Prospective Students  |  New Students  |  Current Students  |  International Students  |  Faculty & Staff  |  Alumni & Friends

Home » Policies & Procedures » Guides » Full Version

Full/Print Version: Appointments Handbook

This version of the Appointments handbook has been made available for users who prefer to print or read it in its entirety.

Appointments Resources

What You Need to Know About Being a GSI, GSR, Reader, or Tutor

I. Collective Bargaining Agreement

The titles GSI, Reader, Tutor, and Acting Instructor-Graduate Student are covered by a collective bargaining agreement between the University and the United Automobile Workers (UAW). Under the language of the contract, students hired in these titles are referred to as Academic Student Employees (ASEs); you will find this acronym used in the contract and in campus communications. See the current UAW Academic Student Unit contract. GSRs are not covered by the agreement.

Top

II. How to Find a Graduate Student Academic Appointment

GSR Appointments

If you are interested in a GSR position, ask faculty or staff well before the beginning of the semester for which you want to be appointed about research projects that may need GSRs. Some departments have application procedures and application forms posted on their websites. Also talk to your graduate student colleagues, who may have suggestions.

ASE Appointments

You will want to begin inquiries about appointments with faculty, staff, and your graduate student colleagues, who may have recommendations, well before the beginning of the semester for which you want the appointment. For example, if a faculty member oversees GSI course assignments in your department, ask about courses that will need GSIs the following semester. Talk to the faculty members who will teach those courses. Ask your department staff for an application for GSI positions.

Other Resources

Check campus website. The projected number of GSI, Reader, and Tutor appointments for each department during the following academic year is posted on the Web (http://hrweb.berkeley.edu/labor/contracts/BX/job-opportunities). The list provides the names and e-mail addresses for departmental contacts. In spring, also check the Labor Relations website (see above) regarding Summer Sessions ASE opportunities.

Check departmental websites. Check with your department as it may provide information about ASE positions in addition to what is posted on the website. Departments and organized research units may post job listings for open positions on departmental bulletin boards or their websites. Departments or faculty who are willing to hire students from other departments are also encouraged to post vacancies at the Career Center at 2111 Bancroft Way. Ask your graduate student affairs officer for more information on where to look for job listings in your discipline. The graduate student affairs officer may also be able to suggest possibilities for positions in related fields. If they have formal written guidelines regarding hiring for and allocations of ASE positions, departments and hiring units will post their guidelines and any changes made to them before they are implemented.

Top

III. Letter of Appointment

Each student appointed as a GSI, AI-GS, GSR, Tutor, or Reader must receive from the hiring unit a written notice of appointment (letter or electronic mail) and, in the case of an ASE appointment, supplemental documentation as specified in the contract between the University and the UAW. Appointments are contingent upon budgetary decisions and the results of advance class enrollment, as well as on the approval of any pending requests for exceptions (including, but not limited to, appointments exceeding 50 percent time and early advancement to a higher step of the GSI series). Departments will not issue Letters of Appointment until after necessary exceptions and other approvals are obtained. Your assignment may be changed if enrollments are significantly higher or lower than expected.

Departments are required to notify all ASEs of expectations and workload requirements at the beginning of the semester, and of any substantial changes that might occur during the semester in accordance with the UC–UAW agreement. This notification may be by letter or electronic mail. Check with your department’s graduate assistant for more information.

Top

IV. GSI Appointments

The term Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) is synonymous with Teaching Assistant (TA) at other universities. A GSI serves as an apprentice under the active supervision of the faculty member who is the Instructor of Record for the course. GSI appointments are for one academic year or less, and reappointment is not automatic. If you are appointed at half time, you can be expected to work 16–20 hours per week, during instructional and examination periods, including time spent in preparation, classroom and laboratory teaching, office consultation, and reading student papers. ASEs are obligated to inform their supervisor when they first perceive that their assignments might exceed the assigned workload maximum for their appointments. ASEs must obtain express advance written permission from their supervisors before working beyond the number of hours defined for their appointments. At no time should an ASE continue to work beyond eight hours in a day, or forty hours in a week.

A. General GSI Qualifications

  1. Academic Standing: GSIs must be in good academic standing (i.e., must not be on academic probation or have had their degree candidacy lapse), have a minimum 3.0 grade-point average, and have no more than two Incomplete grades in upper division and graduate courses on the transcript.
  2. Registration and Enrollment: Appointees must be UC students who are registered and enrolled in a least twelve units of course work, unless already advanced to doctoral candidacy, during the semester in which they are serving as a GSI.
  3. Graduate Standing: Appointees must be UC graduate students. Only under very exceptional circumstances may a UC Berkeley undergraduate student be appointed to serve as a GSI, and advance approval of the appointment by the cognizant Associate Dean of the Graduate Division is required in each case. UC Hastings College of the Law students may not be appointed as GSIs.
  4. Disciplinary Probation: Appointees must be clear of certain disciplinary probations based on the Code of Student Conduct.
  5. Oral English Proficiency: Students who do not speak English as a native language and do not hold a Bachelor’s degree from an institution in the United States must demonstrate oral English proficiency to be appointed as a GSI. In those countries where the iBT TOEFL has been introduced, English language proficiency is determined by the speaking section score of the iBT TOEFL. In those countries where the new iBT TOEFL has not yet been introduced, students can demonstrate their proficiency by taking and passing the Test of Spoken English (TSE) before enrolling in Berkeley or the SPEAK test offered on the Berkeley campus. Information on passing scores, testing options, and language courses can be found on the GSI Teaching and Resource Center’s Language Proficiency Web pages.
  6. New ASE Orientation: All individuals whose GSI appointment is also their first ASE assignment must attend a New ASE Orientation sponsored by the Office of Labor Relations for the semester they have been appointed. If there is a failure to attend, individuals will not be eligible for ASE appointments in subsequent terms until they have attended this orientation. See ASE Orientation dates.
  7. 300-level Seminar: All students appointed as GSIs must enroll in a 300-level seminar on teaching offered by the department in which they are teaching either concurrent with or prior to their first appointment as a GSI at Berkeley. These courses provide unit credit for preparation for teaching.
  8. Teaching Conference: First-time GSIs must attend the Teaching Conference for new GSIs, offered by the GSI Teaching and Resource Center each semester before classes begin. International GSIs appointed for the first time must also attend the teaching conference for new international GSIs, offered in the fall semester before classes begin. Pedagogy is the focus of the conferences.
  9. Online Course: First-time GSIs must successfully complete an online course on professional standards and ethics in teaching by the end of the third week of classes. To enroll in the online course, please go to the GSI Teaching and Resource Center’s website. The full text of the Graduate Council’s Policy on Appointments and Mentoring of GSIs can be found on the Web.

B. Step-Specific Qualifications

In addition to the general qualifications listed above, each step in the GSI series has a specific set of qualifications as outlined below. Experience associated with teaching through Summer Sessions, either at UC Berkeley or elsewhere, and at University Extension or its equivalent at other institutions, is not counted for advancement in the GSI series. Experience is counted based on the semester system. Teaching credit accrues on a semester basis regardless of the number of courses taught during the semester. When credit is requested, by exception, for post-baccalaureate teaching at institutions of higher education operating on the quarter system, the experience is not counted on a one-for-one basis (i.e., a quarter is not considered equivalent to a semester).

To advance to GSI Steps II, III or IV, a student must have completed a master’s degree or the equivalent. Equivalency is defined as completion of twenty-four units of upper division or graduate work in a doctoral degree program. Students who are currently in master’s degree programs are not eligible for advancement. Exceptions to this policy based on special circumstances may be submitted to Associate Dean Carlos Fernandez-Pello for consideration. Advancement in the GSI series is not automatic. Once a student has been approved to advance to a higher step, he or she may not be moved to a lower level when subsequent teaching assignments are made. This does not, however, apply to step decisions made by Summer Sessions. If Summer Sessions appoints a student at a step higher or lower than the student would be eligible for under Graduate Division rules, the next appointment during the regular academic year is made at the appropriate level based on the step-specific criteria and other relevant qualifications.

C. GSI Duties

Departments must assign duties for a particular course at or below the level of a GSI’s experience and qualifications, as classified by his or her step level. A GSI who is at the Step I level in experience (less than four semesters of teaching) cannot be assigned responsibilities beyond what is allowed for that step.

