This page provides guidance around Graduate Employee (GE) expectation setting, performance management, and discipline.
GEs differ from most employee groups on campus in two significant ways:
- GEs have a dual graduate student and employment relationship with the university;
- Many GEs are new at being an employee. That is, they may not have prior employment experience. This means they often require training and education around basic employee expectations (timeliness, task management, leave reporting, asking questions, etc.) in addition to job specific GE expectations.
These two GE dynamics are often combined with the supervisor dynamic that many faculty supervisors of GEs are new to being supervisors, still working to develop their own skills. Additionally, many GE supervisors have implicit assumptions about GE expectations, as they themselves typically had a GE like appointment during their graduate education. Unless there is intentional and methodical onboarding and expectation setting for GEs, this context often results in confusion, misunderstanding, and unstated expectations for both GEs and supervisors. The guidance below is to provide a helpful, positive onboarding experience for every GE and supervisor, and to create a work environment in which the GE can perform their work optimally in service of the mission of the university.
Performance Management versus Discipline
Performance management is about helping an employee meet the expectations of their position. Performance management may eventually lead to discipline if the underlying issues are not remediated; however, performance management is not generally disciplinary. Discipline is about addressing inappropriate behavior or misconduct such as violations of university policies or failing to show up. Both performance management and discipline are typically progressive processes, where less formal and lower-level interventions are used before escalating to more formal and higher-level interventions. Depending on the severity of a matter, steps may be skipped. Certain issues like attendance challenges or inappropriate behavior that impact undergraduate student education may escalate to formal discipline or termination directly. Units should consult with HR Employee & Labor Relations (uoelr@uoregon.edu) in these matters and as outlined below.
Graduate Employee Performance Management
Onboarding with Clear Expectations
The most successful performance management process is one that never needs to happen because expectations were made clear upfront and the path for growing into and meeting those expectations, including regular evaluations and supervisor check-ins, was intentionally made clear to the employee by the supervisor during onboarding . It’s important to remember that assumptions around required performance should be made explicit, both verbally and in writing, and that every new employee needs to be taught and learn how to do things to complete their work, which includes supervisor, departmental, and university processes, expectations, and norms. Several tools to help with setting expectations:
- Intentionally work through the GE onboarding checklist: https://graduatestudies.uoregon.edu/academics/forms;
- Provide and discuss the department’s General Duties and Responsibilities document: https://graduatestudies.uoregon.edu/funding/ge/gdrs;
- Establish an optional workload agreement using the template provided by the Division of Graduate Studies: https://graduatestudies.uoregon.edu/academics/forms;
- Establish a framework for regular evaluations, check-ins, and ad hoc consultations with the GE;
Starting employment with clear expectations from the very beginning will help GEs and supervisors alike in their success and growth in their positions.
Informal Graduate Employee Performance Management
General Expectation Reminder(s)
When a supervisor becomes aware of performance issues with a GE that don’t immediately rise to the level of discipline, the lowest level of intervention is to clearly identify the behaviors that are not meeting expectations, remind them of expectations, and provide any resources or structure that may help the GE be successful in that area. It may be good to revisit pieces that may have been missed at onboarding and close those gaps. Depending on the level of concern, this may first be done in a regular check-in with a verbal reminder. If the verbal reminder is unsuccessful or if the level of concern is more significant, it’s often good to have a meeting with the GE to discuss the concern(s) and provide an email follow-up documenting the conversation and the expectations.
Documented Letter of Clarification
If providing general expectation reminders is not successful in achieving the level of desired performance or if the matter warrants, a letter of clarification is a non-disciplinary, written, coaching document that outlines a supervisor’s concerns and provides a framework by which a GE can improve performance or remedy deficiencies. A letter of clarification is typically preceded by a conversation that outlines a supervisor’s concerns and allows the GE an opportunity for input or explanation. Supervisors wishing to issue a letter of clarification should consult with their school or college level HR Director or HR Employee & Labor Relations (uoelr@uoregon.edu), as appropriate. Templates for letters of clarification are maintained on the HR website: https://hr.uoregon.edu/templatesforms. A letter of clarification may not be included in a GE’s personnel file unless done so consistent with the signature requirement of Article 11 of the GTFF Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Formal Graduate Employee Discipline
When units move either directly to discipline or from performance management to discipline, a check-in with both the Division of Graduate Studies (graduatestudies@uoregon.edu) and HR Employee & Labor Relations (uoelr@uoregon.edu) is required. Additionally, units should carefully read and consider Article 16: Discipline and Discharge in the GTFF CBA: https://hr.uoregon.edu/gtff-collective-bargaining-agreement#discipline, including the requirement to inform GEs of their right to union representation in disciplinary meetings.
Written Reprimands
A written reprimand is often the first formal step of discipline, however, a written reprimand is not a necessary precursor to escalated discipline if a matter warrants. A written reprimand is a letter from a responsible University supervisor to an employee of the University in which that employee's unsatisfactory or unacceptable behavior or work performance is described and the necessity for change is noted. A reprimand also warns of future disciplinary procedures that shall be taken without improved performance. A written reprimand is often necessary when previous oral or written warnings have not resulted in the GE meeting work expectations. Certain circumstances may warrant issuing a written reprimand as the first disciplinary action taken against an employee. A written reprimand can be distinguished from a written warning or admonition in that a reprimand is placed in an employee's personnel file and retained there for a predetermined amount of time. Supervisors wishing to issue a letter of reprimand under Article 16, Section 5 should consult with their school or college level HR Director and HR Employee & Labor Relations (uoelr@uoregon.edu). Templates for letters of reprimand are maintained on the HR website: https://hr.uoregon.edu/templatesforms. A supervisor must meet with the GE to discuss the unacceptable matter(s) and the letter of reprimand should be included in the GE’s personnel file consistent with the signature requirement of Article 11 of the GTFF Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). When a supervisor is scheduling the meeting with the GE to discuss the written reprimand, the GE should be informed of their right to union representation.
Reduction in Duties or Dismissal
If the terms of a letter of reprimand are not satisfied or if a matter warrants, escalating directly to a reduction in duties or dismissal may be warranted. Additionally, job abandonment, unexcused absences for five consecutive scheduled working days, may warrant immediate termination consistent with Article 16, Section 8. Other discipline, such as a reduction in duties or termination must be done consistent with Article 16, Section 6. Generally, a reduction in duties may be warranted if a GE is meeting expectations in some of their duties but not meeting expectations in other areas whereas a termination may be warranted if a GE continues to not meet performance expectations after the previous steps or if they have been found to have engaged in inappropriate behavior or misconduct by an appropriate university office. When a reduction in duties or termination is being considered, supervisors must consult with their school or college level HR Director, HR Employee & Labor Relations (uoelr@uoregon.edu), and the Division of Graduate Studies (graduatestudies@uoregon.edu).