SNRE GSI Information

INFORMATION FOR
GRADUATE STUDENT INSTRUCTORS AND RESEARCH ASSISTANTS

GETTING PAID
Graduate Student Instructors (GSI) and Research Assistants (GSRA) are paid on the last working day of each month. Whenever a payday falls on an official University holiday or on a weekend, payment will be made on the last working day preceding such an occurrence. You may have your check automatically deposited by filling out a Financial Institution Deposit Authorization form. If you do not choose this option, you will need to complete a U.S. Mail Authorization form in order for your check to be mailed directly to you. The forms are available at: http://www.finance.umich.edu/finops/payroll/forms

TUITION GRANT WAIVER PROGRAM
GSIs with a 23.7% (25% for GSRAs) or greater appointment fraction throughout an entire term receive a full-tuition grant for that term if they register for and maintain a minimum of six credits for the entire term. NOTE: Audit or Visit credits do not count. The tuition grant is credited to your student account. The tuition grant does not pay for other fees assessed during the term of appointment, such as registration, student government, or lab/course fees, etc.

APPOINTMENT FRACTION (GSIs only)
At the beginning of the term, you will receive a copy of your Fraction Calculation Sheet in your student mail folder. This form documents how your time will be spent as anticipated by the instructor. It is the responsibility of both you and the instructor to make sure that you do not exceed the maximum number of work hours for the authorized appointment percentage (keep time-logs and meet regularly). If, during the appointment term, you jointly determine that an increase in the number of hours is necessary, the instructor should immediately contact Diana Woodworth, room 1520 Dana, 763-4572. All efforts should be made, however, to work within the authorized appointment percentage due to limited funds.

DURATION OF APPOINTMENT
Fall appointments begin on 1 September and end on 31 December; winter appointments begin on 1 January and end 30 April. At the end of your appointment period, you should turn over all course materials (grade books, student assignments, etc.) to the instructor in charge of the course. Your responsibility to the course, the enrolled students, and the instructor ends on the last day of your appointment period.

CONTACT OFFICES

    Benefits, G-405 Wolverine Tower 1278, 615-2000
    Counseling & Psychological Services, room 3100 Michigan Union, 764-8312
    Cashier's Office, 2226 SAB, 515 E. Jefferson, 764-7447
    CRLT, 1071 Palmer Commons 2218, 764-0505
    ELI, 555 S. Forest Ave., 764-2413
    Graduate Employees Organization, 330 E. Liberty, Suite 3F, 995-0221
    GSI-OET, Cambridge-Michigan Language Assessment (CaMLA), Argus 1 Blgd, 535 W. William St., Suite 310, 615-9629
    Parking Services, 508 Thompson Street, 764-8291
    Payroll Office, G-395 Wolverine Tower 1279, 615-2000
    Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), G-664 Haven Hall, 763-3000
    SNRE GSA Office, Diana Woodworth, 1520 Dana, 763-4572, dianaw@umich.edu
    Student Financial Operations, 2226 Student Activities Building 1316, 764-7447
    Washtenaw County Red Cross, Health & Safety Department, 2729 Packard Road, 971-5300

ORIENTATION/TRAINING (GSIs only)
All GSIs are required to meet with Diana Woodworth to complete the hiring process . In addition, all first-time GSIs are required to:

  1. Attend the CRLT Orientation for First-Time GSIs which consists of 1-2 days of concurrent workshops immediately prior to the beginning of the term; days/times to be announced.
  2. Attend the departmental orientation session (1-2 hrs) at the beginning of the term.
  3. Attend two CRLT seminars during the term. Notify Diana by the second week of the term to let her know which seminars you plan to attend. Refer to http://www.crlt.umich.edu/programs/gradstudents-post-docs
  4. Schedule a mid-term feedback/consulting session with CRLT. This activity should take place by mid-October for Fall GSIs and late February for Winter GSIs. Notify Diana ASAP with the date that has been arranged.
      http://www.crlt.umich.edu/consultations/midterm-student-feedback
      CRLT contact is Laura Schram, lnschram@umich.edu
  5. You must register for one credit of independent study for this training; you will receive an e-mail when you are able to register for the credit (NRE 600). This will not incur an additional charge to you since tuition is covered as part of your GSI appointment.

