GSR Transitional Position Pilot Program
The goal of the Program is to provide graduate student researchers, who have PI-funded appointments, a new transitional position in cases where there is an irreparable employment-related conflict in the supervisor-supervisee relationship and that the supervisor relationship is beyond repair for reasons outside of the graduate student researcher’s control, or that the graduate student researcher’s PI left the University. Berkeley has an overall FY24-25 budget of $70,000 for these positions which can be used collectively for up to six (6) transitional position(s).
Graduate student researchers who are selected will receive up to one semester of a transitional position as a GSR or ASE subject to all the terms and conditions of the appropriate collective bargaining agreement and subject to the conditions outlined below:
Who is eligible to apply?
Graduate student researchers are eligible to apply for this Program, who meet the following criteria:
- Are in good employment standing, including conduct and performance.
- Are dependent on their Principal Investigator (PI) for employment.
- Have been with their Principal Investigator for at least two semesters (or the equivalent amount of time).
- The graduate student researcher has made a clear argument, corroborated by the department, that there is an irreparable employment-related conflict in the supervisor-supervisee relationship and that the supervisor relationship is beyond repair for reasons outside of the graduate student researcher’s control, or that the graduate student researcher’s PI left the University.
- Has not previously received a transitional position.
Additional Program details:
- Graduate student researchers will be selected for a transitional position based on an application process established by the campus.
- Depending on the reason for and timing of the transition, the graduate student researcher’s original PI may ask the graduate student researcher to finish wrapping up work assignments even if the graduate student researcher has already transitioned to a new work assignment.
- In no case will a graduate student researcher who receives a transitional position be asked to continue work at their former lab/unit for longer than a period of two weeks.
- In no case will wrapping up work assignments cause a graduate student researcher to exceed their total allotted FTE per the Time and Effort article.
- For the duration of the pilot program, the University’s decisions on which applicants to award a Transitional Position are not subject to grievance and arbitration. The Union may grieve allegations of procedural violations up to Step 3 in accordance with the Grievance Articles of the BR/BX contracts. Only an allegation that funds are not allocated even though there are sufficient eligible applicants per term may be taken to arbitration
The program will be implemented and will be open to all GSRs to apply begininning on March 6, 2025.
Questions? - Contact the Academic Personnel Office at: appolicy@berkeley.edu and/or you can also reach out to the UAW at berkeley@uaw4811.org.
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