May 19 2001 Minutes PDF Print
First Meeting of Postdoctoral Representatives from the University of California Campuses

Minutes of the May 19, 2001 meeting sponsored by the UC Davis Postdoctoral Scholars Association (PSA).
Meeting location and time: Mee Room at the Memorial Union, UC Davis, 10:30 AM to 3:45 PM.
Meeting called to order at 10:30 AM by Tom Peavy, (UC Davis PSA Chair).

(1) Welcome and opening comments by Tom Peavy.

Recently, postdoctoral scholar issues have surfaced both at the national and UC levels, resulting in a series of recommendations. Now it is up to postdocs to ensure the implementation of such recommendations. Postdoctoral organizations can act locally with Graduate Councils and Graduate Divisions (Graduate Deans), but UC systemwide issues (such as title codes) need to be addressed by systemwide committees with representation from all UC campuses. The objectives of this meeting are: (1) to facilitate a coordinated effort by UC postdoctoral scholars for systemwide committee representation at the Coordinating Committee on Graduate Affairs (CCGA) and the Council of Graduate Deans (CoGD); and (2) to create a systemwide network of communication among UC postdoctoral scholars.

Short introduction of participants:

UC Berkeley Mary O'Riordan and Dagmar Truckses
UC Davis Teresa Dillinger, Christine Hotz, Tom Peavy, and Paulo Verardi
UC Los Angeles Lisa Rogers
UC Riverside Dan Stasko
UC San Francisco Luanna Putney
UC Santa Barbara Jan Sumerel
UC Santa Cruz Renee Baran
Stanford University Megan Houseweart

(2) Commentary/presentations of Campus Postdoctoral Representatives on postdoctoral concerns and issues.

UC Davis Tom Peavy (PSA Chair): The UC Davis PSA organization was organized first by starting an e-mail listserv for postdocs and social gatherings at pubs on Friday evenings. Topics such as housing and grievances were informally discussed and a formal organization was finally established in the Fall of 1999. The organization instituted bylaws and surveyed the UC Davis postdoc population in the Spring of 2000 with 194 responses (a complete report on the survey can be found at http://stuaff.ucdavis.edu/postdocs/surveyresults.html). The survey revealed that UC Davis postdocs are generally satisfied with their research experience but are confused and concerned about benefits and employment titles. Postdocs at UC Davis are typically hired under the titles of non-student postgraduate researcher (PGR, 53%), visiting postdoctoral scholar (41%), and unclassified (postdoctoral fellow funded externally, about 2%). Visiting postdoctoral scholars have to negotiate their salaries and have very limited benefits. PGR postdocs have full benefits and an established salary scale, but usually have appointments at less than 100% time to adjust their salary to a negotiated amount. Unclassified postdocs have no benefits. Most UC Davis postdocs feel they are not well integrated into the university community and are pessimistic about employment possibilities. In general, postdocs would like to have the opportunity to teach and would like the PSA to expand its roles in advocacy, representation, and service provision. International postdocs face additional issues, especially with visas.

In the Fall of 2000, the PSA was invited to designate a representative to the UC Davis Graduate Council. The PSA developed a list of recommendations (http://postdocs.ucdavis.edu/Recommend.html) and presented it for discussion at the Graduate Council. Issues include title codes, full-time appointments, minimum salaries, benefits, offer letters, career services, postdoc performance evaluations, and mentorship evaluations. One of our primary interests is the establishment of a campuswide minimum salary payscale. The consensus recommendation of the UC Davis PSA is to have an entry salary that is at least the current minimum salary of the NIH/NRSA scale (currently $28, 260 for fiscal year 2001, see http://www.nih.gov/niams/grants/notice/notod01-011.html). This is consistent with the recommendation from the CoGD Report on Postdoctoral Education at UC (http://www-ogsr.ucsd.edu/pdrep.htm). Regarding the NRSA payscale, NIH recently announced that "the NIH supports higher stipends for NRSA recipients and therefore announces tentative targets of $25,000 for graduate and $45,000 for entry-level postdoctoral stipends. Future budget requests will incorporate 10 to 12 percent stipend increases until these targets are reached. After attainment of these targets, the real value of stipends will be maintained with annual cost-of-living adjustments." (for more info see the full report at http://grants.nih.gov/training/nas_report/NIHResponse.htm). After inquiring with NIH, we were informed by Walter Schaffer (NIH Research Training Officer) that $45,000 was chosen as the appropriate stipend level because it is close to the entry-level federal salary paid to GS-11 employees (the level at which most Ph.D.s are hired). We agree that this is an equitable salary level, but we are also concerned that a rapid increase may negatively affect faculty support for establishing the NRSA payscale as the minimum postdoc salary.