Step I duties entail leading discussion sections or labs or instruction of prescribed course content, under the active direction and supervision of a faculty member who has final responsibility for the course’s entire instruction and for the performance of GSIs. The appointee is not solely responsible for instructional content of the course, selection of assignments, planning of exams, or for determination of course grades, but may assist in these tasks in collaboration with the instructor of record who has final authority. Other course support duties may include, but are not limited to, holding office hours, grading, and participation in development of quizzes.

Under the appropriate supervision of faculty, GSIs qualified for classification at higher steps may be assigned Step 1 duties or additional responsibilities.

D. Restrictions

  1. Students on Filing Fee status may not be appointed as GSIs.
  2. Students may not be appointed as GSIs during the period of in absentia registration status.
  3. Students may not be enrolled in the course for which they are appointed.
  4. Students may not simultaneously serve as a GSI and a Reader or a Tutor for the same course.
  5. During the academic year, graduate students with appointments may not exceed half time, nor may such appointments, in combination with other University appointments, exceed half time. For more information about this restriction, see the topic titled “The 50 Percent Rule” under the “General Policies On Academic Appointments” section in this document.
  6. Graduate students are limited to four years of service in any one teaching title, or any combination of teaching titles (GSI, Acting Instructor-Graduate Student, TA, Associate, or Teaching Fellow titles). Requests for exception to this policy for a ninth or tenth semester of teaching may be approved by the Head Graduate Adviser in the student’s academic department. Requests for exception to the policy for an eleventh or twelfth semester of teaching must be approved in advance by Associate Dean Carlos Fernandez-Pello. The maximum number of years of service on the Berkeley campus is six (twelve semesters), which is an absolute limit established by UC’s Office of the President (UCOP) and cannot be exceeded even by exception (please refer to APM 410-17 Term of Appointments).
  7. Students may normally be assigned to perform the duties of a GSI only for undergraduate courses. Under very exceptional circumstances, a department may appoint a graduate student who has been advanced to candidacy at the doctoral level for a graduate course. However, for a graduate student who has not yet been advanced to doctoral candidacy, appointment as a GSI for a graduate course always requires advance approval by the Head Graduate Adviser of the student’s academic department.

E. GSI Salaries

The GSI salary chart is available on the campus Labor Relations website.

Top

V. Acting Instructor-Graduate Student (AI-GS) Appointments

A. Duties

Appointees are employed to render services as the Instructor of Record for a particular upper division course although they are still under faculty supervision. The AI-GS has independent responsibility for developing the course syllabus (which must be reviewed and approved in advance by a member of the Academic Senate), reading assignments, assignment of grades, including response to grade appeals, and other duties as assigned by the hiring department.

B. Minimum Qualifications

  1. Graduate Standing: Appointees must be UC Berkeley graduate students.
  2. Advancement to Candidacy: Students must be advanced to candidacy at the doctoral level before a department may nominate them for AI-GS positions.
  3. Teaching Experience: Nominees for AI-GS positions must have completed at least four semesters of post-baccalaureate teaching experience as a GSI at UCB, or have been approved in advance by the Head Graduate Adviser of the student’s academic department for early advancement to GSI step II, or GSI Step III, based on a combination of post-baccalaureate teaching experience at UCB and other institutions of higher education.
  4. Academic Standing: Candidates for AI-GS appointments must be in good academic standing (i.e., may not be on academic probation or have had their degree candidacy lapse), have a minimum 3.0 grade-point average, and have no more than two Incomplete grades in upper division and graduate courses on the transcript.
  5. Disciplinary probations: Appointees must be clear of certain disciplinary probations based on the Code of Student Conduct.
  6. Registration: Appointees must be registered during the semester in which they are serving as an AI-GS.

C. Restrictions

  1. Appointments always require approval in advance by the cognizant Associate Dean of the Graduate Division and by the Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI) of the Academic Senate.
  2. Students may be assigned to perform the duties of an AI-GS only for upper division courses.
  3. Students on Filing Fee status may not be appointed as an AI-GS.
  4. Students may not be appointed as an AI-GS during the period of in absentia registration status.
  5. Students may not be enrolled in the course for which they are an AI-GS.
  6. Students may not simultaneously serve as an AI-GS and a Reader or a Tutor for the same course.
  7. During the academic year, graduate students appointed as an AI-GS may not exceed half time, nor may such appointments, in combination with other University appointments, exceed half time. For more information about this restriction, see the topic titled “The 50 Percent Rule” under the “General Policies On Academic Appointments” section in this document.
  8. Graduate students are limited to four years of service in any one teaching title, or any combination of teaching titles (GSI, Acting Instructor-Graduate Student, TA, Associate, or Teaching Fellow titles). Requests for exception to this policy, up to an absolute limit of six years of service, must be approved in advance by the cognizant Associate Dean of the Graduate Division. The maximum number of years of service on the Berkeley campus is six (twelve semesters), which is an absolute limit established by UC’s Office of the President (UCOP) and cannot be exceeded even by exception (please refer to APM 410-17 Term of Appointments).

D. Placement in the AI-GS Series

When a student is approved by the Graduate Division and the COCI to be appointed as an Acting Instructor-Graduate Student, the appointment is always made at one step below the step at which the student would have been appointed as a GSI.

E. AI-GS Salaries

The AI-GS salary chart is available on the campus Labor Relations website.

Top

VI. Campus Resources for GSIs and AI-GSs

Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) Teaching and Resource Center, 301 Sproul Hall, 510-642-4456

The Center is an academic unit in the Graduate Division that prepares graduate students in all disciplines for the teaching they will do at Berkeley and in future careers. The center sponsors Fall and Spring Teaching Conferences for GSIs, and workshops on teaching throughout the year that address topics such as conducting effective discussion sections, grading, using instructional technology, developing a course syllabus, and developing a teaching portfolio. The center provides individual consultations for GSIs on all aspects of teaching, including preparing for the teaching aspects of the academic job search. Classroom observations and videotaping by peer consultants are also available to GSIs. Additionally, the center works with departments and faculty in developing discipline-specific pedagogy seminars and mentoring programs for GSIs. A complete list of services is available in 301 Sproul Hall and on the center’s website (http://gsi.berkeley.edu). The center’s Language Proficiency Program is designed for current and prospective GSIs who do not speak English as a native language. Prospective and current GSIs who need to improve their English language skills can take courses through the center’s Language Proficiency Program (LANGPRO). For more information, please consult the center’s website.

Course Improvement Grants of up to $300 per semester are available through the GSI Teaching and Resource Center for a project that improves teaching and learning in class sections or laboratories. GSIs may use the grant for activities such as inviting guest speakers, funding theater and museum visits, renting films, and other educational projects. Applications for these grants may be picked up in 301 Sproul Hall or downloaded from the center’s website and are accepted year-round.

Your department’s Faculty Adviser for GSI Affairs may be your best resource for information on your appointment. The Faculty Adviser is the primary liaison among GSIs, departments, and the Graduate Division and should be aware of all policies and regulations concerning your appointment and resources available on campus to assist you in your teaching. Your graduate assistant can tell you which faculty member holds this position in your department.

Office of Emergency Preparedness, 510-642-9036

If you are a Graduate Student Instructor, you should know where to direct your class if you need to evacuate during an emergency. The Office of Emergency Preparedness provides information on how to prepare for earthquakes and other emergencies on campus.

Top

VII. Graduate Student Research (GSR) Appointmentss

A GSR is a graduate student who is engaged in or assisting in research projects.

A. Duties

GSRs perform research broadly related to their degree programs in an academic department or research unit under the direction of a faculty member or authorized Principal Investigator. GSRs may or may not collaborate in the publication of research as determined by the faculty member directing the work. GSRs may not be assigned teaching, administrative, or general assistance duties. This is not intended to exclude research-related duties such as quantitative analysis, bibliographic searches or summaries, text editing, lab projects, computer programming, and a reasonable amount of lab maintenance and cleaning.

B. Qualifications

  1. Must be a UC graduate student. UC Hastings College of the Law students may not be appointed as GSRs.
  2. Must have at least a 3.0 grade-point average; and
  3. May not have more than two Incomplete grades in upper division or graduate courses on the transcript; and
  4. Must be in good academic standing (i.e., may not be on academic probation or have had their degree candidacy lapse); and
  5. Appointees must be UC students who are registered and enrolled in a least twelve units of course work, unless already advanced to doctoral candidacy, during the semester in which they are serving as a GSR; and
  6. Must be clear of certain disciplinary probations based on the Code of Student Conduct.

