SUBJECT:  PPM 230-40, Revised Salary Scales for Graduate Student
                     Researchers and Postgraduate Researchers

The academic salary scales for the series Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) and Postgraduate Researcher - Non-Student (PGR) have been revised effective July 1, 2002. Both new scales are available online at http://adminrecords.ucsd.edu/PPM/docs/230-40.HTML. The revised GSR scale expands the number of steps from six to ten. The revised PGR scale expands the number of steps from 10 to 17.

Circular A-21 of the federal Office of Management and Budget requires that all changes to federal awards, including employee compensation, be reasonable. This requirement has been interpreted by at least one federal agency (the National Institutes of Health) to require that the compensation (salary plus benefits) of graduate student researchers not exceed the compensation of postdoctoral scholars appointed in a similar discipline. Benefits include fee and tuition remission as well as coverage of health insurance premiums. Although typically GSRs are paid at 50 percent time and PGRs at 100 percent time, federal auditors compare salaries at 100 percent time to test compliance. The addition of four steps to the GSR scale makes it particularly important for campuses to assure that the salary rates assigned to GSRs are made in accordance with Circular A-21 and other applicable agency requirements. The addition of seven steps to the top of the PGR scale provides additional opportunity for campuses to achieve such compliance.

Manual Holders are requested to route a copy of this issuance to the Department Chair and any other staff within the department needing information on academic salaries.

                                                Marsha A. Chandler
                                                Senior Vice Chancellor