In recent months the PDA surveyed both the postdoc and RA populations in an effort to gather information to best address potential postdoc problems with the administration. The first survey dealt with the current rental and salary situation among postdocs/RAs and also contained questions regarding ResNet. The second survey dealt with a new PDA effort to lobby the administration regarding the need for the inclusion of the postdoctoral body in the university pension plan. A summary of the questions and answers can be found on our Web site: www.rockefeller.edu/pda. In the time following the completion of the surveys, the PDA has published two articles (in the March and April editions of Natural Selections) that identified what we felt were the major points and problems with the current situation of postdocs at RU. We have since met and discussed these issues with the appropriate individuals in the administration. The results of these discussions are summarized below.

Housing

While in large part the majority of survey respondents did not report any problems with housing, there were a few concerns that we brought to the attention of the housing office and the vice president of Plant Operations. As has been the case in the past, these concerns were taken seriously. The survey revealed a few potential discrepancies in rental rates, which have since been looked into and corrected (if needed), and the tardiness in receiving lease renewal documents was a result of the massive restructuring of the rental system implemented in July 2006. Expect your lease within 30 days of its renewal date in the future. Perhaps most importantly, the housing office is attempting to become as transparent as possible by keeping their Web site (and housing brochure) updated with current rental rates and codifying the procedures for how certain aspects of the housing office are run. Policies governing the maintenance of the housing and transfer waiting lists, for example, will be public in the near future. In addition, incoming postdocs will be notified once the housing office has received confirmation of the postdoc’s official appointment date, so that they will know when they are placed on the housing waiting list.

Residential Network (ResNet)

In the last few months, the hiccups that resulted while setting up ResNet in both the 70th and 81st Street buildings have been corrected and all residents should have consistent online access. Concerns in Faculty House regarding a lack of bandwidth have also been addressed. As evidence for improvement, there has been a dramatic drop in the number of reported problems. Nonetheless, if you are experiencing problems with your Internet connection, IT has set up a Web site to help you address them: http://www.rockefeller.edu/housing/resnet.php.

Salaries

In our survey there were a few individuals who reported incomes below the newly mandated salary minimum guidelines. Human Resources (HR) investigated these potential discrepancies and discovered that in every case these individuals were employed by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). HHMI mandates lower salary ranges that are not under the control of RU. While those of you employed by HHMI may be upset, please bear in mind that HHMI does make significant contributions on your behalf to a tax-sheltered retirement plan.

Retirement

We have met on a number of occasions with HR in an effort to define a strategy to allow postdocs access to The Rockefeller University’s pension plan. HR conducted an extensive survey across the US to gather information on how other universities were addressing this issue. Here, as at all US institutions, one of the many issues (outside of securing the funds required for such an initiative) relevant to incorporating postdocs into a tax-sheltered retirement plan is that postdocs with external fellowships are deemed ineligible for these important benefits (since they are not employees). Some institutions have chosen to allow postdoc associates (employee postdocs) to participate in a given retirement benefit while simultaneously denying access to postdoctoral fellows (non-employee postdocs, with outside funding). Our administration (and we support this completely) feels that a retirement benefit should be available to the entire postdoc population regardless of whether they receive external funds. One of the challenges, therefore, is to come up with a solution to this problem. In an accompanying piece in this edition (National Postdoc Association Annual Meeting Summary) we describe how Princeton University has solved this issue by allowing postdoctoral associates access to their tax-sheltered annuity plan, while postdoctoral fellows are given income supplements instead. The PDA feels that a similar policy here at RU would be the most fair and practical. We urge postdocs to share their thoughts and suggestions on this important topic by contacting your PDA representatives at .