C. Restrictions

  1. Students on Filing Fee status may not be appointed as GSRs.
  2. During the academic year, registered graduate students appointed as GSRs may not exceed half time, nor may such appointments, in combination with other University appointments, exceed half time. For more information about this restriction, see the topic titled “The 50 Percent Rule” under the General Policies On Academic Appointments section in this document.
  3. Appointments are usually for one academic year or less, and reappointment is not automatic.

D. Placement in the GSR Series

There are ten steps in the GSR series. Each hiring unit on the campus has written guidelines specifying the hiring criteria for the steps that it uses.

E. GSR Salaries

The GSR salary chart is available on the UC Office of the President’s website.

Top

VIII. Reader Appointments

Readers will usually be graduate students; but qualified undergraduate students may be so employed when graduate students are not available. Professional readers, not enrolled as students, may be employed to meet special needs.

A. Duties

Duties are assigned by the hiring department and are included in the written notification of appointment provided to the appointee by the department. Appointees to the Reader title are employed to render diverse services as course assistants, which will normally include the grading of student papers and examinations. Subject to assignment by the department, duties might also include attendance at lectures, office hours, consultation with the instructor, and other course-related duties. Readers may not perform teaching duties.

B. Qualifications

Registered students:

  1. Must have at least a 3.0 grade-point average; and
  2. May not have more than two Incomplete grades in upper division and graduate courses on the transcript; and
  3. Must be in good academic standing (i.e., may not be on academic probation or have had their degree candidacy lapse) and be clear of certain disciplinary probations based on the Code of Student Conduct; and
  4. Must have taken and received at least a B grade in the course or another course equivalent to the one in which they are serving; and
  5. Appointees must be UC students who are registered and enrolled in at least twelve units of course work, unless already advanced to doctoral candidacy, during the semester in which they are serving as a Reader; and
  6. Must attend the New ASE Orientation sponsored by the Office of Labor Relations for the semester of the appointment, if this readership is the student’s first ASE assignment.

Non-registered students:

  1. Must have maintained at least a 3.0 grade-point average in their previous academic work; and
  2. Must have taken and received at least a B grade in the course or another course equivalent to the one in which they are serving; and
  3. Must attend the New ASE Orientation sponsored by the Office of Labor Relations for the semester of the appointment, if this readership is the student’s first ASE assignment.

C. Restrictions

  1. Students may not be appointed as Readers during the period of in absentia registration status.
  2. Students may not be enrolled in courses for which they are a Reader.
  3. Students may not simultaneously serve as a Reader and GSI for the same course.
  4. Registered graduate students may normally be assigned to perform the duties of a Reader only for undergraduate courses. Under exceptional circumstances, a department may appoint a registered graduate student who has been advanced to candidacy at the doctoral level for a graduate course. However, for a registered graduate student who has not yet been advanced to doctoral candidacy, appointment as a Reader for a graduate course always requires advance approval by the Head Graduate Adviser of the student’s academic department.
  5. During the academic year, registered graduate students appointed as Readers may not exceed half time, nor may such appointments, in combination with other University appointments, exceed half time.  For more information about this restriction, see the topic titled “The 50 Percent Rule” under the “General Policies On Academic Appointments” section in this document.
  6. Reader appointments for one academic year or less are self-terminating unless the appointee is otherwise notified.

D. Reader Salaries

The Reader salary chart is available on the campus Labor Relations website.

Top

IX. Tutor Appointments

Graduate students may serve as Tutors, but qualified undergraduates may also be appointed as Tutors. It is preferable that Tutors be students, but this does not preclude the appointment of qualified persons who are not students.

A. Duties

Duties are assigned by the hiring department and are included in the written notification of appointment provided to the appointee by the department. Appointees to the Tutor title are employed to render individual or group instructional activities in support of regular academic programs. Under supervision, a Tutor’s duties may include individual tutoring sessions, group tutoring sessions, presentation at workshops, and other duties as assigned. Tutors do not perform teaching duties assigned to the GSI series.

B. Qualifications

Registered students:

  1. Must have at least a 3.0 grade-point average; and
  2. May not have more than two Incomplete grades in upper division and graduate courses on the transcript; and
  3. Must be in good academic standing (i.e., may not be on academic probation or have had their degree candidacy lapse) and be clear of certain disciplinary probations based on the Code of Student Conduct; and
  4. Must have taken and received at least a B grade in the course or another course equivalent to the one in which they are serving; and
  5. Appointees must be UC students who are registered and enrolled in a least twelve units of course work, unless already advanced to doctoral candidacy, during the semester in which they are serving as a Tutor; and
  6. Must attend the New ASE Orientation sponsored by the Office of Labor Relations for the semester of the appointment, if this tutorship is the student’s first ASE assignment.

Non-registered students:

  1. Must have maintained at least a 3.0 grade-point average in their previous academic work; and
  2. Must have taken and received at least a B grade in the course or another course equivalent to the one in which they are serving; and
  3. Must attend the New ASE Orientation sponsored by the Office of Labor Relations for the semester of the appointment, if this tutorship is the student’s first ASE assignment.

C. Restrictions

  1. Students may not be appointed as Tutors during the period of in absentia registration status.
  2. Students may not be enrolled in the course for which they are a Tutor.
  3. Students may not simultaneously serve as a Tutor and GSI for the same course.
  4. Registered graduate students may normally be assigned to perform the duties of a Tutor only for undergraduate courses. Under exceptional circumstances, a department may appoint a registered graduate student who has been advanced to candidacy at the doctoral level for a graduate course. However, for a registered graduate student who has not yet been advanced to doctoral candidacy, appointment as a Tutor for a graduate course always requires advance approval by the Head Graduate Adviser of the student’s academic department.
  5. During the academic year, registered graduate students appointed as Tutors may not exceed half time, nor may such appointments, in combination with other University appointments, exceed half time.  For more information about this restriction, see the topic titled “The 50 Percent Rule” under the General Policies On Academic Appointments section in this document.
  6. Tutor appointments for one academic year or less are self-terminating unless the appointee is otherwise notified.

D. Tutor Salaries

The Tutor salary chart is available on the campus Labor Relations website.

Top

X. General Policies on Academic Appointments

A. Absences and Leaves

You are responsible for reporting your absences from campus and any missed work assignments to the faculty member in charge or to the appropriate departmental assistant. If your absence is unexpected (i.e., due to a sudden illness or accident) or will be for an extended period, you should tell the appropriate departmental administrator so that alternate arrangements can be made. If you are absent for a period of five days without prior approval, your department will consider that you have abandoned your position and will act according to established campus procedures and practices.

ASEs may also be eligible for various paid and unpaid leaves, including military leave, short-term family-related leaves, long-term family-related leaves, bereavement, and jury duty. Please refer to the UC-UAW Agreement.

B. The 50 Percent Rule

Graduate students who are registered may not be appointed as a GSI, AI-GS, GSR, Reader, or Tutor for more than 50 percent time during Fall and Spring semesters, regardless of the title or combination of titles (including staff titles) they hold. For exceptions to the “50 Percent Rule”, please refer to numbers 3 and 8 of “How to Request an Exception to Policy” (most international students are ineligible to hold appointments over 50% during the academic year and should refer to the Berkeley International Office for specific visa restrictions).  During the summer and winter breaks, however, students may be appointed to work 100 percent time.

Work Restrictions for Students with Fellowships.  If you receive a fellowship or traineeship that includes a stipend, there may be some work restrictions. Please refer to the Summary of Terms of Award for information on employment restrictions. If you need clarification on terms of the award, please contact the Graduate Services: Fellowships Office at 642-0672. Requests for exceptions to this policy must be approved by the cognizant Associate Dean of the Graduate Division. Certain fellowships do not allow recipients to hold university employment.

C. International Students on F-1 or J-1 Visas

Students on F-1 visas do not require permission to hold University employment or academic appointments for 20 hours per week or less if they are registered during the semester. They may also work full-time on campus during the summer break if they will be registered the following semester. All J-1 students, however, must have permission from their program sponsors to hold any employment or academic appointment. Students on F-1 and J-1 visas may not work more than 20 hours per week during the academic year, and Graduate Division cannot grant exceptions to this federal regulation. Students who have any questions about employment for holders of F-1, J-1, or other non-immigrant visas should consult with the Berkeley International Office before they accept campus or off-campus employment (510-642-2818).