UC Los Angeles Lisa Rogers (Postdoctoral Scholar Representative): UCLA does not have a PSA, but does have a dedicated administrative assistant at Graduate Studies whose job is to support postdocs and administer an e-mail listserv. According to Lisa's experience, most postdocs are under the title of visiting scholars. Issues at UCLA include postdoc mentorship, salaries (especially the high cost of living), and health benefits (which are not automatic). There are some contract issues as well (e.g., with NIH). UC Los Angeles does have an excellent career center.

UC Berkeley Mary O'Riordan (President, Berkeley Postdoctoral Association): Since postdocs have no time or continuity to follow their interests, the Berkeley Postdoctoral Association has recently proposed the creation of an Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, headed by an Associate Dean and funded by a postdoc fee to be paid by faculty advisors or departments (about $150.00 per postdoc and per year). The proposal has been well received at UC Berkeley, but funding is the main issue. Currently there is one full-time administrator (Postdoctoral Coordinator) and a 50% administrative assistant at the Graduate Division that are dedicated to postdoc issues. In addition, UC Berkeley has been trying to develop a new web site to maintain the flow of information, as the old one is obsolete. Continuity is always an issue for postdocs and postdoctoral associations. Implementation of policies is also an issue. UC Berkeley has already established a policy of requiring offer letters for postdoctoral appointments, but the administration and faculty lag behind and typically present the offer letter after the initiation of the appointment.

UC Berkeley Dagmar Truckses (Berkeley Postdoctoral Association Representative): Regarding the health care issue, the Berkeley Postdoctoral Association has secured a group health insurance plan for postdocs (except those paid directly by funding agencies), paid by postdocs. However, a systemwide postdoc health insurance plan may be a better and cheaper way to approach the issue. In addition, UC Berkeley is trying to develop an emergency loan program for new postdocs (especially first-year and international postdocs) to help with rent deposits, etc. So far, only some departments have such funds (donations from faculty), and the association is trying to make it a campuswide fund with donations from faculty, companies, etc. Childcare is also a major issue, as postdocs are at the bottom of the priority list.

UC Santa Cruz Renee Baran (Postdoctoral Scholar Representative): Renee and a group of postdocs, mostly from Biological Sciences, are trying to assemble a Postdoctoral Association. The group conducted a small survey last year, and statistics similar to UC Davis were observed. However, approximately 50% of the postdocs are on fellowships (unclassified), and the lack of health care is therefore the number one issue (they are also not eligible to contribute to social security). Other issues include official professional status, housing, postdoc training programs and continuity of the effort to form a Postdoctoral Association.

UC Riverside Dan Stasko (Postdoctoral Scholar Representative): UC Riverside is rapidly growing, but there is no postdoc network and no interaction amongst postdocs on campus. There is no postdoc association or e-mail listserv. In general the issues are similar to other campuses. For example, postdocs usually complain of the lack of grievance procedures, visa issues for international postdocs, etc.

UC Santa Barbara Jan Sumerel (Postdoctoral Scholar Representative): Most postdocs at UC Santa Barbara are recruited, and therefore can negotiate and are usually offered full benefits. However, if they bring external funding, they have limited benefit coverage. Some postdocs from countries with Ph.D.s that are not equivalent to Ph.D. degrees from the U.S. can be paid significantly less than domestic counterparts. There are no professional development and career services. People on NIH grants have to sign a payback clause. The high cost of living, including housing, is one of the main issues. There is no maternity leave and affordable childcare. Intellectual property, patent, and visa problems for international postdocs are also relevant issues. The materials department has a networking weekend (conference) with companies that provide a lot of opportunities for postdocs.