EVALUATIONS (GSIs only)--participation in this process is mandatory
MID-TERM: The "Early Feedback Form"  can be a constructive assessment of your strengths and how your students respond to you as a GSI. Evaluations during the term are extremely useful in that they provide feedback from your students while the course is still in progress. These evaluations are strictly for your benefit. The "Early Feedback Form" is available electronically from Diana Woodworth; it is recommended that this be used sometime between weeks 5 and 7 of the term.
END OF TERM: The GSI E&E evaluation form contains 17 core questions. Once the evaluation process is complete, you should be able to view the results in Wolverine Access, via self-service.

NON-NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKING GSIs
The names of all first-time GSIs will be submitted to the English Language Institute (ELI) for certification. Any non-native English speaking students must successfully complete the IGSI (International Graduate Student Instructor) test, or an interview, prior to the beginning of the term in which they are teaching. The GSI-OET is conducted at the Cambridge-Michigan Language Center. An SNRE faculty member will participated in the assessment. More information regarding preparation by the student and faculty member can be found at: http://www.cambridgemichigan.org/gsi-oet.

Non-native speakers of English may be exempted from taking the test if their undergraduate degree was obtained through courses taught in English. Please contact Diana for assistance in scheduling this test.

ADULT CPR/FIRST AID TRAINING
All GSIs who teach a lab or studio, or accompany students on field trips must be certified by the American Red Cross prior to the beginning of the term in which they are teaching. You will be notified by Diana if this requirement is applicable to you. You will need to meet with Diana to complete the on-line registration process. Upon completion of the training, bring your certification cards to Diana so she can make copies for her file.

CRLT GUIDEBOOK FOR UM GSIs http://www.crlt.umich.edu/gsis/gsi_guide
CRLT's popular "GSI Guidebook"  is available on-line. This useful publication contains information and articles designed to assist GSIs in fashioning a successful teaching experience at UM. In addition to sections on preparing to teach, creating an environment of active learning, and improving teaching through feedback, it contains an exhaustive list of UM resources and information on UM policies (e.g., cheating and plagiarism, code of academic conduct, gender and respect in the UM community).

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT (including cheating and plagiarism)
Information about various forms of academic misconduct and the methods for dealing with them can be found on the following website: http://www.rackham.umich.edu/policies/academic_and_professional_integrity/

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES http://ssd.umich.edu/
Be sensitive to students who may have a disability. Make clear early in the term that you will do what is necessary to help students with hearing or visual impairments and/or learning disabilities. The Services for Students with Disabilities Office, phone: 763-3000; G-664 Haven Hall, assists disabled students and can also provide information that will help you to help them. Sondra Auerbach, OAP, 764-6453, is SNRE's liaison and may also be able to assist you.

Requesting Employment or Appointment Accommodations. http://www.rackham.umich.edu/policies/accommodations_for_graduate_studen...
The University complies with the American Disability Act (ADA). The SNRE administrative designee is Sondra Auerbach, OAP, 764-6453, sondramr@umich.edu. The designated central contact person is Darlene Ray-Johnson, who serves as the Rackham Accessibility Facilitator. She can be reached via rayj@umich.edu.

COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES (CAPS) http://www.umich.edu/~caps/
Students in urgent need can be seen immediately by the Counselor on Duty, or an appointment can be made. If a student is not in crisis, the COD can still consult with them regarding appropriate resources and next steps. CAPS is located on the third floor of the Michigan Union on State Street. CAPS staff are available to consult with concerned friends, faculty, family and staff as well. These services are free to students. Phone: 734/764-8312.

GSI/STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS
Be aware that relationships between GSIs and their students are strongly discouraged. Please refer to the following website for details: http://spg.umich.edu/pdf/601.22.pdf

ACCESS TO CLASS ROSTERS, http://wolverineaccess.umich.edu
Current enrollment and class roster information can be accessed on the web. Once you are on the Wolverine Access homepage, click the "Teaching Support" button, and then log in using your uniqname and Kerberos password. You will then be prompted to a screen saying that you must be an authorized user, at which point click "continue"  and then click the "class rosters"  button. Finally, select the appropriate term and course.

CLASS E-MAIL GROUPS, http://wolverinaccess.umich.edu
Course e-mail groups can be created easily using the Teaching Support tool available on the web. Follow the steps outlined above in the Class Roster section. By an instructor's request, ITCS (Information Technology Central Services) will create course e-mail groups (called "class listservs" ) using registration data from the Registrar's Office. For more information and to request an e-mail group, go to http://www.itd.umich.edu/help/faq/email.php.

