Graduate Assistants Procedure

Purpose:

[None.]

Procedure:

A. Graduate Assistant Approvals and Funding

The university base budget allocation for assistantship positions in graduate departments is made by the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs (P/VPAA) on the recommendations of Dean’s Council and the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. Programs, departments, colleges, or community organizations that choose to fund additional graduate assistant positions, follow Policy 3-10 and procedure.

Staff assistant recommendations must be given by the student’s program department chair or program director, and approval given by the University Budget Office, the college dean in the case of academic departments, by supervisors if for another area, and the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. Community Graduate Assistant positions are posted in the university jobs network and have an on-site and university supervisor. Community GAs are subject to all of the policies and procedures outlined for university employees.

B. Number of hours and compensation

Fall and Spring terms.

• Full-time GA: 640 total hours — $10,000/year (fall/spring) compensation (or $5,000/semester) plus full tuition for 9 graduate credits/term. Must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 graduate credits per semester.

• Half-time GA: 320 total hours $5,000/year (fall/spring) compensation (or $2,500/semester) plus full tuition for 4 graduate credits/term. Must be enrolled in a minimum of 3 graduate credits per semester.

Summer term appointments are not a part of University graduate assistant base funding and are completely financed by individual departments and community organizations.

• Full-time summer GA are limited to 20 hours per week — $5,000/summer plus full tuition for up to 9 graduate credits/term. Must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 graduate credits per semester.

• Part time summer GA are limited to 10 hours per week, and no more than 160 total hours — $2,500 for summer semester plus tuition for 4 graduate credits/term. Must be enrolled in a minimum of 3 graduate credits per semester.

C. Student Hiring Procedure

1. The academic programs, departments, colleges, or community organizations solicits graduate student applications for available graduate assistantships using the Application for Graduate Assistantship workflow, available at the School of Graduate Studies webpage.

2. A successful applicant will be selected to fill the graduate assistantship and the supervisor will complete the online GA Appointment Form, which is routed to the budget officer and Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for approval. If the GA is placed in a community organization, the on-campus supervisor will complete and submit the GA Appointment information.

3. Once approved, the form is routed to the appropriate department chair, program director, college dean, and student advisor, for their records, and to the student payroll office for completion of the process.

D. Eligibility: Managed by the Department Chairs/Program Directors/Supervisors

Graduate students wanting to become assistants must:

• Submit a resume and two (2) letters of recommendation to the hiring department/program

• Be admitted to a graduate program.

• Maintain a 3.00 grade point average at minimum and 66.66% cumulative completion rate for all credits attempted. Colleges, departments, community groups, and service areas may require a higher GPA. Registered for at least one (1) graduate course and a minimum of three (3) credits per semester of their assistantship, o Full-time must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 graduate credits per semester. o Half-time must be enrolled in a minimum of3 graduate credits per semester.

• Department/program/college funded summer term appointments must be enrolled in a minimum of 3 graduate credits.

• Not be employed as a student assistant, undergraduate assistant, student help, or other WSU classification during the period of the assistantship.

• Follow the position description provided by the hiring department of program or college.

E. Graduate Assistant Approvals and Funding

The GA must pay all student fees (and differential tuition).

The graduate catalog states that permission must be given by the Dean of the; School of Graduate Studies to exceed 9 graduate credits per semester and 9 graduate credits during summer. Tuition for courses exceeding the GA award is paid by the student.

Failure to adhere to these conditions will result in termination of the graduate assistantship. Graduate students must be eligible, based on the policy/procedure (3-10 and 3-10a). Ineligibility results in termination from the GA position. Supervisors shall notify the Dean of the Graduate School and payroll when a student is no longer working in a GA position. Notification will be sent from the School of Graduate Studies for all ineligibility situations,

F. Duration of Appointment and Reappointment

Appointments are made for fall and spring semesters. Summer semester appointments are made only when programs, departments, colleges, or community organizations fund the GA position. GA are appointed annually for up to two years. A third year may be allowed with approval of the hiring department and the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

An appointment may be curtailed, diminished, or terminated at any time for lack of funds; failure of the student to maintain satisfactory student status or to make appropriate progress toward the degree; no further need for the functions to be performed; incompetence or misconduct (code of ethics) of the graduate assistant or fellow; or failure to complete the degree requirements

G. Termination

A termination of appointment action is usually initiated by the chair of the department, program director, or community organization supervisor to which the graduate assistant is assigned. The chair, director, or supervisor meets with the graduate assistant and explains the causes of termination.

