1. For a full-time, academic-year G.A. appointment, the University provides a tuition scholarship for up to 18 credit hours in each fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) of the assistantship. For graduate assistants who are appointed to part-time positions and for G.A.’s who begin employment after the start of the semester, the number of credit hours covered by the award will be proportionately less.

2. The graduate assistantship program also covers the University's registration, general, student union fee, and technology fees. This award does not pay new student record initiation fee, program fees, drop fees, or late fees applied when bills are not paid.

3. Graduate assistants will obtain from their department secretary a white G.A. card that is used to receive a parking permit for selected parking lots, library privileges, and a 10 percent discount on items purchased at the University Bookstore. Department secretaries may obtain additional cards from the Graduate School.

4. In addition to the above direct University payments and benefits, the full-time graduate assistant receives a stipend/income which will be set by a discipline-based variable stipend scale ranging from $6,840 - $11,000 for the academic year.

5. Graduate assistants receive priority registration, provided they register online by the date specified by the Office of Records and Registration as noted in the Class Schedule Book or Website (same date as undergraduate Honors students).

6. The experiential learning opportunities provided by the graduate assistantship should also be recognized as an intangible benefit.

Application Process

Applicants must complete a Financial Assistance Application for Graduate Students Form available at the Graduate School or its Website and submit it and requested documentation to the Graduate School, 200 Boone Hall, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI 48197 by the following priority deadline dates. The form my be completed online using the e-form. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

• February 15 for the fall semester
  
• October 15 for the winter semester
  
• March 15 for the spring term
  
• April 15 for the summer term
  
  
  

Applications are processed at the Graduate School. Each applicant indicates three departments with whom he/she would like to hold a G.A. appointment. A list of interested G.A’s is sent to each department and then the department determines which application materials they would like to review or reviews imaged documents through the computer system. Interviews may be scheduled with possible candidates. Once an appointment decision has been made, the department sends a letter of offer to the applicant and hiring paperwork (a Personnel Action Form or PAF) to the Graduate School. Once it is confirmed that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements, the Graduate School enters the stipend information into the payroll database system and Student Business Services and the Office of Financial Aid are notified to process the tuition/fee scholarship.

Applicants may contact academic or administrative departments for information about unfilled graduate assistant positions. While the Graduate School processes hundreds of applications, the departments hire the G.A.’s and know when a position is filled or still available.

Communication regarding this award will be sent to the "local" address. Domestic students through their my.emich account should update this address. Within 10 days of a move, international students (F and J visa holders) must update their address through the Office of International Students who then will convey the change to the Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

 

Policies and Procedures Governing the Graduate Assistantship Program

Introduction

A graduate assistantship is an honor, but it also carries with it responsibilities not expected of every graduate student. What follows will assist a G.A. in understanding policies governing the appointment and procedures for carrying out responsibilities. Graduate assistants are responsible for understanding and complying with the following information and regulations.

In most instances, graduate assistants perform duties in the department to which they have been degree-admitted. In addition to the policies stated in this document, the department might have specific regulations that apply to the G.A. position. During the departmental orientation process, a G.A. should become familiar with any additional regulations and procedures governing the appointment. First-time graduate assistants are required to attend the G.A. Orientation held by the Graduate School at either the beginning of the fall or winter semesters. Check the Orientation Website for date, time, and location.

Academic Load

One of the aims of the graduate assistantship program is to provide financial support in return for academically related service in order that students may pursue full-time graduate study while making satisfactory progress toward obtaining an advanced degree. To assist students in making the most of their study and work at the University, all full or part-time graduate assistants must enroll in and complete a minimum of 6 approved graduate credit hours for each fall and winter semester appointment. Thus, the minimum academic load must be 12 credit hours during the academic year. Individuals holding appointments during spring and/or summer terms must also be enrolled in a minimum of one credit hour during the term of employment. A G.A. may enroll in undergraduate courses that meet curricular deficiencies as noted on the program of study supplied to the Graduate School.

If the G.A. is required to be a "full-time" graduate student for any other reason (e.g., SEVIS regulation, loan restriction, insurance policy, receipt of a scholarship or fellowship, etc.), he/she must be registered for a minimum of 8 credit hours, which is the "full-time" status as detailed in the Graduate School catalog. International students (F and J visa holders) must work with the Office of International Students to insure SEVIS compliance.

If a G.A. fails to register for the minimum approved credits during any semester while on a graduate assistantship, with the possible exception of the final semester before graduation, the assistantship will be terminated.

