CBA

Graduate Student Appointments and Leaves

Appointments: What Do You Need To Do?

You can either follow step-by-step instructions with screenshots and examples as shown in slides 2-9 posted at: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1wS-G2x3_SGSvWyaq854LrqafZNYo1UQJ/edit#slide=id.g29adc9ab4c3_0_165

OR follow summarized instructions below in this section to take care of appointment letters.

1.     Download MIT Atlas desktop or mobile app from https://apps.mit.edu/ to get access to the new Grad RA portal/app on your device (laptop, phone, etc.)

2.     Go to the Atlas app.

3.     Select supervised students on the left side of the screen on the Dashboard, or click on Supervisees tile. This will give you the list of students you need to do the appointment letters for.

4.     For each student select ā€œOpen Caseā€. Flags indicating ā€œOpen Caseā€ mean that you need to take action to complete the appointment process.  

5.     After selecting a student, select the ā€˜Upcoming Open Caseā€™ to enter detailed appointment information. Note, cases listed as ā€˜activeā€™ are for the current term and do not need to be filled out.

6.     Add the following information on the screen titled Edit Appointment:

1.   Required Duties

This section is pre-populated with generic language directly from CBA.

  • Modify the text to focus on the particulars of the individual appointment, adding specific responsibilities
  • Do not include any academic requirements or milestones such as classes, oral qualifying exams, letters of intent, thesis proposal, or semi-annual progress review forms
  • Do include research tasks that also contribute to a studentā€™s thesis
  • Even though the appointment may list one or more cost objects, it is advisable to craft the job duties at a level that reflects the overarching goals of the studentā€™s research, rather than addressing specific aims from a particular grant project.

CSAIL Template of an Appointment Letter: please feel free to modify as needed

Ā·       The research duties include the following:

Ā·       Pursue research questions in robotics and machine learning based on discussions with research supervisor including outside of normal working hours, if necessary or in emergency situations

Ā·       Perform simulation and field experiments including outside of the normal business hours as needed

Ā·       Develop models and algorithms related to the research problems

Ā·       Analyze data from experiments, prepare figures, outline key findings including outside of normal business hours

Ā·       Present results at lab meetings, weekly meetings with collaborators, and sponsor meetings

Ā·       Participate in presenting results at professional meetings including outside of the normal business hours, as needed

Ā·       Assist with the preparation of figures, reports, manuscripts, sponsor requests to be completed as needed including outside of the business hours

Ā·       Prepare materials for sponsor presentations and publications

Ā·       Complete responsible research training within MIT deadlines

Ā·       Train UROPs and other students as needed

Ā·       Assist in purchasing and maintaining the lab equipment, ensuring the lab is clean and tidy. 

2. This Appointment Requires

Use these two checkboxes to indicate:

  • If the RA is expected to serve as an Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) representative
  • If the RA is expected to supervise others, for example, undergraduate researchers.

3. Work Locations

Enter location(s) where work will be performed, that is, lab address and/or student office location.

  • Include expectations for in person versus zoom, for example if RAs are expected to attend weekly meetings in person.

4. Work Schedule

  • Specify any required meetings, expected conference attendance, etc. Include as much information as known. 
  • The contract defines typical working hours as Monday-Friday, 8:30am - 5:30pm. It is important to be explicit about tasks that the RA will be expected to perform in the evenings or on weekends.
  • Remote work is allowed for up to 30 days and does not require MIT approval.

Examples:

Ā·       Group meetings every week

Ā·       Research meetings every XXX

Ā·       R&D time as needed

Ā·       Sponsor meetings as needed

Ā·       One-on-one meetings with faculty supervisor. 

5. Additional Information

  • Itā€™s ok to leave this section blank.
  • This could be a place to share expectations for how the RA should set up the mandatory meeting.
  • If applicable, you can optionally mention any budget limits for lab supplies, conference travel, etc. Please see this as an opportunity to tailor the information based on how things work in your lab and to add clarity to your existing processes; donā€™t feel pressured to give each student a budget if thatā€™s not how your lab works. 
  • Again, do not include any academic requirements or milestones such as classes, oral qualifying exams, letters of intent, thesis proposal, or semi-annual progress review forms.

Click ā€˜Saveā€™ to save your entries on this page.

Repeat this process, editing the appointment details for all remaining Open Cases. 

Appointments: What Happens Next?

  • When department staff enter the initial appointment details, the student receives the notification via e-mail.

