Article 23

STIPENDS

23.1 Policy. The University of Florida has agreed to implement the stipend increases described in Section 23.2 for the 2006-07 fiscal year.

23.2 Stipend Increases. Each eligible employee's stipend shall be increased by 3.0% of their September 30, 2006 stipend.

23.3 Eligibility for Stipend Increases. Employees eligible for the stipend increases described in Section 23.2 above are those who were employed at least one (1) semester during the 2005-06 academic year for at least .25 FTE. An employee who is appointed as a graduate assistant in one department and subsequently accepts a position in a different department shall be paid in accordance with the level of stipends for similar employees in the new department/unit.

23.4 Minimum Stipend. Each nine-month (9) employee on a .50 FTE appointment shall be guaranteed a minimum stipend of $8,000. Appointments greater or less than .50 FTE shall be paid at a stipend rate representing a proportion of this minimum as determined by the fractional FTE appointment and the budgeted weeks of activity.

23.5 Contract and Grant Funded Increases. Eligible employees on contracts and grants shall receive those increases described in Section 23.2, provided that such stipend increases are permitted by the terms of the contract and grant and provided further that adequate funds are available for that purpose in the contract or grant. In the event that adequate funds are not provided, the University or its representatives shall seek to have the contract or grant modified to permit such increases. Nothing contained herein shall prevent employees whose salaries are funded by grant agencies from being allotted raises higher than those provided in this Agreement.

23.6 Effective Date of Stipend Increases. Stipend increases described in Section 23.2 shall be effective October 1, 2006.

23.7 Report to UFF-GAU. A report of the distribution of stipend increases shall be provided to the UFF-GAU no later than ninety (90) days after the effective date of the increases, if practicable, containing the base stipend upon which each eligible employee's stipend increase was computed and the associated FTE, and the adjusted base stipend for 2006-07.

23.8 Initial Payment. Those employees who have been employed as graduate assistants within the last six (6) months shall, if practicable, receive their first pay check not later than six (6) weeks after the receipt by the Academic Personnel Office of the properly completed appointment papers, or by the appropriate payday for the payroll period following the employee's appointment, whichever is later.

23.9 Nothing contained herein shall prevent the University or its units from providing salary increases beyond the increases specified above.