As a G.A. nears the end of the degree program, there may be a final semester in which one’s degree requirements are met by an academic load of fewer than 6 credit hours. Under these circumstances, the G.A. may still hold a graduate assistantship and register for whatever the degree program requires as long as he/she is registered for at least one graduate-level course. This exception must be requested in writing and requires the written approval of the Graduate School. An email request from the academic advisor to the associate dean of the Graduate School may fulfill this requirement.

Implicit in the above statements is the requirement that students with graduate assistantships must be registered in a degree or graduate certificate program and maintain a 3.0 grade-point average in order to retain the graduate assistant position during any semester or term. Students who fall below a 3.0 GPA will have one enrollment period to raise the GPA before losing the G.A. appointment.

Compensation and Responsibilities

The graduate assistant stipend (income) is based on the type of appointment held. The following table lists the types, corresponding minimum stipends, and hours per week of related service to be provided to the department. Academic departments use a variable stipend that ranges from $7,000 - $10,000 for an 8 month position. The minimum appointment approved by the Graduate School is one-half time.

Stipends and Time Commitment

Academic Year	Stipend - lowest rate	Time Commitment
Type of Appointment		Hours per Week
Full-Time	$6,840.00	20
3/4 Time	$5,130.00	15
1/2 Time	$3,420.00	10

 The above minimum rates are for regular G.A. appointments and are effective for the fall 2006 semester. Please note that upon appointment for a second year, the stipend for full-time service increases depending upon departmental budget, with stipends for partial appointments being proportionate. U.S. and Michigan income taxes will be deducted from each stipend because the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers it earned income. The tuition/fee award is not taxed because it is considered a scholarship. Tuition and fee awards made to graduate assistants are described in the next section.

The duties accompanying the G.A. appointment vary from department to department and unit to unit. In some cases, graduate assistants may:

(a) assist faculty members with teaching responsibilities

(b) supervise laboratories

(c) work on research projects

(d) grade papers or projects

(e) prepare lecture demonstrations

(f) facilitate recitation sections

(g) hold office hours advising undergraduate students

(h) provide general program service or any other academic and/or non-academic duties deemed appropriate by the employing unit and the Graduate School.

G.A. duties cannot exceed the time commitment listed in the previous table. Graduate assistants are expected to begin their assignments on the first day of classes of the semester/term for which they are awarded the position. G.A.’s are expected to work until the end of the term of hire listed on the Personnel Action Form (PAF), including "finals" week, completing their duties on a date mutually agreed upon between the graduate assistant and the department, following completion of all assigned responsibilities.

Graduate assistants are expected to be full-time graduate students, meaning that the combination of duties and academic load represents a full-time commitment. Additional employment is permitted upon approval of the G.A.'s supervisor. If the quality of the work becomes a problem, the G.A. may be terminated at any time from the position. Students working an additional hourly position on-campus may not exceed a total 29 hours of work each fall/winter semester, of which 20 hours may be from the G.A. appointment. Spring and summer hourly work may reach 40 hours (20 hours as a G.A.). Consult the Career Services Office.

The academic department or unit determines the assignment of a full, three-quarter, or half-time appointment, and the enrollment period to be served. Graduate assistants are typically appointed for the academic year, which extends from the beginning of the fall semester, generally in early September to the end of the winter semester, the latter part of April. Full-time fall/winter G.A.’s are to serve 20 hours for 15 weeks totaling 300 hours each semester. These hours may be worked as needed by the department. In other words, these hours are work hours not lunchtime, coffee break, nor vacation/University-closed days. If the University is open but there are no classes, G.A.’s may be asked to work depending upon the needs of the department. If the work week is shortened due to Thanksgiving or Spring break, work hours must be made-up at another time so the overall effort for the semester equals 300 hours. This is proportionally reduced for persons working a 50% or 75% appointment.

Depending on the number of positions assigned to each department and the need for services, there may be G.A. appointments available during the spring and summer terms. Full-time appointments for these shortened sessions represent 25 percent of the annual stipend, with fractional appointments proportionately lower.

Stipends are provided in equally divided checks that are issued biweekly. The department or unit where the student is employed distributes paychecks. Specific questions regarding pay schedules, missing checks, rates of compensation, or other concerns should be directed to personnel in the department or unit in which the G.A. is employed or to the Graduate School or Payroll Office. Be aware that if the hiring paperwork is for one semester (fall OR winter), then the stipend is equally divided into 8 payments. If the hiring paperwork covers 2 semesters (BOTH fall AND winter), then the stipend is equally divided into 17 smaller payments - one extra payment distributed at the end of December.

