indicated salary point that corresponds to their current step (indicated as ‘Prior step’). Moving forward, in all cases, GSRs and ASEs must meet the contract expectation in terms of work experience.
  •  The percentage appointment should be based on work effort. If the work duties and effort for GSR or ASEs are modified, the percentage appointment may be increased or decreased. However, there is no requirement or expectation that the percentage appointment should change solely on account of ratification of the contracts.  

ASE (BX) & GSR (BR) Contracts

Academics

Appointments & Hiring

Child Care

Fee Remissions & Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition (NSRT)

Graduate Funding Reform

  • Are graduate students guaranteed a 50% appointment?

    ASEs/GSRs are guaranteed the compensation at the rates outlined in the tables above, commensurate with and according to their specific effort. Nowhere in the contracts, nor in university policy, is it stated that students are guaranteed any percentage of appointment.  Appointment percentage must be commensurate with the hours worked (effort), and not calculated to achieve a gross dollar figure.

Wages, Salary Tables, Salary Range Adjustment

Graduate Student Researchers (GSRs), Trainees, and Fellows - BR Contract

Academics

Appointments & Hiring

Fellows & Trainees

Layoffs

Personal Time Off (PTO)

Wages & Salary Tables

  • How do we determine which new experience-level step a GSR should be on?

    Experience is based on the number of quarters worked by a certain point in time.  Beginning October 1, 2023,  The review period for increases based on experience will only occur once a year at the end of spring quarter. 

    • A GSR with three (3) quarters of experience as a GSR at 25% or higher per term at the same campus will be appointed at  Step 2 or higher.  
    • A GSR with six (6) quarters of experience as a GSR at 25% or higher per term at the same campus will be appointed at Step 3 or higher.
    • Students may be placed at a step higher (from contract: “At the University’s sole discretion, it may place GSRs at a higher salary point than the minimum”).
       
  • Can we require that departments set their minimum GSR step levels at the step above and closest to their departmental support Graduate Funding Reform (GFR) amount? This would simplify packaging with employment and stipend combinations.

    •    Current GSRs should be placed on the new step that corresponds to the old step: old Steps 1-4 = new Step 1; old Step 5 = new Step 2; old Step 6 = new Step 3; old step 7 = new Step 4; old step 8 = new Step 5; old steps 9-10 = new Step 6. The percent appointment can remain unchanged. 
    •    However, if a program wishes to change the percent appointment, the workload must be adjusted accordingly. There is NO expectation or requirement that every GSR have a 50% appointment; any appointment is permitted to meet the employment needs of the PI.  As has always been true, departments may elect to appoint their students at higher steps. 
    •    Keep the following in mind: the new steps outlined in the contracts are supposed to be experience-based. In theory, new students with no experience would be appointed to entry level steps. But in practice, the contract gives us latitude. This latitude means that we are allowed to appoint students to ANY step, so long as those who have experience are not appointed to the entry level step.

Academic Student Employees (ASEs) - BX Contract

Wages & Salary Tables

Postdoctoral Scholars - PX Contract

Appointments

Compensation

Transition Issues

General Questions

Academic Researchers