D. Getting Paid

Be sure to see the personnel or payroll assistant in your hiring unit to sign payroll forms and, for Graduate Student Researchers, the GSR Appointment Form verifying your eligibility for the appointment. You may not be paid for hours worked before your payroll forms are completed.

All ASEs should check with their department for the appropriate schedule of pay dates.  Readers, Tutors, and GSRs who miss deadlines for submitting time records may receive their paychecks later than the regular pay date.

Supporting departmental time and leave records for GSRs, Readers, and Tutors must substantiate the appropriate percentage of effort throughout the semester. Timesheets submitted for positive time reporting appointments must accurately reflect hours worked, including dates and times.

E. Taxes

In accordance with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations, student employees are exempt from Defined Contribution Plan (DCP) and Medicare withholding if:  1) the student is registered and enrolled at least half time; and 2) the student’s total employment is less than 80 percent.  Graduate students who do not meet the half-time enrollment requirement or who are employed at 80 percent or more will be required to contribute 7.5 percent of their earnings to the DCP and 1.45 percent to Medicare. Graduate students must be registered and enrolled in a minimum of six units during each term of the academic year to be considered half time for that term.

Note: Graduate students are subject to Graduate Council and Graduate Division policies regarding appointments to academic and staff titles, including minimum enrollment requirements and limitations on percentage of appointment. Nonresident students with an F-1 or J-1 visa are not subject to the DCP and Medicare withholding. For more information, see your department payroll assistant.

F. Childcare

ASEs may be eligible for up to $900 per semester in reimbursements for certain childcare expenses. For details, please see the Human Resources web page.

G. Filing Fee Status

Students who are on Filing Fee status may not be appointed as GSIs, GSRs or AI-GSs.

H. Types of Fee Remissions and Remission Amount

Eligibility for all remission programs will be determined by the hiring department and the Graduate Division. Additional information about fee remissions is included on the Graduate Division website and the UC-UAW Agreement.

I. Work-Study-Funded Appointments

Students with work-study eligibility may be appointed as GSRs, Readers, Tutors, and GSIs. You must be registered during the period of your work-study award. To be eligible for work-study for the following academic year, complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and visit or call the Work Study Program, 212 Sproul Hall (510-642-5625).

J. Grievance Procedures

The grievance procedures for ASEs are found in the UC-UAW Agreement: (Link: TBA). For workload issues, there is an expedited process described in the UC-UAW Agreement.

For grievances relating to GSR appointments, refer to the Academic Personnel Manual (APM), Section 140 (revised as of January 2003), which contains the grievance procedure for non-Senate academic appointees.

Top

XI. Summer Sessions

There are different policies that pertain to Summer Session appointments. Please talk to your hiring unit and see the UC-UAW Agreement.

Top

XII. Contact Information

If you need more information or have additional questions, please contact your hiring department.

You can also view appointments information on the Graduate Division website, or contact the Graduate Student Academic Appointments Office by email (gradappt@berkeley.edu).

Top

Frequently Asked Questions: Academic Appointments

GSI Appointments

Q: What is a GSI and what are the duties of this appointment?
GSI is the acronym for Graduate Student Instructor, which is equivalent to Teaching Assistant (TA) at many other universities. As a GSI, students are limited to working not more than 50% during the fall and spring semesters. During the winter, spring, and summer breaks, students may work up to 100%. A GSI is chosen for excellent scholarship and for promise as a teacher to serve an apprenticeship under the supervision of a regular faculty member.

Please read What You Need to Know About Being a GSI, GSR, Reader, or Tutor.

Q: How do I find out about opportunities to be a GSI?
All GSI appointments are made at the department level. You should check with the Graduate Student Affairs Officer (GSAO) or a faculty advisor in your department about applying to be a GSI. Many departments post opportunities on their bulletin boards. You should also check with other departments that teach subjects allied with your field of study, or your previous education or teaching experience. Departments are also encouraged to list opportunities with the Career Center, 2111 Bancroft Way.

Q: What are the minimum requirements to be a GSI?
In order to receive a GSI appointment, a student must have a GPA of at least 3.0, may not have more than two Incomplete grades, and must not be on probation or in lapsed candidacy status. All students must be registered for the semester during which they hold a GSI appointment, and they must be enrolled in at least 12 units, unless already advanced to doctoral candidacy, for the entire semester. Please read about requirement details in What You Need to Know About Being a GSI, GSR, Reader, or Tutor.

Q: How much is a GSI paid?
The salary associated with each step in the GSI academic appointment series can be found on the Office of Human Resources’ Web site.

Q: What are the step requirements for GSIs?
GSIs, with a few exceptions, start at Step I. Appointment at Step II requires four semesters of teaching experience at Step I. Appointment at Step III requires six semesters of teaching. Only under exceptional circumstances can a student be appointed at Step IV, and advancement to that step requires specific prior written approval by the Associate Dean of the Graduate Division. Occasionally a student may receive his or her first appointment at a level above Step I. The student must have post-baccalaureate teaching experience at another university or college. In exceptional circumstances, early advancement based on a combination of teaching and extraordinary merit, or on merit alone can be considered.

Q: In addition to salary, what other benefits are associated with a GSI appointment?
If the GSI appointment meets certain criteria, a portion of assessed fees is paid for the student. This benefit is called a fee remission. In order to receive a fee remission, the semester appointment must be for 25% or more time. Students must be registered and enrolled in at least 12 units, unless already advanced to doctoral candidacy, not later than the end of the third week of the semester, and they may not have any registration blocks. For more information, please read the fee remission program bulletin.

GSR Appointments

Q: What is a GSR and what are the duties of this appointment?
GSR is the acronym for Graduate Student Researcher, which is equivalent to Research Assistant (RA) at many other universities. As a GSR, students are limited to working not more than 50% during the fall and spring semesters. During the winter, spring, and summer breaks, students may work up to 100%. A GSR performs research broadly related to the degree program in an academic department or research unit under the direction of a faculty member or authorized Principal Investigator. GSRs do not perform teaching, administrative, or general assistance duties.

For more information, look at the Graduate Division publication called What You Need to Know About Being a GSI, GSR, Reader, or Tutor.

Q: How do I find out about opportunities to be a GSR?
All GSR appointments are made at the department or research unit level. You should check with the Graduate Student Affairs Officer (GSAO) or a faculty advisor in your department about applying to be a GSR. Many departments post opportunities on their bulletin boards. You should also check with other departments or organized research units that conduct research allied with your field of study, or your previous education, training, or work experience. Departments are also encouraged to list opportunities with the Career Center, 2111 Bancroft Way.

Q: What are the minimum requirements to be a GSR?
In order to receive a GSR appointment, a student must have a GPA of at least 3.0, may not have more than two Incomplete grades, and must not be on probation or in lapsed candidacy status. All students must be registered for the semester during which they hold a GSR appointment, and they must be enrolled for at least 12 units for the entire semester, unless already advanced to doctoral candidacy.

Q: How much is a GSR paid?
The salary associated with each step in the GSR academic appointment series is the responsibility of the Academic Personnel Office on the Berkeley campus. For the current salary structure, check the Academic Personnel Office website (PDF).

Q: What are the step requirements for GSRs?
The department or organized research unit that hires the student determines the step at which a student is appointed. Each hiring unit should have written guidelines that spell out the requirements for appointment at each level and the criteria for advancement.

Q: In addition to salary, what other benefits are associated with a GSR appointment?
If the GSR appointment meets certain criteria, a portion, or all, of assessed fees may be paid for the student. This benefit is called a fee remission. In addition, GSRs with appointments that are at least 45% time may be eligible for coverage of their non-resident tuition through a tuition remission. In order to receive a fee remission, the appointment must be for 25% or more time for the entire semester. For more information, please read the fee remission program bulletin.

