Faculty Advisers for GSI Affairs: Roles and Responsibilities

Thank you for serving as the Faculty Adviser for GSI Affairs in your department. Your work in this position will help to ensure that our Graduate Student Instructors get the preparation, mentorship, and supervision that they need to provide high-quality education to undergraduates at Berkeley and to prepare for teaching in future careers.

The following is a brief description of your role as a Faculty Adviser for GSI Affairs and the duties associated with this position. Please feel free to contact the GSI Teaching and Resource Center (642-4456 or gsi@berkeley.edu) if you have any questions or need assistance in any of the areas below.

The Role of the Faculty Adviser for GSI Affairs

Faculty Advisers for GSI Affairs are appointed by the Dean of the Graduate Division on behalf of the Graduate Council, upon the nomination of department chairs. The term of appointment extends until the Dean of the Graduate Division approves a new adviser. The Faculty Adviser for GSI Affairs in each department is the primary liaison between the Graduate Division and departmental faculty and GSIs in all matters pertaining to GSIs. The adviser’s most important functions are to coordinate the flow of information among these three bodies and to contribute to the preparation of GSIs for teaching at Berkeley and in future careers.

Responsibilities

1. To actively make yourself known to GSIs and faculty teaching in your department, both in writing and otherwise.

2. To coordinate and promote departmental efforts to prepare, supervise, and evaluate your GSIs. Where appropriate, to work in conjunction with any professional developers employed by the department to prepare or supervise GSIs. Consultation and grants for development or enhancement of departmental GSI programs that prepare GSIs for teaching are available through the GSI Teaching and Resource Center . Information can be found on the Center's Web site, http://gsi.berkeley.edu.

3. To be actively aware of all policies and regulations concerning GSIs, whether they originate in the University, the campus, or in the department, and to communicate these policies and regulations to departmental faculty and GSIs. Such policies and regulations include eligibility requirements, maximum and minimum terms of service, promotion procedures, appointment procedures and criteria, evaluation procedures, departmental or university requirements regarding the pedagogical preparation and mentorship of GSIs for teaching, and any other policies pertaining to GSIs. Information on campuswide policies regarding GSI appointments and preparation for teaching is available from the following documents:

The Graduate Division's Guide to Graduate Policies, Section H, "Graduate Student Academic Appointments" http://www.grad.berkeley.edu/policies/ggp/ggp.pdf

What You Need to Know About Being a GSI, GSR, Reader, or Tutor located on the Graduate Division's Web site at http://www.grad.berkeley.edu/policies/pdf/apptknow.pdf

The Graduate Council’s Policy on Appointments and Mentoring of GSIshttp://evcp.chance.berkeley.edu/GSIMentoringPolicy.pdf

The collective bargaining agreement between the University and the UAW http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/employees/policies_employee_labor_relations/
collective_bargaining_units/academicstudentemployees_bx/agreement.html

4. To inform GSIs and departmental faculty of the programs and services offered by the GSI Teaching and Resource Center and other resources on campus that can assist GSIs in their teaching. For a complete list of resources, please refer to the GSI Teaching and Resource Center ’s Web site at http://gsi.berkeley.edu.

5. To be available to GSIs teaching in the department for consultation and advice on matters of policy and regulations, on pedagogical matters, and in cases of conflict with supervising faculty members.

6. To attend both the fall and spring meetings for Faculty Advisers for GSI Affairs and Professional Developers of GSIs and to bring information from that meeting back to your department.

7. To provide input on GSI preparation for teaching for departmental reviews.

8. To familiarize the newly appointed Faculty Adviser for GSI Affairs with the body of knowledge available to you and to pass along to your successor materials you have received in this position.