Resources and Contacts

What to do if things go wrong? | Support Services (Employee, Family) | Handbooks/Guides | Mailing Lists | Leaving UC San Diego

UC San Diego Postdoc Administrative Units

Administrative units are assigned responsibility for assisting postdocs at UC San Diego. Please feel free to contact them about the many programs they offer.

Office of Postdoctoral and Visiting Scholar Affairs (OPVSA)

OPVSA is the official UC San Diego administrative office responsible for supervising postdoc appointments and benefits. In addition, they offer extensive career development and health welfare programming. Upon beginning as a postdoc at UC San Diego, you will need to attend one of the monthly New Postdoc Orientations where they will guide you through resources, benefits, services and professional development pertinent to your appointment.

UC San Diego International Center

UC San Diego International Center is an academic unit (unit of UC San Diego’s Global Education) devoted to supporting and promoting the social and educational interaction of international students, scholars, and faculty. In addition, the Center is responsible for promoting cultural awareness and appreciation for diversity within the UC San Diego community. Another unit of UC San Diego’s Global Education is the International Faculty & Scholar Office (IFSO). This office provides excellent visa-related guidance.

The UC San Diego Postdoctoral Association (PDA)

PDA is an officially recognized Academic Advisory Group comprised of volunteer postdocs. All postdoctoral researchers with a current appointment at UC San Diego are invited to join the PDA to become full voting members.

Deputy Director for Research

The Deputy Director for Research is responsible for managing research-related issues, promoting research funding growth, and oversees the Scripps Institutional Postdoctoral Scholar program. The Deputy Director for Research is available to meet with if you find yourself in a place needing help.

What to Do If Things Go Wrong?

Resolving Differences & Reporting

If you find that your mentor or the research you are assigned is not working out as planned or problems develop, you should first try to resolve differences with your mentor/supervisor and if you cannot resolve with them, you should contact your Division Director, Section Head, or Division HR representative. The Deputy Director for Research is also available to review the situation with you. If you cannot reach satisfactory resolution through informal conflict management, you may use the formal conflict management process. It is important to resolve issues as they arise and not let them derail your career path.

Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP)

Postdocs are eligible to access counseling services offered by the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP). FSAP offers a variety of services and resources to help individuals and departments with a range of issues, including trauma recovery, wellness, grief, and violence.

Confidential individual sessions
Counseling, assessment, referral, and client advocacy
Conflict resolution
Eldercare resources and support
Brief, solution-oriented counseling and case management covering issues such as anxiety, alcohol- or drug-related concerns, depression, emotional problems, family concerns, financial difficulties, gambling, legal problems, occupational decisions, stress, marital or other relationship difficulties, violence.

Location for FSAP is in Torrey Pines Center South, Suite 406, across North Torrey Pines Road from the northwest end of campus (map). Shuttle service from campus is available via the Campus Loop Shuttle. For more information on the above services, call (858) 534-5523.

Ombuds

Contact the UC San Diego Ombuds Office.

You can also contact either of the Scripps liaisons Jennifer Mackinnon or Paul Jensen to get local advice and guidance about internal conflict resolution options, or just to talk about your situation.

Office for the Prevention of Harassment & Discrimination (OPHD)

OPHD works to resolve complaints of discrimination and harassment through formal investigation or alternative resolution. They explain and clarify university policies and procedures regarding discrimination, harassment and retaliation. They offer a variety of training programs and workshops in the prevention of sexual violence, sexual harassment and all forms of discrimination for students, faculty and staff.

Employee Relations

Employee Relations is the division of Human Resources that serves as the first point of contact for employees, supervisors, or managers who have questions or want assistance related to conflict in the workplace, policy interpretation, referrals, and consultation on a wide range of matters related to work.

They provide quick response, dependability and customer-centered service through expanded communications. The staff of Employee Relations represents the interest of the University to do the right thing that will support the rights and responsibilities of the UCSD population. Employee Relations remains neutral and the staff offers collaborative problem-solving as a means of reaching resolution to workplace conflict. They provide consulting services, advice, support, and referrals to UCSD employees, supervisors, and administrators. They focus on encompassing policy and collective bargaining agreement interpretation and application, conflict resolution, personnel programs, public relations and liaison, workforce modification, and affiliated training.

Support Services (Employee, Family)

Work Balance Services/Resources

Diversity Programs & Resources

Many diversity programs & resources are available to help the diverse postdoc population. A few resources that you might find helpful are listed below:

Handbooks/Guides

Scripps Postdoc Handbook

We want to start you off with information about your appointment, benefits, opportunities, funding, policies, resources, services, and other helpful information as you begin working with your mentor. This handbook was produced to provide you a variety of information to help you learn about your Postdoc position here at Scripps. Take some time to review the information and let us know what you think.

UC San Diego Postdoc Survival Guide

This is a helpful document although it is not an official publication of UC San Diego. The information provided here reflects the personal opinions of the authors, and does not represent all members of the UC San Diego Postdoctoral Association or the University.

Mailing Lists

Several list-servs have been set up to relay email messages to and among the various groups of postdocs at Scripps Oceanography. You don't need to sign up for these; membership is updated daily from data in the Scripps People Database system:

Postdocs
CASPO-postdocs
Earth-postdocs
GRD-postdocs
IOD-postdoc
MBRD-CMBB-postdoc
MPL-postdocs

Leaving UC San Diego

Notify your business office and email UC Payroll glacier@ucsd.edu three weeks prior to separating from UCSD in case tax adjustments are necessary. We suggest you do the following before separating from UC San Diego:

Choose online delivery of Form 1042-S through Glacier.
Enter an address in Glacier where we can contact you or mail you materials in the future, should that be necessary.
You may delete your U.S. address if you will not be living in the U.S.
If you have a Glacier record, email glacier@ucsd.edu so that we can terminate it.
Terminating your record will have no effect on your eligibility to receive payments from UC San Diego or your ability to get Form 1042-S (if applicable) through Glacier. It only stops automatic reminder emails about updating your Glacier record.
If your address changes after leaving UC San Diego, email your new address to glacier@ucsd.edu. Include your full name and the department you worked in.
If you will be receiving Form 1042-S, you will be able to access your Glacier record to correct contact information through December 31.
Enter a personal email address in Glacier.
Notices about Form 1042-S and Glacier Tax Prep (GTP) will be sent to the email address in your Glacier record.
If you received salary/wage payments in this calendar year, UC San Diego must send Form W-2 to you no later than January 31 of the following year.

Choose online delivery of your W-2 through At Your Service Online (AYSO) (see https://ucpath.ucsd.edu/benefits-payroll/payroll/w2-statements.html)

Enter a personal email address in the contact information screen in At Your Service Online (AYSO) (see At Your Service: How to Update Your Contact Information). If you know it, also enter your new mailing address.
Click on Defined Contribution Plan (DCP), also known as the “DCP Safe Harbor” plan or call Fidelity (866) 682-7787 to find out what to do with your account when you leave the University of California.
Review Employee checklist for other tasks that are required when leaving UC San Diego.
Contact and address requests from your division business office.

Postdoc Certificate

In addition to payroll specific requirements when leaving UC San Diego, you can request a postdoctoral scholar study certificate within two (2) weeks of your appointment end date. Please send an email to opsa@ucsd.edu and in the subject line enter “certificate request.” In the body of the email include the following information:

Your FULL name
Current department name
Mentor's name
Period of appointment (begin and end)
Area of study and/or research project
Department mail code where we will send the completed certificate.

If you have any questions, please contact Merritt Bradford or call (858) 534-3553.