Top

Additional Links

Top


Fee Remissions

Fee Remission Eligibility, Title Codes, & Remission Types

Print/PDF Version

Appointment DatesGSIsGSRs/Readers/TutorsEnd of the 3rd week of classes
Fall 20128/1/12 - 12/31/128/16/12 - 12/14/139/7/12
Spring 20131/1/13 - 5/31/131/15/13 - 5/17/132/8/13
Types of RemissionsEligibilityTitle & CodeFees Paid By Remission
No fee remission∗

  1. Appointment is ≤ 24% time; and

  2. Enrolled in at least 12 units, unless already advanced to doctoral candidacy; and

  3. Registered by the end of the 3rd week of classes; and

  4. Appointment eligibility requirements are met.


  • GSR: 3266

  • GSI I: 2311

  • GSI II-IV: 1507

  • Acting Instructor: 2551

  • Reader*: 2851

  • Tutor*: 2861


  • None
Partial fee remission∗

  1. Appointment is ≥ 25% time (25-44% for GSRs) for the semester (see dates above); and

  2. Enrolled in at least 12 units, unless already advanced to doctoral candidacy; and

  3. Registered by the end of the 3rd week of classes; and

  4. Appointment eligibility requirements are met.


  • GSR: 3276

  • GSI I: 2310

  • GSI II-IV: 1506

  • Acting Instructor: 2550

  • Reader*: 2850

  • Tutor*: 2860


  • Student Services Fee

  • Tuition

  • Health Insurance Fee*
Full fee remission∗

  1. Appointment ≥ 45% time as a GSR for the semester (see dates above); and

  2. Enrolled in at least 12 units, unless already advanced to doctoral candidacy; and

  3. Registered by the end of the 3rd week of classes; and

  4. Appointment eligibility requirements are met.


  • GSR: 3282


  • Student Services Fee

  • Tuition

  • Health Insurance Fee*

  • Berkeley Campus Fee

  • Class Pass (AC Transit) Fee
Full fee remission and nonresident supplemental tuition remission∗

  1. Appointment ≥ 45% time as a GSR for the semester (see dates above); and

  2. Enrolled in at least 12 units, unless already advanced to doctoral candidacy; and

  3. Registered by the end of the 3rd week of classes; and

  4. Appointment eligibility requirements are met.; and

  5. Pursuing the Ph.D. or professional doctorate (as defined by the student’s department), as the terminal degree; and

  6. Is within the departmentally‑established normative time period; and

  7. Does not receive any other support that funds nonresident supplemental tuition.


  • GSR: 3284


  • Student Services Fee

  • Tuition

  • Health Insurance Fee*

  • Berkeley Campus Fee

  • Class Pass (AC Transit) Fee

  • Nonresident Supplemental Tuition Fee
 *NOTES:

In accordance with Article 11 of the UC-UAW contract and the February 2002 Labor Relations memo on late Academic Student Employee (ASE) appointments (GSIs, AI-GSs, Readers, and Tutors), any ASE appointment, combination of ASE appointments, or combination of ASE appointment(s) and GSR appointment(s) that equal 170 hours can generate a partial fee remission, irrespective of appointment dates and percentages, and including combinations of eligible title codes.

Eligible GSR appointments can combine to create a partial, full, or full with nonresident supplemental tuition fee remission.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible for nonresident supplemental tuition remission only during the first year of graduate study.

Readers and Tutors are not required to be registered and enrolled. If they are registered, then they must enroll in at least 12 units, unless already advanced to doctoral candidacy.

Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) premiums are automatically remitted as part of the fee remission program for graduate students (eligible undergraduate GSI appointees receive Tuition and Student Services fees only) unless the student has a waiver of health insurance coverage on record at the University Health Services. If a student has a SHIP waiver, there is no remission for health insurance.

Only graduate students are eligible for GSR, AI-GS, Reader and Tutor remissions.

Top

Fee Remission Program Bulletin

Print/PDF Version

Fall 2012 Fee Remission Program Information For Graduate Students

Check your current CARS account status on the Bear Facts Web site.

Fee remissions are a benefit to offset either a portion or all of your assessed fees. The amount of the fee remission you may be eligible for depends on the type of appointment you will hold this semester. Students on Filing Fee status are not eligible for fee remissions.

To qualify for a fee remission you must meet ALL of the following criteria:

  1. Be registered by established university deadlines, but no later than by the end of the third week of classes (September 7, 2012, for fall 2012). To be considered registered, you must
    • be enrolled in at least one class (separate from minimum 12 unit requirement to hold an appointment);
    • have no current blocks on your record; and
    • have at least 20% of your fees paid. Registration status can be confirmed on the Bear Facts Web site. You are responsible for meeting all university deadlines for registration and enrollment.
  2. Be enrolled in at least 12 units, unless already advanced to doctoral candidacy, not later than September 7,  2012, for fall 2012, and remain enrolled in at least 12 units for the semester.
  3. Be appointed for the semester. For dates, see calendar Web site.
  4. Be appointed in a fee remission eligible title at 25% time or greater.
  5. Meet the academic requirements (minimum GPA, no more than 2 incompletes, etc.) for your type of appointment.

Supporting department time and leave records must substantiate the appropriate percentage of effort throughout the semester.

Failure to meet any of the above requirements will make you ineligible to receive a fee remission.

Check your CARS account for the dollar amount of each type of fee that you have been assessed by the Registrar, or check the fee schedule on the Registrars’s web site.

TYPES OF FEES REMISSIONSFEES PAID BY REMISSION
Partial Fee Remission for Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs), Readers, and Tutors working 25% or more time, and Graduate Student Researchers (GSRs) working 25–44% time.

  • Student Services Fee

  • Tuition

  • Health Insurance Fee*
Full Fee Remission for GSRs working at least 45% time.

  • Student Services Fee

  • Tuition

  • Health Insurance Fee*

  • Berkeley Campus Fee

  • Class Pass (AC Transit) Fee
Full Fee and Nonresident Supplemental Tuition Remissions for GSRs working at least 45% time.

Note: Only for non-California residents who are:

  1. pursuing the Ph.D. or professional doctorate (as defined by the student’s department) as the terminal degree;

  2. within the departmentally-established normative time period; and

  3. not receiving any other support that funds nonresident supplemental tuition. U.S. citizens and permanent residents classified as non-California residents are eligible only for their first year of graduate study at Berkeley.


  • Student Services Fee

  • Tuition

  • Health Insurance Fee*

  • Berkeley Campus Fee

  • Class Pass (AC Transit) Fee

  • Nonresident Supplemental Tuition Fee
* Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) premiums are automatically remitted as part of the fee remission program unless you have a waiver of health insurance coverage on record at the University Health Services. If a student has a SHIP waiver, then fee remission amounts will be reduced by the amount of the insurance fee. Undergraduate GSI appointees may be eligible for Tuition and Student Services fee remissions only.

Here’s How Your Fee Remission Status is Determined

The fee remission information reflected in your Campus Accounts Receivable System (CARS) account is based on information prepared by your hiring unit, which submits the data directly to the Office of Human Resources. Questions about your appointment and the fee remission should be directed to your hiring unit.

Since this process may take up to two weeks from the time your hiring unit submits your appointment information to the Office of Human Resources, you should consult your hiring unit for details regarding your specific appointment and to ensure that you have completed all necessary hiring paperwork. If your appointment paperwork is incomplete or not submitted on time, your paycheck and fee remission may be delayed; you are still responsible for covering 20% of your assessed fees by the university deadline and enrolling in at least 12 units, unless already advanced to doctoral candidacy, by the end of the third week of classes.

If you become ineligible for fee remission at any time in the semester, the entire fee remission credit will be reversed on your CARS account, and you will be responsible for payment of your registration fee balance.

Definition of Types of Remission

How to Determine the Dollar Amount of Each Fee Charged by the University

To determine the dollar amount of the Tuition, Student Services Fee, Health Insurance Fee, Berkeley Campus Fee, Class Pass (AC Transit) Fee or Nonresident Supplemental Tuition Fee, check your CARS account or check the fee schedule on the Registrar’s web site.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Appointments

Students who have Graduate Student Research Assistant (GSRA) appointments at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) must remain at LBNL for the entire semester to be eligible for any remissions associated with the appointment. If the appointment is terminated before the end of the semester, the remissions will be canceled, and the student will be required to repay the entire amount of the LBNL remission via a billing in CARS. If the student begins a GSR appointment on campus at any point after the first day of the semester, that appointment will not be for the entire semester and does not meet the criteria to qualify for the remissions.

Top

Fee Remission Diagram

Download the PDF version.