C-TOOLS, http://ctools.umich.edu
C-Tools is a web-based system for coursework and collaboration at the UM. Instructors use C-Tools for courses and projects, and utilize the customizable features to enhance teaching and learning.

OFFICE SPACE & KEYS
SNRE has limited student office space available. Each office space is typically shared by several students; GSIs are generally given first priority. Office space is assigned by Dan Beard, room 2038 Dana. Application forms for office assignments and keys are available from Dan.

STUDENT MAIL FOLDERS (please check regularly)
Correspondence related to your appointment (as well as any other mail addressed to you) will be placed in your student mail folder located in the alcove on the east side of the first floor commons area. Mail folders are in alphabetical order. If your mail folder is missing, please see the receptionist in OAP, room 1520, for assistance.

CERTIFICATION OF EFFORT (GSRAs only)
At the end of each appointment period, most GSRAs must complete a very short, on-line certification that the information reflected on their appointment forms is accurate. Students are notified of the process via e-mail from the Cost Reimbursement Office at the appropriate time.

RCRS CERTIFICATION (GSRAs only)
Responsible conduct of research and scholarship (RCRS) is defined as the practice of scientific and scholarly investigation with integrity. It involves the awareness and application of established professional norms and ethical principles in the performance of all activities related to scientific research and to scholarship. The NIH and NSF require instruction in responsible conduct of research as an integral part of training for all students and postdoctoral fellows who are supported by research or training grants. RCRS certification consists of at least 8 hours of face-to-face small-group instruction. Instruction should take place at least once during each career stage (i.e., degree program or postdoctoral appointment) and not less than once every four years. Diana will notify you if this certification is needed.

COMMUTER PARKING: http://pts.umich.edu/permit_parking/students.php
Graduate students are eligible for student parking permits, which are available via application to the Parking Operations Office, 508 Thompson Street, call 764-8291 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

COMPUTING SERVICES AVAILABLE THROUGH SNRE IT OFFICE (M-F 8-5; room 2353 Dana)
GSI desktop computers in SNRE GSI offices; SNRE/Novell computer account (required to login to SNRE GSI computers); secure, backed-up network file storage; access to SNRE networked printers (black-and-white and color); access to a plotter/poster printer for printing course-related maps, posters, etc.; Course tools consulting (assistance with building a course website); and loans of audio-visual equipment for classes. For additional information: phone: 647-4342; e-mail: snre.it.services@umich.edu.

COPYING SERVICES AND SUPPLIES
Access to the photocopy machine in the mailroom is available for course-related copying. You should obtain the appropriate access code from the faculty instructor you are assisting. Supplies are available from the SNRE Business Office and require a course number or shortcode on the sign-out sheet. Orders for supplies not kept on hand should be placed with the SNRE Business Office, room 2038 Dana.

RESERVING UM VEHICLES: http://pts.umich.edu/forms/vehicle_reservation.pdf
UM vehicle reservations are coordinated by Dan Beard, room 2038 Dana. The vehicle reservation form must be completed and returned to Dan at least 3 working days prior to the reservation date--do not submit directly to Transportation Services.

LOADING VEHICLES
It is often necessary to park vehicles near the Dana Building. Please follow these guidelines for loading and unloading students on field trips or for loading and unloading heavy equipment and materials. Park vehicles (university or private) in the area between the Dana Building and Randall Lab. Do not block the driveway. Do not leave the vehicle unattended. Flashers must be on. Time limit of 15 minutes. If you get a parking ticket after following these guidelines, contact Dan Beard, room 2038 Dana, to see if the ticket can be waived.

