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[owlatrice]

I just wanted to vent about the NPA.  At first I was thrilled to learn there was a national post-doc organization but it just seems like they really don't do much.  Personally I think there is a real need to highlight some problems with the current funding of post-docs (low salaries, unique tax issues, health insurance issues, lack of retirement benefits, etc).  Most of the stuff on their website just seems like fluff.  To me it seems like they are afraid to rock the boat. 
My real frustration with the NPA came when I asked my university to sign some student loan deferment paperwork.  My university officials were unsure if a postdoctoral fellowship qualified for deferment (and I was the first person to ever ask), so they contacted the NPA for advice.  The NPA said they didn't know and told my university to call other schools and ask them what they do.  Fortunately my university's post-doc office has a great and persistent person who did call many universities to discover most universities do sign the paperwork.  It is frustrating that the NPA doesn't actively investigate benefits for post-docs and assist post-docs by getting this info out to fellows and universities.
Maybe I just had a bad experience, but does anyone here know more about the NPA and what they are doing?  Maybe there is more going on behind the scenes? 

[loriconlan]

The NPA is a great organization that advocates for postdocs nationally.  We work hard to ensure that stipends are competitive, that you have access to career development resources and that your hard work is recognized.  We do investigate benefits, and have worked hard to ensure equal access to items such as health care for postdocs.  In fact, this year we started a new benefit for our members for those postdocs without access to healthcare.

Loan deferment is actually up to your loan agency, not your university.  I recommend that you start with your lender.  Additionally, a good google search would have come up with policies from other istitutions.

I invite you to take another look at the website to fully understand what the organization does.  The fact that you have a postdoc office is likely due to the influence of the NPA.

Lori Conlan
Board Member, NPA