Fee Remissions Diagram

Top

06/2011 MEMO: Graduate Student Tuition/Fee Remissions (PDF)

Top

Creating an Academic Appointment (for staff)

Criteria Summary of Eligibility for Graduate Student Academic Appointments

Hiring departments are responsible for verifying eligibility of students proposed for academic appointments. Hiring units that do not have access to a student’s academic records can either contact the student’s home department or request access to GLOW (GradLink-on-the-Web) in order to ascertain eligibility.

Minimum Requirements and Criteria for Appointment Eligibility:

1 Readers and Tutors are not required to be registered and enrolled students. However, registered students who are appointed to these titles must still meet all minimum requirements by university deadlines.

Top

Additional Links

Top


Exception Requests

How to Request an Exception to Policy for Graduate Student Appointments

Requests for appointments in exception to policy must be submitted in writing prior to making an appointment offer to a student. This provides time for review and resolution of potential problems and prevents inappropriate appointments if the request for exception is denied.

It is the responsibility of the hiring unit to prepare and submit requests for exception. The Head Graduate Adviser in the student’s academic department must always approve the request for exception regardless of whether the hiring unit is or is not the student’s academic department.

Some exceptions to policy need only be submitted to the Head Graduate Adviser of the student’s academic department for approval and do not need further approval from Graduate Division.  Please refer to the Head Graduate Adviser Request for Exception Form (PDF).  All other requests for exception require approval from both the Head Graduate Advisor of the student’s academic department and from Graduate Division.  These requests should be sent to the Appointments Office, 318 Sproul Hall MC5900.  Please refer to the Graduate Division Dean’s Request for Exception form (PDF).

Please follow the procedures for each type of exception as described below:

  1. Appointee’s GPA is below minimum for appointment type. Please refer to “What You Need to Know About Being a GSI, GSR, Reader, or Tutor” for minimum appointment requirements and submit the Graduate Division Dean’s Request for Exception Form (PDF) to the Graduate Division Appointments Office.
  2. If the appointee has more than two incomplete grades in upper division or graduate courses. Please refer to “What You Need to Know About Being a GSI, GSR, Reader, or Tutor” for minimum appointment requirements and submit the Graduate Division Dean’s Request for Exception Form (PDF) to the Graduate Division Appointments Office.
  3. If the appointment or combination of appointments will cause the student to work 51% – 75%. Please refer to “What You Need to Know About Being a GSI, GSR, Reader, or Tutor” for minimum appointment requirements. Authority to approve or deny an exception to this regulation has been delegated to Head Graduate Advisers. There is no need to submit exception requests to Graduate Appointments for these cases. Hiring units must obtain approval from the Head Graduate Adviser in the student’s academic unit before offering employment that would cause a student to work more than 50% during the semester. Each department is required to keep a record of appointments made at 51% to 75% time, including the name and date of the Head Graduate Adviser approving the appointment. Please refer to the Head Graduate Adviser Request for Exception Form (PDF). International students holding F-1 and J-1 visas are ineligible to hold appointments over 50%.
  4. When a GSI appointment exceeds the eight semester teaching limit. Please refer to “What You Need to Know About Being a GSI, GSR, Reader, or Tutor” for appointment restrictions. Requests for exception to this policy for a ninth or tenth semester of teaching may be approved by the Head Graduate Adviser in the student’s academic department. The written decision of the Head Graduate Adviser is kept on file by the hiring unit and should not be sent to Graduate Division.  Hiring units may use the Head Graduate Adviser Request for Exception Form (PDF) for ninth or tenth semesters of teaching.  Requests for exception to the policy for an eleventh or twelfth semester of teaching must be approved in advance by Graduate Division. For eleventh and twelfth semester requests, please submit the Graduate Division Dean’s Request for Exception Form(PDF) to the Graduate Division Appointments Office.  Please be aware that the maximum number of years of service on the Berkeley campus is six (twelve semesters), which is an absolute limit established by UC’s Office of the President (UCOP) and cannot be exceeded even by exception (please refer to APM 410-17 Term of Appointments).
  5. If a GSI/Reader/Tutor will assist in a graduate-level course (200, 300, 600) and the student is not already advanced to doctoral candidacy. Please refer to the “What You Need to Know About Being a GSI, GSR, Reader, or Tutor” document for appointment restrictions.  Appointments for students who have not yet been advanced to doctoral candidacy require advance approval by the Head Graduate Adviser of the student’s academic department and do not need Graduate Division approval.  Departments may use the Head Graduate Adviser Request for Exception Form (PDF) to submit a request.
  6. For early advancement to Step II or Step III in the GSI series.
    A. Based on relevant post-baccalaureate teaching experience at another university or college. Teaching at other universities may be proposed for consideration in determining the appropriate step at which to appoint a GSI. The teaching experience must have occurred after the student was awarded a bachelor’s degree. In order for the experience to be counted fully, the courses should be in the same field as the GSI’s proposed appointment, and the teaching must have occurred at an institution comparable to UCB. A department may wish to make a case for counting experience in another field if the teaching skills acquired are transferable. Teaching during the summer, either at UCB or another institution, will not be counted in early advancement cases. Teaching at University Extension will not be counted.Experience gained as a Reader may be cited in requests for advancement in the GSI series if the department considers them relevant to the proposed appointment. Reader experience is generally not given the same weight as teaching experience.When credit is granted for teaching experience at an institution that operates on the quarter system, it is counted as follows: two quarters of experience is equivalent to one semester of teaching and three quarters of teaching is equal to two semesters of teaching.When seeking an exception for early advancement to Step II or Step III, departments must always assign duties appropriate at the step for which students are qualified based only on UCB teaching experience, excluding summer or University Extension teaching, which cannot be counted. If the Head Graduate Adviser of the student’s academic department approves the request for exception to appoint at a higher step, the department may then make the necessary changes in HCM and responsibility level.  The hiring unit submitting the request may use the Head Graduate Adviser Request for Exception Form (PDF).  The request is not submitted to Graduate Division but a copy should be kept on file in the hiring unit as well as the student’s academic department.B. Based on merit or a combination of experience and merit. Hiring units may cite extraordinary accomplishments of the student, such as the publication of research or the presentation of papers at meetings of learned societies, in making cases for accelerated advancement. Cases may also be made for early advancement based on a combination of relevant teaching experience and merit. The hiring unit should provide justification that outlines in detail the supporting arguments for such a request in addition to completing the Head Graduate Adviser Request for Exception Form (PDF). The Head Graduate Adviser in the student’s academic department must approve the request and a copy should be retained by the student’s academic department and by the hiring unit if different from the student’s academic department.  Please do not submit a copy to Graduate Division.
  7. GSI Appointment at Step IV. Appointment at this step always requires advance approval of Associate Dean Carlos Fernandez-Pello. The minimum requirements are advancement to candidacy for the doctorate, completion of at least eight semesters of teaching at UCB, demonstrated exceptional promise as a teacher and scholar, and additional responsibilities beyond those typically assigned to a GSI at the lower steps. Requests are greatly strengthened if the student has succeeded in publishing research or has made presentations at meetings of learned societies. The hiring unit should submit a memo that supports the request for appointment at Step IV. The Head Graduate Adviser in the student’s academic department must approve the request. A current copy of the student’s curriculum vitae must be attached to the memo. Because students appointed at this step normally have completed the permissible four years of teaching, approval of an exception to teach beyond the four-year limit is also required.
  8. An appointment or combination of appointments over 75% time. A memo from the hiring unit must demonstrate that the additional appointment time will not adversely affect the student’s academic progress and must justify why the student needs to work above this percentage. The Head Graduate Adviser in the student’s academic department must approve the request. Exceptions for appointments for 100% during a regular semester are not considered.  Please submit the  Graduate Division Dean’s Request for Exception Form (PDF) to the Graduate Division Appointments Office in conjunction with a memo or with supporting comments.
  9. Full Responsibility for an Upper Division Course. Subject to prior approval by Graduate Division and the Academic Senate’s Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI), a UCB graduate student may be appointed to assume full responsibility for an upper division course only (i.e., courses numbered 100 – 199). Requests for lower division or graduate courses will not be considered. This is usually referred to as a variance request and, if approved, is usually limited to one semester. The Acting Instructor-Graduate Student (AI-GS) title (title code 2550) is used for students who have been approved to have full responsibility for a course although under some faculty supervision. A student who is approved to hold an AI-GS appointment is designated as the Instructor of Record for the course.For information on duties, qualification, restrictions, and placement in the AI-GS step series, please see “What You Need to Know About Being a GSI, GSR, Reader, or Tutor.”Information on circumstances under which departments may request approval for use of the AI-GS title can be found in the COCI Handbook(PDF – Academic Senate Website).  Requests for Full Responsibility must be submitted to Graduate Division Appointments well in advance of the beginning of the semester of the request. This is necessary to allow time for review and approval by both Graduate Division and COCI, which can take up to eight weeks. COCI may not meet regularly during the summer or winter breaks. Please note that requests received in Graduate Division after the start of classes are likely to be denied unless they are occasioned by a sudden faculty illness or emergency leave. It is highly recommended that departments contact the Graduate Division Appointments staff to discuss the particulars of each case and to verify required items before submitting this type of request. Appointments staff advise departments on the preparation and organization of supporting materials to present the strongest case for the student to be appointed appropriately.All requests for full responsibility must include the following:
    • A memo or letter from the chair of the hiring unit, addressed to both the COCI and Associate Dean Carlos Fernandez-Pello, explaining the circumstances surrounding the need for a student to assume full responsibility for the course. The memo must also provide information about the student’s qualifications to hold the appointment if it is approved, state the date on which the student was advanced to candidacy for the doctorate, and state that the course syllabus has been approved by a member of the faculty. The name of faculty member who approved the syllabus must be provided in the memo. Additional supporting memos may be included in the packet, but are not required.
    • Two copies of the student’s curriculum vitae or Academic Biography.
    • Photocopies of student evaluations for all courses to which the GSI has previously been assigned. Written evaluations should be included, rather than just tabulated results, so that the Associate Dean and COCI can review individual student comments. Performance evaluations by faculty are also beneficial.