Tuition Scholarships

As a graduate assistant, a tuition scholarship is provided that includes most fees, with the exception of record initiation fee, program fees, and penalties. For those persons appointed to full-time fall and winter positions, a total of 18 credit hours of tuition will be covered by the tuition scholarship. For those persons appointed to three-quarters or half-time positions, the number of credit hours covered by the tuition scholarship will be proportionately less (i.e., three-quarter appointments are entitled to a maximum of 14 credit hours per fiscal year, July 1 to the following June 30; half-time appointments are entitled to a maximum of 9 credit hours per fiscal year).

G.A.’s should contact the Office of Financial Aid to determine how the award of a G.A. WILL affect other types of financial assistance.

The following statements explain the tuition scholarship policy.

1. As mentioned above, a maximum of 18 credit hours of tuition scholarship are covered by the assistantship during a given fiscal year (July through June), regardless of the number of appointments made. In other words, if a student is awarded a G.A. position full-time for fall and winter, entitling the G.A. to 18 hours of tuition, the graduate assistant will not receive more tuition scholarship if awarded an additional appointment in the spring and/or summer term. There are no exceptions to the above policy.

2. To maintain the award, the G.A. must enroll in and complete a minimum of 6 approved graduate credit hours for fall semester and a minimum of 6 approved graduate credit hours for winter semester. (Since auditing a course generates no academic credit, the G.A. tuition award does not pay for these courses.) Tuition scholarship may be used to cover undergraduate courses used to meet curriculum deficiencies only if the course is identified in advance on the student’s program of study. Therefore, graduate and approved 400-level undergraduate credit hours may be combined to meet the 6 credit-hour enrollment requirement. Students must complete a 400/500 form during the semester of enrollment to receive graduate credit for the pre-approved 400-level course. Graduate students may not enroll in 400-level special topic or independent study credit hours – these courses are not pre-approved.

3. Upon Graduate School approval, a graduate assistant may use a maximum of 10 credit hours of tuition scholarship during either a fall or winter semester, as long as the award does not exceed 18 credit hours during the fiscal year.

4. If the full-tuition entitlement is not used during the fall and winter semesters combined, then up to 6 hours of tuition scholarship may be used during the following spring term. A student does not have to be appointed (work) as a graduate assistant during spring term in order to use the remaining hours of the 18 credit-hour award. However, these hours will not carry over to the following summer term if they are not used during the spring term. A new fiscal year begins July 1. G.A.'s will not have their spring tuition bill paid after July 1, as the funds are no longer available.

5. If a G.A. is entitled to credit hours remaining from a previous appointment and he/she was terminated by the department, any credit hours of scholarship not used during the original appointment period will be void and returned to the University accounts.

6. All requests to carry over tuition credit from one semester to any subsequent semester or term must be made in writing to the Graduate School during the semester in which the excess tuition credits exist. All G.A.'s who intend to register for spring term classes must receive written permission to use carry-over tuition credits by completing the Spring Carry-Over Request Form by April 15. No late requests will be considered.

7. If a graduate assistant voluntarily resigns or is terminated at any time during a semester, the G.A. automatically gives up any rights to any tuition support for that or subsequent semesters. Award of any prorated tuition support for the semester is at the discretion of the Graduate School. No credits of remaining tuition will be carried over to any subsequent semester.

8. If appointed as a graduate assistant for either a spring or a summer term, the G.A. must be enrolled in at least one graduate credit during the term of employment.

9. Students appointed as graduate assistants have their student accounts credited for the number of scholarship credit hours to which they are entitled, reflecting the terms of their G.A. appointment. For example, if one is appointed for fall semester, full-time, the Graduate School will credit the student account for up to 9 credit hours of tuition scholarship. If a student drops a class after the "drop/add" period, or withdraws from courses late in the semester, he/she will be responsible for paying tuition charges.

10. The Graduate School will pay for the registration, general, student union, and technology fees, but will not pay for late fees or program fees.

 Tuition Scholarship and Type of Appointment

The following chart shows the number of tuition scholarship credit hours to which a G.A. is entitled depending upon the appointment recommended by the department.

Appointment	Hours Worked per Week	Tuition Credit Hours Provided*
Fall and Winter	20 (full time)	Up to 18
	15 (3/4 time)	Up to 14
	10 (1/2 time)	Up to 9
Fall or Winter	20	Up to 9
	15	Up to 7
	10	Up to 5**
Spring or Summer	20	Up to 5***
	15	Up to 3***
	10	Up to 2***

* Total fiscal year semester, tuition support (July 1- June 30) cannot exceed a total of 18 credits.

