Boston University Vacation Policy for Ph.D. Student

1. Rationale

The Graduate Council recommends the adoption of a Vacation Policy for Ph.D. students.  The Policy is informed by policies at peer institutions and is meant to acknowledge that all Ph.D. students at Boston University are entitled to vacation time.  This policy apprises enrolled Ph.D. students in good academic standing about their permitted amount of vacation time and provides guidance for scheduling of vacation time.

2.   Covered Parties

This policy covers all Ph.D. students receiving stipend support.

3.  University Policy: Bulletin Copy

 

For PhD Students

The university’s policy is that all PhD students receiving stipended support are entitled to paid vacation time.

·       Students with a 12-month stipend are entitled to two weeks (10 working days) of paid vacation time per academic calendar year (September 1 through August 31 of the following year).

·       Students with shorter appointments are entitled to a pro-rated amount of paid vacation time per academic year, such as 6 days for 8 month appointments and 8 days for 10 month appointments.

This vacation time is in addition to the standard Boston University holidays / intersession days (Boston University holidays/intersession days do not include Spring or Summer recess periods). The guarantee of vacation time must be taken during a single academic year period, and may not be rolled over or accumulated across multiple years.

PhD students are expected to coordinate with their research advisor, training grant PI and/or their teaching supervisor in a timely way about their requested vacation time. Students who wish to take additional periods of time off, paid or unpaid, must receive the approval of their advisor, training grant PI and/or teaching supervisor and are subject to funding agency restrictions.  Students who are supported by teaching fellowships cannot take time off that interferes with teaching obligations, including class time and planning meetings, and must discuss time off in advance with their teaching supervisor. Unauthorized absences may result in a prorated withholding of a student’s stipend.

Questions or concerns related to this policy should be directed to the Office of the Associate Provost of Graduate Affairs.

4. Effective Date:

September 1, 2019.

5. History

The Proposed Policy was initially drafted and endorsed by the Graduate Council (which includes representatives from all graduate schools and colleges) on August 9, 2018.  The policy was discussed by GAPP on October 17 and November 28, 2018.  A consequently revised policy was returned to Graduate Council.

6. Additional Consultative Bodies

The proposed policy will be sent for feedback to the standard consultative bodies: Faculty Council, the Provost’s Cabinet, and the Council of Deans.

7. Responsible Parties

The members of the Graduate Council (including the Associate Deans of the Schools and Colleges) will be responsible for the implementation of the new policy.

8. Implementation procedures, timeline and guidelines

The Council of Deans and Graduate Council will be notified of the change shortly after its approval. The policy will be published immediately in the Bulletin Addendum and noted in the current Bulletin, clearly marked with its effective date.

Members of the Graduate Council will be responsible for making changes to college- or program-specific policies in the Bulletin to align them with the University-wide policy, and for identifying and changing all references to such obsolete policies on websites and printed materials.