  • Once the records are in GAP, you will be informed via email with Subject: Student employee appointment - action needed.

  • Anytime the supervisor updates the appointment, the student will be prompted to review and acknowledge the updated appointment.

  • Supervisors should add new appointment details that may not have been known at the origination of the appointment. Student employees will be prompted with the same message to review the changed or updated appointment.

  • Once student employee and supervisor agree on the appointment, a meeting is REQUIRED to discuss the job expectations and details to remove misunderstandings or to add details, when needed.

  • Required duties can be modified at any time by entering the MIT Atlas app.

  • Once the supervisor changes the job description, the student will be informed of the change(s).

  • The student employee can then accept the change in duties, by indicating their acceptance with the app, to provide a record that both parties agree to the new work description.

  • If the student refuses to accept the new job duties, the RA appointment may be terminated by the supervisor. The student will continue to be employed, or paid, for two weeks, and then their employment is discontinued.

Appointments: What Do You Need To Know?

  • With the establishment of the Graduate Student Union (GSU) at MIT, faculty have a new role with respect to graduate students. In addition to continuing to serve as teachers/advisors/mentors, faculty are also supervisors in an employer/employee relationship, which comes with certain contractual and legal responsibilities. 

  • If new policies are not followed, departments and individual faculty members could become involved in lengthy grievance processes, potentially including arbitration.

  • Extensive training materials prepared by MIT central offices are posted on Canvas at: https://canvas.mit.edu/courses/23732

  • CBA only pertains to students during times when they hold an active appointment as full or partial research assistant (RA) or teaching assistant (TA). So students on full fellowship support are not covered by CBA.

  • The contract mandates that you must hold an initial meeting every term with each RA and TA under your supervision. For spring, this means that faculty supervisors must meet with each RA/TA sometime between December 15 and early February to discuss responsibilities and expectations.

  • A 100% appointment (RA or TA) corresponds to an average of 20 hours per week.  That is distinct from academic credit, which accounts for graduate student effort beyond the RA/TA limit.

  • RA/TA/IG Terms of Appointment

  • Graduate Student Hourly Payroll Information

  • Outside Professional Activities: Consulting

    • Graduate students are allowed to engage in outside professional activities, like consulting, up to 8 hours per week (one day).

    • Permission for outside work must be approved by research advisor and department.

    • Graduate student will be asked to declare the ā€œOutside Professional Activitiesā€ by using the standard MIT OPA process once set up centrally.

    • The outside professional activities must be distinct and separate from thesis research.

Basic Labor Principles - Special Occasions

See slides 6-10 (includes information on grievance process) posted at: https://canvas.mit.edu/courses/23732/files?preview=3766140

Email gradunionquestions@mit.edu with any questions or concerns.

Leaves of Absence: What Do You Need To Do?

Follow step-by-step instructions on slides 10-20 (includes information on tracking, approving/denying requests with examples and screenshots) posted at:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1wS-G2x3_SGSvWyaq854LrqafZNYo1UQā€¦

Leaves of Absence: What Do You Need To Know?

  • RAs, TAs and IGs are now required to formally request all leaves (in advance, as practical) using the student appointment portal on the Atlas app. Some leave requests will be reviewed and acted upon by the supervisor of the RA, TA or IG (including for sick time and vacation). Other leaves will be reviewed and managed by the Office of Graduate Education (OGE).

  • RAs, TAs and IGs are entitled to 5 days of vacation (max) per full appointment period and such days are subject to a ā€˜use them or lose themā€™ condition; they cannot be carried over to a subsequent appointment period. Supervisors are not permitted to provide more vacation than what is provided for in the CBA. However, remote work, for up to 30 days per full appointment period, may be appropriate to accommodate a studentā€™s needs (see the full MIT policy) and is at the discretion of the supervisor. It is important to note that supervisors are responsible for confirming the performance of any remote work.

  • Periods of remote work of greater than 30 consecutive days for personal reasons are allowed if students face absolute barriers (such as visa processing delays) or other significant hardships that require them to spend time away from campus, and must be reviewed and approved. This review applies to any period of remote work exceeding 30 consecutive days, regardless of the number of days of remote work per appointment period. For periods away from campus for more than 30 days for academic and research reasons, students should apply for thesis research in absentia or non-residential doctoral thesis research status as has been our longstanding policy. These requests will not go through the remote appointments review process.

  • Grad Leaves/Accommodations Table