GEO UNION DUES/REPRESENTATION-SERVICE FEE SIGN-UP CARD AND CONTRACT (GSIs only) http://www.umgeo.org/
As a GSI, your salary, tuition waiver, benefits, working conditions, and other terms of employment are governed by a Union contract negotiated between the University administration and the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO). The contract negotiated by the GEO and the University requires that all employees receiving benefits from this contract pay either Union Dues or a Representation-Service Fee. If you have not already filled out and returned a yellow Union Dues/Representation-Service Fee card, you are responsible for doing so. The cards are available from your department steward, your department office (Diana Woodworth, room 1520 Dana), the Office of Academic Human Resources, or GEO (734/995-0221). If the payroll deduction election is selected, the dues/fees will be deducted from the third paycheck (November for Fall GSIs and March for Winter GSIs). If you choose not to authorize the deduction from your paycheck, you must remit a check to the GEO, 527 E. Liberty St. Suite 204, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, for payment of the amount specified in the chart accompanying the "Graduate Employees Organization Union Dues/Representation-Service Fee Card". If you do not do so, you will not be eligible for re-employment at the University of Michigan. Union members can participate in all levels of Union decision making processes; non-members cannot.

Copies of the contract between the Graduate Employee's Organization (GEO) and the UM are available from Diana in room 1520 Dana, or on the GEO website.

SICK TIME
Eligibility: GSIs and GSRAs may be absent from their teaching, research or staff activities due to illness for up to three weeks in a consecutive twelve-month period without any decrease in their stipend.

JURY DUTY AND WITNESS SERVICE
Eligibility: GSIs and GSRAs responding to a subpoena may serve on jury duty or as a witness without loss of compensation. Jury and witness service fees are offset against monthly stipends.

GROUP HEALTH, PRESCRIPTION, DENTAL, VISION, AND LEGAL PLANS; FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS, AND, TRAVEL ACCIDENT AND LIFE INSURANCE BENEFITS http://www.benefits.umich.edu/benefitgroups/grads.html

  1. GSIs with a one-quarter (25%) or greater appointment fraction for four or more consecutive months for fall or winter term, or at least two consecutive months for spring or summer term, are eligible to participate in a variety of programs consistent with the terms of each plan. GSIs default to GradCare, Dental Option I, and the University Group Life Insurance plan immediately when the job is entered on M-Pathways. Other benefit elections, waiving default elections, and the addition of dependents must be made within 30 days.
  2. GSIs with less than 25% appointment for four or more consecutive months for fall or winter term, or at least two consecutive months for spring or summer term, are eligible to participate in a variety of programs consistent with the terms of each plan. These GSIs will default to GradCare immediately when the job is entered on M-Pathways. Other benefit elections (such as Dental Option 1 with student responsible for 50% of the cost), waiving default elections, and the addition of dependents must be made within 30 days
  3. RAs with a one-quarter (25%) or greater appointment fraction for four or more consecutive months will default to GradCare, Dental Option 1, and the University Group Life Insurance plan immediately when the job is entered on M-Pathways. Other benefit elections, waiving default elections, and the addition of dependents must be made within 30 days.
  4. Coverage is not available during any period in which a GSRA's appointment is less than 25%.

CHILDCARE SUBSIDY PROGRAM http://www.finaid.umich.edu/Types_of_Financial_Aid/child.asp
Eligibility requirements for the Childcare Subsidy Program must be met. The maximum subsidy award per term for each eligible GSI will be:

    First child: $2,265
    Two children: $3,322
    Three or more children: $4,380

TRAVEL ACCIDENT INSURANCE http://www.benefits.umich.edu/plans/travelacc/index.html
Eligibility: GSIs and GSRAs who travel on University business (other than trips to and from their regular work site) are covered by the University's Travel Accident Insurance Plan.

REFERENCE: More comprehensive information concerning insurance benefits is available by contacting the Office of Staff Benefits (615-2000); e-mail: benefits.office@umich.edu, or their website: http://www.benefits.umich.edu/benefitgroups/grads.html

GRADUATE STUDENT PARENTAL ACCOMMODATION POLICY: http://www.rackham.umich.edu/help/current_students/graduate_student_pare...
The Graduate Student Parental Accommodation Policy (GSPAP) assists graduate students immediately following the birth of a child or adoption of a child under the age of six. This policy applies to full time, enrolled Rackham graduate students who are in good academic standing, and making satisfactory progress toward completion of their degree. Students must have completed at least one full time semester of their degree program to become eligible for coverage under this policy.

CRLT TEACHING CERTIFICATE: http://www.sitemaker.umich.edu/um.gtc/introduction_to_program
This program offers graduate students at the U-M an opportunity to document professional development as college-level instructors and prepare for the faculty job search. Participants will develop and refine their teaching skills; reflect and obtain feedback on their teaching; receive recognition for their training and experience; and prepare and receive feedback on their teaching philosophy statement.