    Once Appointments staff has conducted an initial review and assessment, the Associate Dean reviews each request for full responsibility. The Dean may deny a request, ask for additional information, or send the request to the COCI with a recommendation to approve it. COCI has final authority to approve these cases. If COCI denies a variance request, departments will need to follow up directly with COCI regarding their options.

Top

Request for Exception for Graduate Division Dean’s Approval Form (PDF)

Top

Policy Revisions & Updates

Revised Policy on Appointments and Mentoring of Graduate Student Instructors

(Revised March 7, 2005)

The education and training for Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) at Berkeley are essential to the educational mission of the campus. Faculty supervision and preparation of GSIs improves the preparation of graduate students for their future roles as teachers in academic institutions. The important role that GSIs play in undergraduate education on this campus also means that effective preparation and training of GSIs will improve the quality of undergraduate education at Berkeley.

Mentoring of Different Types of GSIships

Preparation and guidance of GSIs in their teaching roles depend in part on a GSI’s level of experience and the level of responsibility for teaching a particular course. There are four general types of GSIships, each giving the GSI a different level of course responsibility.

Policies

A. Recruitment and appointment

The process of recruiting and selecting GSIs should be open and centralized, rather than controlled by private arrangements between course instructors and GSIs. In the following statement of principles, our definition of “fairness” refers to the clarity and equity of the process, not to the equal distribution of GSIships to all graduate students.

  1. The responsibility for making GSI appointments rests with the Chair. He or she may delegate this responsibility to a faculty committee, but the Chair should make certain that fair recruitment and selection processes are in operation in the department.
  2. As provided in the contract between the University and the United Auto Workers, in the “Posting” article, departments must, by March 15 of each year, post appointment opportunities for GSI positions on the campus Web site. The information posted includes the number of positions anticipated, a statement of non-discrimination in employment, a general description of the duties performed, the minimum qualifications as established by the University, a statement that exceptions to these qualifications may be granted by the University, and a statement of the application procedures or contact person for hiring GSIs in the department. In addition, departments may wish to post notices about available GSI positions in the following ways:
    • a well-marked notice on a bulletin board indicating that GSI positions are available, see [designated person] in the department office for information;
    • notices in department e-mail;
    • notices on the department Web site (information should state whether the unit is willing to consider appointing students from outside the department).

    When appointments outside the department are acceptable, bulletin-board and electronic notification of openings should be provided and an announcement and description should be forwarded to Career and Graduate School Services, 2111 Bancroft Way, MC 4350.

  3. It is advisable that GSI vacancies that occur during the first week of instruction and that must be filled on an emergency basis should be posted for at least two full working days, unless the department is prepared to fill them on the basis of a previously established waiting list of GSI applications.
  4. Criteria required for appointments to GSIships, and criteria involved in determining selection of students, should be made available to graduate students in advance of the appointment. Different criteria may be appropriate for different types of GSIs. At the beginning GSI level (type a above), if the department can assume that all entering graduate students have basic preparation in the course material, issues of distributing student support may be primary. For appointments that involve more active planning and teaching responsibilities, issues of previous experience in teaching and competence in the subject matter may be of first importance.

 

B. Guiding principles determining workload
  1. As provided in the “Appointment Notification” article of the UC-UAW contract, departments must provide written notice of appointment, by letter or email message, to those who are offered GSI positions as soon as is practicable after hiring decisions are made. This notice must follow Labor Relations guidelines, and include the title of the appointment, its percentage or the range of hours to be worked, effective dates, the stipend, the benefits, the name of the hiring unit, the contact person in the hiring unit, the requirement that the appointee respond to the offer, a statement that the position is covered by the union contract, and the contract Web site address.
  2. As provided in the same article of the contract, before the teaching term begins or as soon as practicable thereafter, a second notice is sent to the appointee that includes the supervisor of the course to whom the appointee reports, the course that is assigned, the location of the course, the duties that may be required, and other information that the department deems appropriate. When the duties are changed significantly, the department provides advance notice.
  3. GSI appointments ordinarily do not exceed half time. The limit of workload for such an appointment will not exceed 340 hours per semester, as specified in the “Workload” article of the contract, and this standard will apply proportionately to other percentages of appointment. A GSI with an appointment of 50 percent or less shall not be assigned a workload of more than 40 hours in any one week. The number of hours worked in excess of twenty (20) hours per week may not total more than 77 hours per semester. Workload is defined in terms of hours rather than of student headcount. If a GSI anticipates that the workload will exceed these levels, the GSI should initiate discussions with the course supervisor as soon as possible. The course supervisor should advise and support GSIs in balancing their teaching responsibilities with other responsibilities involved in graduate
    education.
  4. Graduate students who are Acting Instructors are responsible for a workload consistent with the normal workload of the course.
  5. Disputes regarding workload are subject to the Workload Dispute Resolution Procedures of the contract as found in the “Workload” article. All other matters that the contract makes grievable are subject to the provisions of the “Grievance and Arbitration” article of the contract.

 

C. Preparation of GSIs for teaching

In this section, policies and procedures are defined that describe the mutual responsibilities of faculty and GSIs in making certain that undergraduate students receive the best possible educational experiences, and GSIs receive the best possible pedagogical training.

  1. Leading discussion sections or teaching stand-alone sections requires complex teaching skills, and first-time GSIs accordingly require training in both the logistics and pedagogical issues of undergraduate teaching. Resources for this purpose include campuswide GSI orientations and workshops, department GSI orientations, and department 300-level courses. The Graduate Council, in collaboration with the GSI Teaching and Resource Center, will circulate a list of resources available for preparing new GSIs.Each department must inform the Dean of the Graduate Division and the Graduate Council about the specific ways in which it provides new GSIs with appropriate preparation before they enter the classroom and during their first year of teaching.
  2. First-time GSIs must either have completed or be enrolled in a 300-level semester-long pedagogy seminar on teaching in the discipline offered by the department. In those departments in which a low number of GSIs makes it infeasible to offer such a course, the pedagogy seminar should be taken in another department, with the advice and approval of the GSI’s department and with the consent of the course instructor. The GSI Teaching and Resource Center will maintain a list of 300-level courses on its Web site. First-time GSIs who fail to pass the 300-level course must retake and pass the course before they are eligible to teach again.The course would normally:
    • be taught by a faculty member; address the practical and theoretical knowledge needed by new GSIs in the specific discipline;
    • have a syllabus that specifies topics week by week, identifies readings, and describes the basis for evaluation
    • have a meaningful number of units and student contact hours (2-4 units);
    • have a course reader or textbooks;
    • have specific assignments for which GSIs are accountable and on which GSIs will be graded.

