General Policies
Teaching Assistants, Teaching Fellows and Graduate Student Assistants (TAs, TFs and GSAs) at the University of Pittsburgh are graduate students who are receiving support in return for specified duties while gaining teaching and teaching-related experience under the guidance of faculty mentors. Their primary objective, from the standpoint of the University and the individual, is to make steady progress toward an advanced degree.
Guidelines for appointment, reappointment, English language competency, benefits (including tuition scholarships), and responsibilities of students and departments regarding TAs/TFs/GSAs are outlined in the Policy Statement for Teaching Assistants, Teaching Fellows and Graduate Student Assistants sent to all graduate students receiving such appointments. Copies are available from departmental Directors of Graduate Studies as well as from the Associate and Assistant Deans of Graduate Studies (910 Cathedral of Learning and 140 Thackeray Hall).
In rare, extraordinary circumstances, and only after evaluation and written warning with regard to unsatisfactory performance of duties, TAs/TFs/GSAs may be terminated during the period they are under contract. The procedures for early termination as well as the appeals procedure available to TAs/TFs/GSAs are explained in the Policy Statement.
For any grievance, the first step by the TA/TF/GSA should be to attempt an informal resolution of the problem through the Director of Graduate Studies, the Chair or another officer of the department. If this fails, or if the grievance involves an action of the department, the problem should be brought to the Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies (140 Thackeray Hall) for attempted mediation and resolution.
Graduate Student Researchers (GSRs) at the University of Pittsburgh are graduate students who are receiving financial support from research funds in return for duties performed to meet the goals for which the funds are awarded to principal and associate investigators. The research performed is also normally an integral part of the student's research practicum experience, thesis or dissertation. A primary goal of the appointment, from the point of view of both the University and the student, is to provide financial support to the graduate student.
Guidelines for appointment, reappointment, benefits (including tuition scholarships), research integrity, and responsibilities of students, research advisors, and departments regarding GSRs are outlined in the Policy Statement for Graduate Student Researchers sent to all graduate students receiving such appointments. Copies are available from departmental Directors of Graduate Studies as well as from the Associate and Assistant Deans of Graduate Studies (910 Cathedral of Learning and 140 Thackeray Hall).
In rare, extraordinary circumstances, and only after evaluation and written warning with regard to unsatisfactory performance of duties, GSRs may be terminated during the period they are under contract. The procedures for early termination as well as the appeals procedure available to GSRs are explained in the Policy Statement.
For any grievance, the first step by the GSR should be to attempt an informal resolution of the problem through the Director of Graduate Studies, the Chair or another officer of the department. If this fails, or if the grievance involves an action of the department, the problem should be brought to the Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies (140 Thackeray Hall) for attempted mediation and resolution.
The integrity of the academic process requires fair and impartial evaluation on the part of faculty and honest academic conduct on the part of students. To this end, students are expected to conduct themselves at a high level of responsibility in the fulfillment of the course of their study. It is the corresponding responsibility of faculty to make clear to students those standards by which students will be evaluated, and the resources permissible for use by students during the course of their study and evaluation.
Further elucidation of the obligations of both students and faculty is found in Guidelines on Academic Integrity, a booklet that can be obtained from FAS Graduate Studies, Office of the Associate Dean (910 Cathedral of Learning). Any student or faculty member who wishes to invoke an action pertaining to academic integrity should first review the Guidelines and the definitions and procedure described there.
For any grievance, the first step is to attempt an informal resolution through the Department Chair or another academic officer of the department. If this fails, or if the grievance involves an action of the department, the problem should be brought to the attention of the Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies for adjudication and, if necessary, the appointment of an informal investigatory committee. In cases where the grievance remains unresolved, the grievant may request the convening of a Graduate Review Board.
A Graduate Review Board consists of a non-voting president elected from the faculty members serving on FAS Graduate Council, and five voting members, selected by the president in consultation with the Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies. The voting members include three members of the Graduate Faculty and two graduate students. The board conducts hearings as described in the Guidelines on Academic Integrity and presents a final recommendation to the Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies for implementation. Decisions of the Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies are considered binding on all parties. Any decision of the Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies can be appealed to the Dean of the Faculty and College of Arts and Sciences.
