Leave, Salary and Raises - What to know?

Leave - Sick Leave

  • After one semester of employment, you are eligible for up to five days of sick leave

Salary and Raises- What to Know? 

Minimum Stipend
a. GSEU negotiates a minimum stipend with the State that is applicable to  TAs/GAs on a full-time assistantship at University Centers. The current minimum stipend is $9,959. The minimum stipend does not apply to TAs/GAs at the colleges or medical centers. Typically, TAs and GAs at University Centers are paid above the minimum stipend because their campus contributes additional funding. GSEU cannot negotiate with individual campuses to increase stipend amounts at that campus.  

Raise Schedule

  • 2016- 2% Raise 
  • 2017- 2% Raise
  • 2018- 2% Raise
    Raises apply to your pre-tax annual salary and compound for as long as you are a member in the GSEU.

Fund Monies- What to Know: 

  • Fund monies are additional pots of money given by the State that serve specific purposes for our members. Basically, they are additional money our members receive outside of stipend amounts.

Doctoral Recruitment and Retention: 

  • The purpose of this fund is to recruit and retain the most competitive and qualified PhD candidates. Each campus is given a specific amount of money in accordance with how many TAs/GAs they employ. It is then up to the campus/departments on how to give the money to TAs/GAs. It is typically given as yearly one-time cash bonus to members. 

Fee Mitigation 

  • The purpose of the Fee Mitigation fund is to lessen the amount TAs/GAs pay in University Fees. GSEU understand that fees are a significant expense for members, and we fought for this fund to address the issue. Fee Mitigation does not cover the cost of all fees- but we fight every year to steadily increase the amount of money in the fund. 

Downstate Location Fund 

  • This is a fund that applies to TAs/GAs at Stony Brook, Downstate Medical Center, and Optometry. Living downstate is very costly, and the downstate location fund is meant to help mitigate those costs. Members at the above campuses receive a once yearly disbursement from the fund.

Professional Development Fund 

  • The Professional Development Fund (PDF) is a labor-management fund between GSEU  and NY State that is meant to fund professional development activities with the goal of developing full professional potential or preparing for advancement. As a labor-management fund elected GSEU representatives on each campus work alongside campus management to help ensure that the funds are being appropriately distributed. Members can apply for PDF funds once a semester for up to $1000 in reimbursements. Qualifying professional development activities are fairly broad and include: 
    • Research
    • Curriculum development conference, workshop, or seminar attendance
    • Conference participation 
    • grant proposal development
    • preparation of material for publication
    • artistic or creative endeavor
    • other job related professional development projects or activities

      For instance, if you are attending a conference and pay for the flight and the conference fee, you can submit those receipts in your professional development application for reimbursement.
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