FAQs for UCLA Luskin Faculty Parents
Answers prepared by the Dean’s Office of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
PARENTAL LEAVE
What is the protocol or options for going on leave while pregnant? How much time off is possible before delivery? Who do I need to alert and by when?
The faculty member should start the process by notifying the Department Chair of their anticipated leave. In order to facilitate course planning, the Department Chair should be notified at least one quarter (and preferably earlier) in advance of the anticipated leave. The Department Chair and faculty member will discuss how much time off is needed and the required course releases. Once the type of leave (active modified duties agreement or personal paid leave) and the terms of the pregnancy leave are agreed upon, the Department Manager will assist with any documentation needed (i.e. help in filling out the active modified duties agreement or leave form). The form has to be submitted to Luskin HR for processing and then forwarded to the Dean’s Office and the APO.
What teaching and service relief am I entitled to as a new parent? If there’s a range, what are the lower and upper bounds, and what’s typical? Is there a period of time within which I must take this relief?
This varies based on the needs of the faculty member and the agreement with the Department Chair. In terms of a range, the lower bound is one quarter and the upper bound is 3 quarters (see below for more explanation). Please also see the full texts of APM 760 and APM 710
Per APM 760 28
“A childbearing appointee who has a full-time appointment for at least one (1) full academic year (three (3) quarters) is eligible for a total period of childbearing leave plus active service-modified duties of three (3) quarters (or two (2) semesters) to enable recovery from the effects of pregnancy and childbirth and to prepare for and/or care for the newborn child. If an appointee gives birth during the summer or an off-duty term, the appointee is eligible for a total period of active service-modified duties of three (3) quarters (or two (2) semesters).”
For Personal Paid Leave (Per APM710-11):
“Eligible faculty members with less than 10 years of UC service shall be granted a maximum of 2 quarters for academic year appointees of consecutive or intermittent paid medical leave within a ten-year period for personal illness, injury or disability.”
“Eligible faculty members 10 or more years of UC service shall be granted a maximum of 3 quarters for academic year appointees of consecutive or intermittent paid medical leave within each subsequent ten-year period for personal illness, injury or disability.”
What are the kinds of leave generally available to Luskin faculty parents, which might be different or more specific than what is described in APM?
Available leaves are 1) active-service modified duties leave or 2) personal paid leave.
Is the amount of relief related to the physical or time burdens that different parents face?
The amount of leave (within the aforementioned range) depends on the characteristics of each case and the needs of the faculty member (which may be related to physical and time burdens). As mentioned, it has to be negotiated with and approved by the Department Chair.
Can the expectation of faculty duties during “active service-modified duties” be described in more detail than found in APM? Are parts of this negotiated with the school or department?
Active service-modified duties are case by case. They involve less teaching and/or less service. The negotiations are with the Department Chair.
Whom do I negotiate with regarding the amount of relief, and when should I start those negotiations?
The faculty member should negotiate the amount of relief with their Department Chair. In order to facilitate course planning, the Department Chair should be notified at least one quarter (and preferably earlier) in advance of the anticipated leave.
Am I entitled to accommodations to limit my exposure to COVID-19 given that pregnancy is an immunosuppressive state?
This is something that needs to be discussed with the Department Chair, but it may also depend on Academic Senate mandates if/when a class can be taught remotely.
PROMOTION
In what circumstances am I allowed to pause my tenure clock after having a child?
The tenure clock may be paused for child bonding.
How long can I pause my tenure clock after having a child?
The tenure clock may be paused for one year after having a child.
Is there a limit on the number of times I can pause my clock?
You can pause the clock two times (two years); however, APO can request approval on your behalf for a third time from UCOP.
How does pausing my clock affect the timing of other personnel actions (e.g., fourth-year review)?
Pausing the clock defers any upcoming personnel action by one year.
What is the process for pausing my tenure clock (e.g., who to contact, when)?
The Assistant Professor should contact their Department Chair to request time off the clock as soon as possible. The Department Manager has to complete a form and send it to Luskin HR, and this office will forward to the APO.
Per APM 133-17:
“A faculty member may stop the clock during the probationary period to care for any child who is, or becomes part of the faculty member’s family. To be eligible to stop the clock, a faculty member at the Assistant level must be responsible for fifty percent (50%) or more of the care of the child. The birth or placement of one (1) or more children at the same time constitutes a single event of birth or placement. (See also APM – 760-30)”
Full Source: APM 133
If I pause my tenure clock, do I have to wait an additional year to come up for tenure? Or can I choose to accelerate my clock later?
The Assistant Professor does not have to wait to come up for tenure if they pause their tenure clock; they may choose to accelerate their clock later by coming up for tenure sooner.
SUPPORT WITH CHILD CARE
Whom do I contact to support an application to UCLA-run child care centers or schools?
You may ask Dean Segura or Associate Dean Loukaitou-Sideris to support your application, but there are no guarantees of the child being moved up any list. The Dean of each School can request two priority spaces at Early Care and Education (ECE) each year, but there are no guarantees for placement.
How soon after learning that I’m expecting should I apply for UCLA-run child care?
As soon as possible to be put on the waiting list.
What are UCLA-run child care options and how much do they cost?
The list of all UCLA-affiliated child care and their costs can be found on the Early Care and Education (ECE) website.
What other resources does UCLA provide related to child care and parenting?
The Early Care and Education (ECE) website lists all available child care and parenting resources.
Can UCLA-run or affiliated child care be made actually affordable to faculty parents who are living with c. 2021 L.A. housing costs?
That’s a question for the University Administration – currently, a university committee is considering child care affordability issues.
SCHOOLING
How does the TIE-INS program work? Is busing provided? Can it be expanded east of campus? Lots of younger faculty do not live near the schools in it.
The TIE-INS program allows children of UCLA employees to attend nearby schools. Applications must be completed online. Application and information can be found on the TIE-INS website. Unfortunately, the TIE-INS program cannot be expanded east of the campus; but you do not need to live near the campus to send your kids to the schools near the campus, as long as you are working on campus.
Is there a plan to assist professors with their child’s college tuition? (Many peer private institutions have this benefit and it is very helpful for funding their college education.)
There is no such plan.
Are there plans/programs that increase the affordability of the Geffen Academy or UCLA Lab School?
Not that we know of.
Are there more senior professors who have gone through the LAUSD magnet school application process who could provide a summary of their experience and how to approach this process?
Unfortunately, we are not privy to this information. You can send an email to your colleagues to ask about this.
