Updated Policies for Graduate Student Academic Appointments
UC DAVIS: GRADUATE STUDIES
September 28, 2011
The Office of Graduate Studies has announced changes to policies in order to streamline and clarify the graduate student academic appointment process. These changes provide hiring departments with a clear set of guidelines for student appointments while also providing blanket exceptions to some eligibility requirements, thereby minimizing the number of appointments requiring submission of a Petition for Exception to Policy (PEP) to Graduate Studies. The revised policies and blanket exceptions also give programs greater flexibility with regard to academic appointments. At the same time, no additional exceptions will be granted in most of the situations identified in these policies. These changes will be reflected in UC Davis APM Appendix II-B in the near future.
Summary of Policy Changes and Blanket Exceptions to Policy
The following policies and exceptions refer to the regular academic year and do not apply to summer appointments:
- Policy change: The 9/12 quarter rule limiting quarters of appointment prior to advancing to candidacy is eliminated.
- Previous policy change: Appointments for students on Filing Fee are limited to 1 quarter; no appointments are permitted while on Planned Education Leave Program (PELP) status.
- Blanket exception: The 15 quarter limit on appointments is retained, but a blanket exception up to 18 quarters for teaching titles (per UC policy limits) and 21 quarters for research titles is granted to programs; no extensions are permitted thereafter.
- Blanket exception: Academic appointments may be for up to 75 percent time during academic quarters, although international students require approval from Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS) for appointments greater than 50 percent time. No exceptions will be granted for appointments (single or in combination) greater than 75 percent time.
The following policies and exceptions refer to the regular academic year and to summer appointments:
- Policy change: Appointment of an Associate In_ for an upper division course continues to require Committee on Courses of Instruction approval but no longer requires approval by Graduate Studies.
- Policy change: Appointment of an undergraduate student or a non-student as a teaching assistant continues to require Committee on Courses of Instruction approval but no longer requires approval by Graduate Studies.
- Policy change: Appointment of a student from a professional degree program to a teaching or research title outside his/her program requires approval by Graduate Studies.
- Policy change: Students enrolled in self-supporting master’s programs may be appointed in a graduate teaching or research title that is funded by extramural or self-supporting degree program funds. Appointment of a student from a self-supporting degree program to a teaching title in a state-funded program requires approval by Graduate Studies.
The complete policy with additional details on the above points and other information is available at http://www.gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/facstaff/policies/Policies for Graduate Student Appointments 9-23-11.pdf. It replaces previous policies described in Directives 90-153 and 92-122 as well as the memo of September 25, 1992 from Executive Associate Dean Curry clarifying the latter directive. In addition, the revised Petition for Exception to Policy form is available at http://www.gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/forms/GS317_PetitionExceptionToPolicy.pdf.
Jeffery Gibeling
Dean, Graduate Studies
Directive #11-006