Article 25 – Titles and Classifications

 

A. Preamble and General Provisions

  1. A Postdoctoral Scholar is an individual who has received a doctoral degree (or equivalent) and is engaged in a temporary and defined period of mentored advanced training to enhance the professional skills and research independence needed to pursue his or her chosen career path.
  2. Postdoctoral Scholars train under the direction and supervision of faculty mentors in preparation for academic or research careers.
  3. In addition to pursuing advanced preparation in research, Postdoctoral Scholars may be approved to engage in other activities to enhance teaching and other professional skills. If formal teaching duties are assigned, a Postdoctoral Scholar will be assigned both a Postdoctoral Scholar title and an appropriate teaching title.
  4. Ordinarily, Postdoctoral Scholars are not permitted to serve as principal investigators on extramurally sponsored contracts or grant applications. Because the University recognizes that proposal preparation is an important aspect of most postdoctoral training, campuses may permit Postdoctoral Scholars to serve as principal investigators on such applications that are restricted to Postdoctoral Scholars, or in other circumstances approved by the University.
  5. The provisions of this Preamble are not grievable.

B. Bargaining Unit Classifications

A brief description of the titles and classification in this unit is set forth below. The parties understand and acknowledge that these descriptions are intended to be general. The University may concurrently appoint Postdoctoral Scholars to more than one Postdoctoral Scholar title.

  1. Postdoctoral Scholar – Employee (3252): An appointment is made in the title “Postdoctoral Scholar – Employee” when:
    1. the agency funding the salary requires or permits the appointee to be an employee of the University, or
    2. whenever General Funds, Opportunity Funds or other University discretionary funds are used to support the position.
  2. Postdoctoral Scholar – Fellow (3253): An appointment is made in the title “Postdoctoral Scholar – Fellow” when the Postdoctoral Scholar has been awarded a fellowship or traineeship for postdoctoral study by an extramural agency and the fellowship or traineeship is paid through a University account.
  3. Postdoctoral Scholar – Paid Direct (3254): An appointment is made in the title “Postdoctoral Scholar – Paid Direct” when the Postdoctoral Scholar has been awarded a fellowship or traineeship for postdoctoral study by an extramural agency and the agency pays the fellowship or traineeship directly to the Postdoctoral Scholar, rather than through the University. Such appointments shall have a “without-salary” status.
  4. Postgraduate Researcher – FY (3240), Postgraduate Researcher – AY (3243), Postgraduate Researcher – AY Extramural Funds (3245), and Visiting Postdoctoral Scholar (3370). The University retired these titles on January 1, 2010.

C. New Classifications

  1. When the University creates a new Postdoctoral Scholar classification and title, the University shall mail a notice to the Union of the bargaining unit assignment, if any, of such classification. The Union shall have sixty (60) calendar days after mailing of such notice to contest the University’s assignment of the newly created classification/title to a bargaining unit, or to an employee grouping which has not been assigned to a bargaining unit. Postdoctoral Scholars shall not be assigned to the newly established classification until the bargaining unit assignment is either agreed to or resolved by PERB.
    1. If the Union contests the bargaining unit assignment of the newly created classification/title within the sixty (60) calendar day notice period, the University and the Union shall meet and confer in an effort to reach agreement on the bargaining unit assignment for the classification. If the parties are unable to reach agreement regarding the bargaining unit assignment of the title/classification, the dispute shall be submitted to PERB for resolution.
    2. If the Union does not contest the bargaining unit assignment of the newly created position within the sixty (60) calendar day notice period, the unit assignment of the new classification shall be deemed agreeable to the parties and Postdoctoral Scholars shall be assigned to the newly created classification.
  2. If the new classification/title is in the bargaining unit, the University and the Union shall meet and confer regarding the salary range and ancillary pay practices for that new classification.

D. Out-of-Unit Movement

  1. In the event the University initiates the movement of a person in a Postdoctoral Scholar title to a University title that is not in the bargaining unit during the Postdoctoral Scholar appointment, the University shall notify the Union in writing.
    1. If the Union contests the removal of the individual(s) from the bargaining unit within thirty (30) calendar days after receiving the University’s notice, the University shall submit the matter to PERB for resolution. The University will not remove Postdoctoral Scholars from the bargaining unit until UC and the UAW reach agreement, or the matter is resolved by PERB.
    2. If the Union does not contest the unit assignment of the Postdoctoral Scholar title(s) within the thirty (30) calendar day notice period, the movement out of the unit may proceed.
  2. In the event the University proposes to move the title of Postdoctoral Scholar– Employee, Postdoctoral Scholar-Fellow, or Postdoctoral Scholar-Paid-Direct out of the bargaining unit, the University shall notify the Union in writing.
    1. If the Union contests the removal of the title(s) from the bargaining unit within sixty (60) calendar days of receiving the University’s notice, the University shall submit the matter to PERB for resolution. The University will not remove Postdoctoral Scholar titles from the bargaining unit until UC and the UAW reach agreement, or the matter is resolved by PERB.
    2. If the Union does not contest the unit assignment of the Postdoctoral Scholar title(s) within the sixty (60) calendar day notice period, the movement out of the unit may proceed.