    Departments are required to apprise the Graduate Division each semester of the name of the faculty member teaching the course and to submit a copy of the 300-level course syllabus to the Graduate Division each time the course instructor changes. The GSI Teaching and Resource Center can assist departments in developing such 300-level courses through consultations, workshops, and grants.

    The 300-level course requirement must be stated in letters of appointment for first-time GSIs.

  3. All graduate students who teach require faculty supervision. At the beginning of the semester, the faculty member responsible for the course is required to meet with GSIs (types a and b) to go over the course syllabus, to clarify GSI responsibilities in the course, and, in the case of discussion sections and labs, describe the relationship of sections to lecture.In the case of GSI type c, in which a GSI has primary responsibility for curriculum, textbook selection, and student evaluation, a Senate faculty member or members must oversee and approve all course descriptions and reading lists in keeping with the needs and standards of the University.GSIs with the title of Acting Instructor-Graduate Student (type d) serve as the Instructor of Record and have full course responsibility. However, all course descriptions and representative reading lists must be overseen and approved by a Senate faculty member or members within the relevant department before submission of a graduate student’s appointment to the Graduate Division and the Committee on Courses of Instruction for approval.
  4. Departments are obliged to provide new and continuing GSIs (types a, b, and c) regular meetings with faculty who are responsible for the course to discuss the logistics of curriculum, selection of topics, assignments, tests, grades etc.
  5. Departments are obliged provide new and continuing GSIs (types a, b, and c) regular meetings with faculty who are responsible for the course to discuss pedagogic matters related to their teaching of the course or sections of the course.
  6. Departments are obliged to provide GSIs holding the title Acting Instructor-Graduate Student (type d), who have primary responsibility for course content, regular meetings with a faculty member designated by the Chair to discuss course logistics and pedagogical issues.
  7. The faculty responsibilities to prepare GSIs are complemented by GSI obligations to prepare themselves for teaching roles. Included in these obligations are: attendance at classes, lectures, and GSI meetings; meeting with faculty mentors to discuss more effective ways of teaching undergraduates; seeking out opportunities for guidance and feedback concerning teaching; and attending orientation courses and workshops on pedagogy offered in the department or in the University.
  8. As part of their classroom preparation, every first-time GSI must successfully complete, no later than the end of the third week of classes, instruction in the professional responsibilities involved in teaching. Developed and administered by the GSI Teaching and Resource Center, instruction will include information on academic freedom, political speech, confidentiality, plagiarism, sexual harassment, Title VI, Title IX, and other issues delineated in the Academic Code of Conduct. The Graduate Division will oversee enforcement of this policy, and this requirement is to be stated in GSI letters of appointment.
  9. Every first-time GSI must attend the Orientation Conference sponsored by the GSI Teaching and Resource Center. An Orientation Conference is offered by the GSI Teaching and Resource Center each semester before classes begin. First-time international GSIs (IGSIs) must attend the International Orientation Conference, scheduled before classes begin in the fall semester. Because the IGSI Orientation Conference is only held in the fall, departments should anticipate the spring appointments of first-time IGSIs and instruct them to attend in the fall. The requirement to attend these Orientation Conferences must be included in the GSI letters of appointment.
  10. Supervision of preparation of Reading and Composition course GSIs should be vested in a campuswide Reading and Composition Courses Committee. This committee will be overseen and appointed by the Dean of Arts and Humanities, who has overall responsibility for Reading and Composition courses.
  11. As charged by the Dean of Arts and Humanities, and in consultation with the GSI Teaching and Resource Center, the Reading and Composition Courses Committee should: 1) convene, at least once each semester, a meeting of all Reading and Composition instructors of record to provide GSIs appropriate uniform standards, guidelines, and supervision, and 2) convene, at least once each semester, a meeting of all instructors of 300-level courses designed for training of Reading and Composition instructors to foster appropriate oversight and coordination.

 

D. Assessment of GSIs by faculty
  1. First-time GSIs should be observed in the classroom by departmentally designated faculty and receive feedback on their teaching. Guidelines and workshops on how to conduct a classroom observation are available from the GSI Teaching and Resource Center.
  2. End-of-semester evaluations of GSIs should be reviewed. A departmentally designated faculty member should meet individually with GSIs whose reviews are below average to set up a plan for improvement of teaching skills. This may involve repeating the department pedagogy seminar, or other appropriate remedial action.

 

E. Increasing faculty incentives to play a central role in mentoring graduate students as teachers
  1. Departmental reviews should include an assessment of GSI mentorship in their assessment of faculty teaching performance.
  2. Budget Committee reviews should include an assessment of GSI mentorship in their assessment of faculty teaching performance.

 

F. Policy Dissemination
  1. Departmental Chairs should provide faculty members a copy of these policies along with specific department guidelines at the beginning of each semester that they teach courses with GSIs.
  2. A copy of these policies or the URL where they can be located, along with specific department guidelines, should be included in each GSI letter of appointment.

Assistance in developing guidelines for mentoring GSIs can be obtained by consulting the GSI Teaching and Resource Center. Nothing in this policy shall be construed to alter the provisions of the UC-UAW contract. See the contract online.

Top

Quick Summary of Highlighted Changes to Policy on Appointments and Mentoring of Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs)

Prepared by the Graduate Division

Background

At its 2005 March meeting, the Graduate Council made revisions to the Policy on the Appointment and Mentoring of GSIs (2003). Major changes and clarifications have been made in the following areas of the policy:

  1. Section C2: 300-level Seminars on Teaching

    First-time GSIs must either have completed or be enrolled in a 300-level semester-long pedagogy seminar on teaching in the discipline offered by the department. In those departments in which a low number of GSIs makes it infeasible to offer such a course, the pedagogy seminar should be taken in another department, with the advice and approval of the GSI’s department and with the consent of the course instructor. The GSI
    Teaching and Resource Center will maintain a list of 300-level courses on its Web site. First-time GSIs who fail to pass the 300-level course must retake and pass the course before they are eligible to teach again.

    The course would normally:

    • be taught by a faculty member;
    • address the practical and theoretical knowledge needed by new GSIs in the specific discipline;
    • have a syllabus that specifies topics week by week, identifies readings, and describes the basis for evaluation
    • have a meaningful number of units and student contact hours (2-4 units);
    • have a course reader or textbooks;
    • have specific assignments for which GSIs are accountable and on which GSIs will be graded.

    Departments are required to apprise the Graduate Division each semester of the name of the faculty member teaching the course and to submit a copy of the 300-level course syllabus to the Graduate Division each time the course instructor changes. The GSI Teaching and Resource Center can assist departments in developing such 300-level courses through consultations, workshops, and grants.

    The 300-level course requirement must be stated in letters of appointment for first-time GSIs.

  2. Section C9: Orientation Conference for First-time GSIs

    Every first-time GSI must attend the Orientation Conference sponsored by the GSI Teaching and Resource Center. An Orientation Conference is offered by the GSI Teaching and Resource Center each semester before classes begin. First-time international GSIs (IGSIs) must attend the International Orientation Conference, scheduled before classes begin in the fall semester. Because the IGSI Orientation Conference is only held in the fall, departments should anticipate the spring appointments of first-time IGSIs and instruct them to attend in the fall. The requirement to attend these Orientation Conferences must be included in the GSI letters of appointment.

  3. Section D: Assessment of GSIs by Faculty
    1. First-time GSIs should be observed in the classroom by departmentally designated faculty and receive feedback on their teaching. Guidelines and workshops on how to conduct a classroom observation are available from the GSI Teaching and Resource Center.
    2. End-of-semester evaluations of GSIs should be reviewed. A departmentally designated faculty member should meet individually with GSIs whosereviews are below average to set up a plan for improvement of teaching skills. This may involve repeating the department pedagogy seminar, or other appropriate remedial action.
  4. Section F: Policy Dissemination

    Departmental Chairs should provide faculty members a copy of these policies along with specific department guidelines at the beginning of each semester that they teach courses with GSIs.

See the full text of the revised policy. A copy of the policy or the URL where it can be located, along with specific department guidelines, should be included in each GSI letter of appointment.

Top

Related Resources

Top