Current Issues
- Keeping free, quality health insurance
- Taking your feedback
- Keeping a Running Dialog with Administration
- Editing the GA handbook
- Improving performance review process
Details of current issues
- Keep free, quality health insurance – Rising costs associated with the Graduate Assistant health insurance plan have led to the administration to seek proactive solutions. Insurers do not always give rate information to the administration in a timely manner, which can leave the administration with a short amount of time to make a decision for the upcoming year. We are currently researching alternatives that are suitable to both Graduate Assistants and the administration in the event change is needed.
- Taking your feedback – We are improving communication mechanisms between the GAAC and all GAs at UMBC. We need your feedback on working conditions to understand the needs and desires of GAs. This includes a survey of graduate assistants and the development of a GAAC group on myUMBC.
- Keeping a Running Dialog with Administration – As part of the Meet and Confer policy, we meet and discuss your issues with the administrators of the Graduate School at least once a term.
- Editing the GA handbook – We have been working with the administration on the first update of the Graduate Student Handbook in eight years, including clarification of certain sections regarding sick and vacation leave.
- Improving performance review process – The University of Maryland System (USM) requires performance reviews of graduate assistants by supervisors on a yearly basis. We are working to find a way to encourage a high compliance rate, while also providing the most beneficial feedback to students from their mentors/supervisors.