Summer Salary Rates 2024

The Summer minimum salaries for graduate students holding an assistantship are specified by the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between UNM and United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America (UE). UE is the exclusive representative of UNM graduate assistantship holders. The CBA specifies minimum salaries for all types of assistantships: teaching assistants (TAs), graduate assistants (GAs), research assistants (RAs), and project assistants (PAs).

Under Article 5 of the CBA, departments may pay an assistantship holder more than the salary or hourly minimums. Bear in mind that TAs and GAs are paid in equal monthly installments; RAs are paid for the days actually worked, in the months in which the work takes place, resulting in unequal payments from month to month depending on the number of days worked in a given month.

TEACHING ASSISTANTS

Appointment Percent (FTE) Requirements for Teaching Assistants

In accordance with Article 9, Section H, the appointment level (appointment percent) shall be based on the appointing department’s determination of the amount of time it should normally take to perform assigned duties. The average number of hours per week over the course of the full appointment period is an estimate rather than an exact time specification.

For Teaching Assistants, the appointment percent should adhere to the following standards:

• During the fall and spring semesters, a 25% appointment percent assumes a TA will teach one 3-credit class during any portion of the term.
• For summer session, 50% appointment percent assumes that a TA will teach one 3-credit class during any portion of the 8-week period.

GRADUATE ASSISTANTS

RESEARCH ASSISTANTS

For clarity in drafting summer RA contracts, the following tables set out Monthly Pay Rates that are calibrated to match the total common contract term minimums laid out in Article 5 of the CBA. That is, if  a department applies these monthly rates, and an RA works the common summer term, the RA’s total summer RA salary would meet the applicable minimum. For already established RA contracts, continue to use the current monthly rate. If the contract is for a period longer than the common summer term, apply at least the corresponding rate in the following tables. In the rare instance of a contract shorter than the common summer term, apply at least the corresponding rate from the RA tables below.

**These are minimum requirements; departments may increase the monthly rate on already existing contracts. Bear in mind, however, that OAP will not approve subsequent reductions in the monthly rate for a given employee in the same type of position and status.

PROJECT ASSISTANTS

Project assistants are paid hourly. The following are the CBA minimums that apply to summer 2024.

*Pay Rates for Contract Terms Other than the Common Summer Term:

The CBA Article 5.D defines the Summer minimum salary in reference to the period from the Monday before classes start through the last day of the term as defined by the University Registrar. As TA and GA contracts are paid in equal monthly installments, minimum monthly pay rates have been provided for this contract term. For contract terms that differ please see the below example:

Example for a shorter than common term contract for a pre-masters GA:

• Contract Start Date = 6/24/2024
• Contract End Date = 7/28/2024 (5 weeks)
• Number of Pay Periods = 2 (June – July)
• Level = Pre-Masters
• FTE = 50%
• Minimum Monthly Pay Rate = ($46x 5 weeks)/ 2 pay periods = $868.92/Month

For RA summer contracts of any length, apply the Monthly Pay Rate corresponding to the student’s status and FTE to the period worked.