UC San Francisco Luanna Putney (PSA Treasurer): According to a Fall 2000 survey, UC San Francisco has about 800 postdoctoral scholars. This number does not include some titles, such as the clinical series, and is therefore an underestimation. Of these 800, about 62% are male, 38% female, and 56% foreign. Due to the large population of foreign postdocs the PSA has created a subcommittee on foreign issues. One important issue for foreign postdocs is adequate support and staffing at the visa office. The PSA has representatives that sit on various campus committees, such as the Chancellor's Council, Graduate Council, Chancellor's Committee on the Status of Women, and the Chancellor's Committee on Diversity. The newly appointed Assistant Dean of Graduate Outreach and Postdoctoral Affairs is responsible for managing postdoc issues. She is expected to work 50% on graduate outreach and 50% on postdoctoral affairs. Her goals include administering postdoc appointment letters, tracking titles and keeping records on all postdocs and setting up an administrative postdoc web site (with demographics, housing information, etc.). Members of the PSA have been in a subcommittee of the Graduate Council, and a set of recommendations to improve postdoctoral training has recently been endorsed. Inclusive in these recommendations is the requirement for a minimum NIH-based salary for postdocs, as well as a 15% increase above the national payscale due to the high cost of living in the Bay Area. Next week the PSA will conduct a signature drive and ask postdocs, faculty, and staff to read and endorse the recommendation. The PSA will then officially present the endorsed recommendation to the Academic Senate. The PSA has also established a seminar series (Practice of Science Series), where funding has been secured for the next three years from the science departments ($20,000/per year).

Stanford University Megan Houseweart (PSA Officer): The Stanford University Postdoc Association (SUPD) was formed in 1998. Activities include monthly meetings, working with the administration, holding a speaker's series, and social activities (happy hours, etc.). A Postdoc Office was created headed by an Associate Dean, as suggested by the SUPD. The office serves as a liaison between postdocs and administrators and has a small budget that covers speakers, etc. The Postdoc Office administers a web page for postdocs. The SUPD also has its own web site. Some of the important issues at Stanford University are: (1) salaries, especially considering Bay Area living costs; (2) extended benefits (dental and vision); (3) postdoc status (postdocs have a "non-matriculated graduate student" status and pay tuition); (4) housing; (5) lack of representation in university committees; and (6) reform the conflict resolution process. The SUPD has succeeded in obtaining representation on the Provost Committee, in creating the Postdoctoral Affairs Office to standardize treatment of postdocs, and lowering the tuition from $1,000 to $125/quarter. The latest annual survey of the postdoc population (175 responses) shows that postdocs are 32 years-old on average, 54% are married, 12 % have children, salaries are $34,000 on average (up from $32,000 last year), and the average cost for rent is $1,500/month.

Lunch break: 12:15 PM 12:59 PM

(3) Summary of issues common and unique to UC campuses, and recommended improvements:

(i) Professional designation:

Postdocs need to be distinguished from faculty, staff and students, with a clearly defined professional designation.
Implementation of a systemwide, specifically designated title code (e.g., Postdoctoral Scholars Series).
Equal and consistent treatment for all postdocs, independent of funding sources.
(ii) Establishment of a minimum postdoctoral salary scale.

(iii) Full benefits should be provided to all postdocs, including:

Full health benefits (non-university employed postdocs are currently not allowed to buy into the group insurance plans offered by the university).
Vision and dental.
Retirement.
Leave (maternity, sick and vacation).
(iv) Provision of adequate staffing to administer postdoctoral affairs with a designated liaison. This should include specifically designated, permanently funded administrative staff and office.

(v) Additional support for international postdocs:

Expanded support with visas, green cards, etc.
Training of international offices (e.g., UC Davis SISS) in issues relevant to postdocs.
Career development assistance (e.g., workshops on language development, professional English writing skills, etc.).
(vi) Information transfer amongst university offices on postdoc issues and policies to ensure implementation.