The chair, director, or supervisor forwards a letter of recommendation for termination of appointment to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies with a copy sent to the GA and the academic advisor. The letter explains the basis of the recommendation for termination. The Dean of the School of Graduate Studies reviews the recommendation for termination of appointment and may investigate the circumstances of the termination. After the review, the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies sends a recommendation regarding the termination to the Graduate Council.

Grievances in regard to termination shall follow the Appeals Procedure, below.

A termination for budgetary considerations is not subject to appeal.

H. Supervision and Assignment

Graduate assistants in academic departments must be assigned to and supervised by a doctoral or status 1 member of the graduate faculty. Graduate staff assistants must be assigned to and supervised by a full-time professional employee with at least a master’s degree or equivalent experience and expertise in the area of the assignment. Supervisors ensure that:

• Full-time assistantship consist of eighteen (18) to twenty (20) hours of work per week; a half-time assistantship of eight (8) to ten (10) hours of work per week. Mutual agreement between the GA and the supervisor, respecting the academic responsibilities of the students, may be reached to determine flexible hours for high demand work tasks.

• Full-time graduate teaching assistants teach no more than one (I) course per term and not exceeding four (4) credits.

• A position description is discussed and a copy is provided to the GA.

• All WSU employee policies and procedures are followed by the GA.

• Graduate assistants have the necessary resources to perform their duties; including an appropriate work space, IT secured technology, a WSU employee desktop account, and other necessary supplies (regulation/policy 7-3). Graduate assistants may only use approved IT secured resources and utilize a WSU account to complete their duties.

I. Graduate Assistant Appeals Process

Winona State University graduate students have the right to appeal decisions. An unfavorable ruling at one level can be appealed to the next successive level. Wherever the student enters the appeals process, the direction of the communication line must be followed. At each level, the student must write a letter of appeal outlining the conflict and what process has been followed up to that point.

Following is the communication flow chart for appeals:

1. Student’s advisor

2. Department chair, director, or supervisor

3. Dean of the College

4. Dean of the School of Graduate Studies

5. Graduate Council

6. Vice President for Academic Affairs

Related Documents

• Minnesota State System Procedure 1C.0.1 Employee Code of Conduct

• Minnesota State Board Policy 4.5, Human Resources, Student Employees

Related definitions:

[3-10] Eligibility:

Graduate assistants must:

• be admitted to a graduate program;
• maintain a 3.00 grade point average at minimum and 66.66% cumulative completion rate for all credits attempted. Colleges, departments, community groups, and service areas may require a higher GPA; and
• at minimum, be registered for at least one (1) graduate course and a minimum of three (3) credits per semester of their assistantship.

Failure to either follow the code of ethics, position description provided by the hiring department or program, or adhere to all stated conditions, will result in termination of the graduate assistantship.

[3-10] Graduate Assistant:

From Minnesota State Minnesota State Board Policy 4.5, Human Resources, Student Employees:

Graduate Assistant: A form of employment at a system college or university for graduate students enrolled at a system university. Usually a graduate student assists in instruction, research, or other activities related to his/her graduate program. Positions may be funded by any appropriate source of campus funds and are processed through the campus student payroll system.

Specific to Winona State University:

A Graduate Assistant is a person who serves in a support role (assistantship), usually while completing post-graduate education. The individual typically assists professors with instructional responsibilities as teaching assistants (GTA) or with academic research (GRA) responsibilities as research assistants, or provide service (GSA) to colleges, departments, units, or community agencies in an entry level capacity. These persons may be hired in graduate program areas as well as areas not offering a graduate program. Graduate Assistants may work in university and community organizational units.

[3-10] Graduate Research Assistants (GRA):

Graduate assistants assuming research-oriented responsibilities such as library research, computer programming and analysis, fieldwork, laboratory experiments, scientific investigations, writing and editing material, and averaging grades.

[3-10] Graduate Service Assistants (GSA):

Graduate assistants providing service to a department, unit, or community entity providing the student with meaning professional or academic development. A GSA may, for example, serve as an assistant athletic coach, assist at registration, help with departmental exhibitions, or serve special projects.

[3-10] Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA):

Graduate assistants serving an instructional role in a class or laboratory within a specific department, performing pedagogical (teaching) functions such as preparing lectures, conducting classes, student assignment evaluation, grading tests, holding student conferences, and assigning course grades.

Authorizing Policy:

• 3-10 Graduate Assistants Policy

History:

Date & subject of Revisions: 1/10/1992; 4/19/1996; 10/28/1999; 4/21/2008; 1/23/2017

Adoption date: 02/01/2019
Implementation date: 02/01/2019