Article 4: Law Student Support
4.1 CLASSES OF SUPPORT
4.1.1 Law students receiving support from the University fall primarily into three classes:
a. Students employed by individual faculty part-time as “Research Assistants” or “Teaching Assistants”;
b. University or College of Law employees; and
c. Fellowship, scholarship, and/or grant recipients.
4.2 RESEARCH AND TEACHING ASSISTANTS
4.2.1 This Article (Article 4) deals only with the employment of part-time research and teaching assistants not represented by the Graduate Employees Union (“GEU”). Accordingly, for the purposes of this document, the terms “research assistant” and “teaching assistant” do not include members of the GEU. Information related to the employment of graduate teaching assistants included in the GEU bargaining unit is included in the collective bargaining agreement between the University and the GEU.
4.2.2 Law students who are research or teaching assistants are appointed in accordance with College of Law policies governing research and teaching assistantships. Research or teaching assistant duties may include, but are not limited to: student advising, conduct of review sessions or labs, writing supervision, reading of papers and examinations, and research. The responsibilities delegated to a research or teaching assistant must be performed under the supervision of a faculty member, staff member, or administrator.
4.2.3 Individual members of the law faculty, staff, or administrators are responsible for criteria for selecting, renewing, or terminating research or teaching assistants; length of term; work load and duties (consistent with American Bar Association and Association of American Law Schools standards on student working hours and conditions). Grievance procedures shall be governed by this statement of Law Student Rights and Responsibilities.
4.2.4 The Associate Dean of Finance and Administration (or designee of such Dean) shall establish a College of Law policy for research assistant and teaching assistant wages. This office approves individual law faculty requests for all payments above the established maximums.
4.2.5 Law students who are research or teaching assistants should receive the same professional respect accorded to faculty, within the constraints of their training, experience, and responsibilities.
4.3 COLLEGE OF LAW-EMPLOYED AND UNIVERSITY EMPLOYED LAW STUDENTS
4.3.1 The College of Law’s Associate Dean of Finance and Administration shall determine annually minimum and maximum hourly wages for College of Law-employed law students. This office approves individual law faculty requests for all payments above the established maximums. This section applies only to part-time law student workers employed at hourly wages by the College of Law.
4.3.2 University or College of Law employees who are pursuing law study continue to be bound by collective bargaining agreements and/or other applicable University or College of Law personnel policies and agreements with respect to their employment.
4.4 UNIVERSITY POLICIES RELATING TO LAW STUDENT SUPPORT RECIPIENTS
4.4.1 Employment practices within the College of Law shall conform to the University’s Anti-Discrimination Policy and all other relevant University policies.
4.4.2 Part-time law student workers employed at hourly wages by the College of Law are employed at will. A law student’s dismissal from an academic program may also terminate the law student’s employment, assistantship, or other support. Law students who believe they have a grievance under this Article may utilize the procedures set forth in Article 5.
4.4.2.1 In cases where the law student contends that action of the University or the College of Law may cause immediate and irreparable harm, the law student may ask the appropriate judiciary for an expedited hearing.