Memorandum
TO: Deans, Directors and Department Chairs
FROM: James V. Maher
DATE: September 7, 2006
Guidelines for Research Associates
Enclosed is a document entitled Guidelines for Research Associates, which are effective immediately. This document was developed and endorsed by a committee whose membership consisted of many of the same individuals who developed the July 2005 Guidelines for Postdoctoral Associates and Postdoctoral Scholars. A copy of this document must be provided to each Research Associate at the time of hire, as well as to all currently appointed Research Associates. The new Guidelines are also available on the Provost’s website here. [updated 2018]
This document addresses a significant gap in the University’s current personnel system, in that a set of guidelines governing the Research Associate category has not heretofore existed. The enclosed will now complement the handbooks and guidelines that have already been developed for faculty, staff and postdoctoral scholars and postdoctoral associates. As some will know, an earlier committee had developed a summary statement of the benefits package available to Research Associates. These new guidelines incorporate much of that statement, with updates supplied by the Office of Human Resources. Additionally, they include such topics as appointment guidelines (including adherence to affirmative action requirements), reappointment, early termination, grievance procedures, determination of minimum base salaries (in accordance with federal regulations pertaining to exempt employees), campus workplace policies and procedures, and research integrity.
As announced previously, it should be noted that currently appointed Research Associates who do not possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate (as required in the Guidelines) will be permitted to retain their present status. However, all newly-submitted Research Associate appointments will be monitored for compliance with this requirement.
If you have any questions with respect to this new framework, please contact Vice Provost Andrew Blair at 412-624-5749 or blair@pitt.edu.
JVM:lkw
Enclosure [updated 2018]
cc: Senior Vice Chancellor Arthur S. Levine
Associate Vice Chancellor Ronald W. Frisch
Vice Provost Andrew R. Blair