The University of Pittsburgh does not discriminate against individuals who are diagnosed as HIV positive or as having AIDS.
The University recognizes that the health condition of individuals is personal and confidential. Reasonable precautions will be taken to protect information regarding the health condition of all members of the University community.
The University of Pittsburgh prohibits the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of a controlled substance on University property or as part of any University activity. Faculty, staff, and students of the University must also comply with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on the possession and consumption of alcohol.
Violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action within 30 days, including, but not limited to, a warning, written reprimand, suspension, dismissal, expulsion, and/or mandatory participation and successful completion of a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program approved by an appropriate health or law enforcement agency.
Any University employee paid from federally funded grants or contracts, or any student participating in any federally funded or guaranteed student loan program, must notify the University of any criminal drug statute conviction for a violation occurring at the University or while engaged in University activities.
The University's educational mission is promoted by professional relationships between faculty members and students. Relationships of an intimate nature (that is, sexual and/or romantic) compromise the integrity of a faculty-student relationship whenever the faculty member has a professional responsibility for the student. The University prohibits relationships between a faculty member and a student whose academic work, teaching, or research is being supervised or evaluated by the faculty member.
If an intimate relationship should exist or develop between a faculty member and a student, the University requires the faculty member to remove himself/herself from all supervisory, evaluative, and/or formal advisory roles with respect to the student.
Definition Note: In this policy, the definition of "faculty member" refers to anyone appointed by the University as a teacher, researcher, or academic administrator, including graduate and undergraduate students so appointed.
In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, the University guarantees that students have the right to inspect all personally identifiable records maintained by the institution and may challenge the content and accuracy of those records through appropriate institutional procedures. It is further guaranteed by the University that student records containing personally identifiable information will not be released except as permitted by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
The University of Pittsburgh, as an educational institution and as an employer, values equality of opportunity, human dignity, and racial/ethnic and cultural diversity. Accordingly, the University prohibits and will not engage in discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era. Further, the University will continue to take affirmative steps to support and advance these values consistent with the University's mission.
Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: 1) submission to or rejection of such conduct is an explicit or implicit condition of employment or academic success; 2) submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for an employment or academic decision; or 3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of a) unreasonably interfering with the individual's work or academic performance, or b) creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or academic environment. For more information on the University's policy against sexual harassment, see http://www.pitt.edu/~provost/har.html.
Discrimination based on sexual orientation (homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual) may take many forms. For example, a person may allow her or his attitudes towards another person's actual or presumed sexual orientation to influence decisions regarding that person's education or employment. In addition, a person may engage in harassment or even sexual harassment based on that person's sexual orientation.
The University of Pittsburgh will not tolerate discrimination against, or sexual or other forms of harassment of, students or employees based on race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, marital or familial status, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. The University has both informal and formal procedures in place to handle allegations of discrimination or sexual or other forms of harassment. In general, the University tries to reach an informal resolution first, and if that fails, a more formal process is used.
For further information regarding any of these issues, please contact the Office of Affirmative Action, 901 William Pitt Union, (412) 648-7860.
During enrollment at the University, a student may be responsible for new discoveries and inventions that could have commercial value and contribute to scientific, technological, social, or cultural progress. Those accomplishments should be patented in the best interest of the student, the University, the public, and the government. The University's policy on patent rights and technology transfer determines the rights and obligations of the student and the University in any technology the student may invent while enrolled in the University. Details of this policy are available from the Office of Technology Management.
Smoking is prohibited in all University-owned and leased facilities, including residence halls and off- campus housing facilities, and in all University vehicles, including motor pool vehicles, campus buses, and vans, with explicit limited exceptions described below.
Exceptions may be made with the approval of the Director of Environmental Health and Safety. Requests for the establishment of "Designated Smoking Areas" must be submitted to the Office of Facilities Management for review, in accordance with Procedure 04-05-03, Smoking. If approved, any expenses associated with creating a "Smoking Area," including posting of signs indicating where smoking exceptions are allowed, will be charged to the departmental budget of the requesting unit.