Education of faculty (at the department level).
Education of administration (at the department level).
Set up an e-mail system to broadcast postdoc policies and guidelines to departments in order to assure that such policies reach administrators (department chairs, staff) and faculty.
(vii) Establishment of mentorship guidelines, which might include:

Training for mentors (faculty workshops or classes).
Yearly written evaluations.
Allocation of suitable space (e.g., desk, bench space) and resources for postdoctoral training.
Must include implementation policies to assure education of faculty.
(viii) Establishment of appropriate and consistent grievance and mediation procedures.
Informal and formal procedures for postdocs
Specific for the postdoc-mentor relationship.
Free legal services.
20 (ix) Access to general university services with suitable priority and rates.
Childcare.
Housing.
20 20 (x) Professional development for postdocs.
Including guidance/education of graduate students, the future postdocs.
(xi) Recognition of PSAs from the Office of the President (UCOP).
Request funding to participate at the CoGD and the CCGA meetings.
(4) Discussion about CCGA and CoGD with the UC Davis Graduate Council Vice Chair and CCGA representative John Labavitch, and the UC Davis Associate Dean of Graduate Studies Jerry Hedrick.

Summary of information reported by Prof. John Labavitch and Associate Dean Hedrick:

The entire administration and Academic Senate of each campus are mirrored at the systemwide level. In terms of administration, the CoGD is a systemwide meeting of Graduate Deans that makes recommendations on issues concerning graduate education. It is up to the individual Graduate Deans to accept and implement those recommendations. However, the Office of the President (UCOP) is the highest administrative authority. UCOP can establish policies and issue statements that can be binding to all campuses. The CoGD has graduate student representatives. Deans can undertake issues on their own, and so can the CoGD. For instance, in 1998, the CoGD issued a report on postdoctoral education at UC and a series of recommendations on postdoc issues, including assigning responsibility for postdoctoral education to Graduate Councils and Graduate Divisions (http://www-ogsr.ucsd.edu/pdre p.htm). Currently, UC Santa Barbara seems to be the only UC campus where the Graduate Division is not accepting responsibility for postdocs.

The CCGA can be considered a systemwide "Graduate Council" of the Academic Senate. The CCGA evaluates graduate programs and is responsible for graduate student welfare. There is no higher authority for graduate education than the CCGA. The CCGA responds from issues that originate at the local councils at each campus and only rarely takes issues on its own. The CCGA has graduate student representatives as well. The chair of the CCGA (Cliff Brunk from UCLA) has demonstrated interest in having a postdoctoral scholar representative in the committee. Recently, the UC Davis Graduate Council instituted mentorship guidelines for all Graduate Groups and programs on campus. A similar set of guidelines should also be prepared for postdocs.

In terms of who is responsible for what, the UC has a shared government system, in which both the faculty and the administration govern the University. For example, the Graduate Council (Academic Senate) decides eligibility for graduate student title codes. Administration gets involved with salaries, etc. Administration and faculty constantly seek each other for advice. Consequently, administration and faculty could handle postdoc issues equally.

The CoGD meets once a quarter (except summer), three times a year, each time at a different campus. Each meeting is 1.5-days long (4.5 days/year). The first part of the meeting (half-day) is for Assistant and Associate Deans. Then, there is an evening social reception and dinner, and the Deans meet by themselves that evening. On the second day, there is a meeting where all members participate and can freely discuss issues with all members of the council. There is a subcommittee (Deans and staff from all campuses) that deals with postdoctoral issues. The current chair of the CoGD is the Dean of Graduate Studies from UC Santa Barbara (Charles Li). The next academic year's chair will be the Dean of Graduate Studies from UC Davis (Cristina GonzE1lez). The postdoctoral organizations should be able to contact the chair of CoGD to know when issues concerning postdoctoral scholars will be discussed at their meetings.

The CCGA has monthly, daylong meetings. About half of the meetings are held at UC Berkeley, and the others are held at other campuses. UC graduate students have a Southern and a Northern California representatives. At each meeting, there is an opportunity for each representative (including student representatives) to discuss and bring issues from their campuses or regions. Since postdoc representatives may not be able to go to all the meetings, UC Davis CCGA representative John Labavitch will ask the CCGA about the possibility of having postdoctoral representation as needed (when postdoctoral issues are discussed). He will also inquire whether the postdoc representative (or representatives) has to be the same person throughout the year or whether the representative can be rotated. However, it was also recognized that while the time commitment for representatives to these committees can be extensive, the familiarity, sociology and continuity established by a single, long-term representative would contribute to the efficiency of the process.

John Labavitch and Jerry Hedrick recommend the postdoc representatives to do something, but do it in the simplest possible way:

For the CoGD, take the systemwide postdoc list of recommendations to the postdoc subcommittee members and ask them which recommendations have been or are in consideration by their subcommittee. Then write to the chair of CoGD and present our list with an analysis of what is being worked on and by whom, and ask for advice on how to proceed.

