Graduate Union for Faculty/Staff
Hiring Documentation for Graduate Student Union
Appointment Letters and Personnel Files
As noted in Article 10, if feasible, and except for students in a masters program, the University will endeavor to notify Graduate Assistants of their appointment at least one (1) month before the start of the semester in which their appointment begins. The University will endeavor to provide appointments for masters students as soon as they are known.
Timeline:
- Typically 8/1 (fall) and 12/15 (spring) for appointments (i.e., funding) (admission letter can serve as the appointment letter)
- Typically 8/15 (fall) and 1/1 (spring) for assignments (specific job assigned); for summer, 14 days before work begins
All appointment and assignment letters and contracts for union positions must be shared with the Office of Student Employment per Article 13 (email them to oncampusemployment@clarku.edu).
Compensation
Compensation information is in Article 16 of the CBA. It stipulates at least a 2% increase, which for AY 24-25 will be a stipend of $29,719 for all departments except for the English department, which will be $12,400. The hourly rate is $19.96 for AY 24-25. The Office of Student Employment will confirm the percentage increase for each new academic year to union departments each year, typically in June, after consulting with Human Resources.
Instructor of Record Assignments
For students who do not have 9-month appointments but are hired to teach a course, the CBA does not specify a rate of pay beyond being compensated at a rate no lower than the hourly rate, which increases each year ($19.96 for AY 24-25), and the Instructor of Record Pay ($1,500 per course) (reference Article 16). The pay will be $5,460 plus the $1,500 instructor of record pay, for a total of $6,960 for a 1-unit course.
Hire Forms
Hiring information should be submitted to the Office of Student Employment. Process information is on our Hire a Student page; the TA/RA spreadsheet should continue to be used and should be emailed to oncampusemployment@clarku.edu. Other union positions (including work funded by external grants) must be submitted via Interview Exchange. Leave approvers will be designated by department.
It is preferable to submit hiring information for the entire year; if assignments change from semester to semester, that does not affect the job record information unless the pay changes (e.g., if a student is working as a TA one semester and teaching a course the next semester). It is easier to terminate a position early than to create a new job record.
Instructor of Record Hiring Process
- Chief Budget Officer sends spreadsheet of approved funds for PT faculty for courses to departments.
- The departments hire PT faculty (which can include doctoral students), and the department administrator populates a PT faculty spreadsheet that goes to the Provost’s Office listing the course being taught and the instructor teaching the course.
- The Provost’s Office sends the student their contract, copying department chair and department administrator; students return their contract to the Provost’s Office.
- The department administrator submits an Interview Exchange hire form to the Office of Student Employment. Instructors of Record are paid via 8 pay periods because they are not entered until after add/drop.
Pay Dates and Start of Employment Considerations
For PhD students on salaried assignments, the pay is divided into 9.5 pays per semester with a break in between semesters. The first pay for fall is 8/23/24 and the first pay for spring is 1/4/25.
Timeline:
- Hire forms due to the Office of Student Employment no later than 8/1 (fall) and 12/1 (spring); for summer, hire forms are due 14 days before work begins.
Note about international students
- The timing of when a new international student can work is related to when they arrive in the US and can apply for a Social Security Number (SSN). New international student staff should be provided with the guidelines on how to apply for an SSN. Students must secure and present an SSN in order to remain employed at Clark, per our Student Employment Verification Policy included in the Student Employment Handbook.
Contacts
Office of Student Employment: Julie Bolduc, director, and Savannah Plante, assistant director
Graduate Arts & Sciences Office: Sara Simeone, Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies in Arts & Sciences
Labor Management Committee (LMC): A 5-member committee that meets with 5 members of the Union at least once per semester and in the summer. Members: John Labrie, David Everitt, Julie Bolduc, Philip Bergmann, Kelly Boulay (alternates: Savannah Plante and Sara Simeone). If there are any issues or questions that should be addressed by the LMC, please email Julie Bolduc, jbolduc@clarku.edu.
Union Stewards: Geography, Clark Labs, MSGIS: Kwabena Antwi; Physics, Chemistry, BCMB, Biology: Thomas Roehl; HGS, History, English, Education, IDCE (non-MSGIS): MK Speth; Psychology and Economics: Maddie Logan
Related Links
- Collective Bargaining Agreement
- Graduate Student Union page, which includes FAQs for Graduate Student Union.
Office of Student Employment
Shaich Family Alumni and Student Engagement Center (ASEC Building)
3rd Floor
939 Main Street
Worcester, MA 01610
1-508-421-2260
The Office of Student Employment is open on weekdays, typically from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Drop-in hours for identity verification are Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 3pm to 4pm, or by appointment.