For the CCGA, contact the chair of CCGA and bring to his attention the systemwide postdoctoral scholar issues to be considered by the CCGA. Prioritize and present sub-sets of issues at the meetings. The next meetings will be in June (UC Irvine) and July (UC Berkeley). The CCGA will not meet in August. John Labavitch will address the CCGA regarding the systemwide postdoc meeting at its next meeting in June.

(5) Discuss Plan of Action.

(i) The postdoc representatives from the UC campuses unanimously decided to form the Council of Postdoctoral Scholars (CPS) of the University of California. The general guidelines of the CPS are:

The mission of the CPS is to oversee postdoctoral scholar issues UC systemwide.
To ensure equal representation, each UC campus can delegate one member to the CPS.
At this point, members include one representative from each campus:
UC Berkeley Mary O'Riordan
UC Davis Tom Peavy
UC Los Angeles Lisa Rogers
UC Riverside Dan Stasko
UC San Francisco Luanna Putney
UC Santa Barbara Jan Sumerel
UC Santa Cruz Renee Baran

The CPS will try to ensure representation from UC Irvine and UC San Diego.
The appropriateness of including representation from the National Laboratories managed by UC (i.e., Berkeley, Livermore, and Los Alamos) will be further investigated.
The Stanford University Postdoc Association (Megan Houseweart) will have a consulting membership status with the CPS, without voting privileges.
Any member can bring specific issues for discussion and vote.
Majority wins (1 vote per campus).
The chair of the CPS will decide meeting agendas, preside over meetings, and be the official CPS representative. The members of the CPS will choose the chair.
Tom Peavy (UC Davis) was chosen as the interim chair of the CPS.
(ii) Tom Peavy, chair of the CPS, will draft a letter to the Office of the President (UCOP), to be circulated by e-mail to the several campus representatives for approval, informing the UC President that:

The CPS was formed by postdoc representatives from UC campuses.
The CPS would like to be recognized by the UCOP as a formal organization within the UC system.
The CPS would like to have representation at systemwide committees such as the CCGA and the CoGD.
The CPS needs funding to attend meetings and run the organization.
(iii) Regarding CCGA and CoGD committee representation:

The CPS will draft a general statement to the chairs of the CCGA and the CoGD asking for further information and clarifications.
The CPS will then determine the appropriateness of having a representative or representatives (e.g., a southern and a northern representative) to these committees.
(iv) Duties will be spread out amongst the members from each campus. Each member will be primarily responsible for only a few issues, but will be expected to provide information specific to their campuses to other members. Responsibility for the systemwide issues raised in item (3) was delegated as follows:

Renee Baran, UC Santa Cruz: Distinct professional designation for postdocs.
Tom Peavy, UC Davis: Establishment of a minimum postdoctoral salary scale.
Renee Baran, UC Santa Cruz: Provision of full benefits.
Mary O'Riordan (UC Berkeley): Provide adequate staffing for postdoctoral affairs with a designated liaison, permanently funded administrative staff, and office.
Dan Stasko, UC Riverside: Additional support for international postdocs.
Jan Sumerel, UC Santa Barbara: Information transfer amongst university offices on postdoc issues and policies to ensure implementation.
Lisa Rogers, UC Los Angeles: Establishment of mentorship guidelines.
Luanna Putney, UC San Francisco: Establishment of appropriate and consistent grievance and mediation procedures.
Luanna Putney, UC San Francisco: Access to general university services with suitable priority and rates.
Teresa Dillinger, UC Davis: Professional development for postdocs.
Tom Peavy, UC Davis: Recognition (of PSAs and the CPS) from the Office of the President (UCOP).
(v) Delegates from each campus (especially the ones without PSAs) are encouraged to set up a postdoc listserv to discuss issues with other postdocs on campus.

(vi) The next UC Systemwide meeting of the CPS will be sponsored by the Berkeley Postdoctoral Association in September, 2001. The specific date, time and location will be announced by e-mail.

Meeting adjourned at 3:51 PM by Tom Peavy (CPS Chair).

Prepared by Paulo Verardi, UC Davis PSA Secretary/Treasurer.