** If rehired for an additional semester, 4 hours are funded for a total of 9 hours for two semesters.

*** These limits are for first-time appointments during spring or summer only. Amounts awarded are at the discretion of the Graduate School. Please see Spring or Summer Tuition Credit Request forms located on the Website.

Fall or winter only appointments, full-time (20 hours):

Entitles a G.A. to 9 credit hours of tuition scholarship, plus appropriate fees. If one registers for between 6 and 8 credit hours, the remaining hour(s) can be used to pay for a course in the following term, provided the G.A. informs the Graduate School in writing how the hours are to be used. They must be used within the same fiscal year. (The fiscal year consists of the summer term, fall and winter semesters, and spring term, in that order.)

Academic year (fall and winter), half-time appointment (10 hours):

Entitles a G.A. to 9 credit hours of tuition scholarship. Tuition is automatically provided for up to 5 credit hours in the fall semester, with the remaining 4 credit hours of tuition available in the winter semester. If the G.A. wishes to have fewer than 5 hours covered during the fall semester, leaving more credit hours of tuition for the winter semester, it is the G.A.’s responsibility to inform the Graduate School of this decision in writing before completion of the semester in which the excess hours exist.

As previously stated, no graduate assistant will receive more than 18 credit hours of tuition scholarship in one fiscal year (July 1 through June 30), regardless of how many appointments are given during that time period. If the G.A. is not reappointed or is terminated for the following semester, or the G.A. voluntarily resigns the assistantship, or has not used all the credit hours of scholarship from the original appointment by June 30th, the unused credit hours of scholarship are forfeited.

If a graduate assistant does not want the Graduate School to cover all enrolled credit hours in one term, in order to "save" tuition award hours for a subsequent semester within the same fiscal year, the G.A. must notify the Graduate School in writing of these plans during the semester in which the "surplus" occurs.

Drop/Add or Withdrawal from a Class

University policy is clear about not covering tuition for courses from which graduate assistants drops or withdraws after the time period allotted for 100% tuition reimbursement. If a G.A. drops or withdraws from classes after the published deadline, he/she will be held responsible for payment of tuition. The semester Class Schedule book identifies the 100% withdrawal/drop date.


To clarify this policy, the following examples are provided:

• If a G.A. officially withdraws/drops a class in time for 100% reimbursement, he/she is NOT liable for tuition payment and the Graduate School account is credited accordingly.
  
• If a G.A. withdraws after the deadline for any reimbursement, the Graduate School account is credited with 100% of the tuition attributable to the withdrawal and the G.A. WILL BE CHARGED the 100% adjustment.
  
  

Fees and Courses that the Graduate School Will Not Pay

The Graduate School pays for registration, general, student union and technology fees for 18 credit hours. The Graduate School is not responsible for late registration fees, late payment fees, new student record initiation fee, nor program fees.

Courses taken for recreation or vocational reasons will not be eligible for reimbursement under the G.A. tuition scholarship. The tuition scholarship award can pay for courses that are required by the academic program (e.g., foundation courses, courses that provide a necessary skill such as computer applications or a foreign language), provided that the course(s) is identified in advance as necessary to the G.A.’s Program of Study. A copy of the Program of Study must be submitted to the Graduate School, 200 Boone Hall, so the tuition scholarship can be processed. Programs of Study must also be filed with the Office of Records and Registration in order to process the graduation audit.


Additional Benefits

Intangible benefits of appointment as a graduate assistant include close contact with faculty and other graduate students, valuable employment experience within an academic setting, and the opportunity to devote one's energies to academic work. Additional benefits include:

1. Parking Decal - If one commutes to campus, a parking hangtag will allow the G.A. to park in designated lots. Forms for parking hangtags may be obtained from the department secretary and submitted to the Parking Control Office located in the northwest lower level of the Parking Structure.

2. Library Privileges - The library privileges connected with this appointment allows a G.A. to check out materials from the University Library for an academic semester. Every effort should be made to return promptly any library holding that is not continually being used. Please note that the library staff has the right to restrict the use of some special library holdings and thus, in these cases, to modify the library privileges described herein. Additionally, in order to utilize this library privilege, one will be required to present a Graduate Assistant Identification Card (G.A. ID card - white card), which will verify the G.A. appointment. The identification card is obtained from the department secretary.

3. Bookstore Discount - Graduate assistants are entitled to a 10% discount on items purchased at the Union Bookstore. One will need to show a G.A. ID card (white card) to obtain this discount.

4. Priority Registration - Prior to each semester's initial registration period, G.A.’s may enroll online before other graduate students (normally the same day as HONORS registration). This is a priority registration; i.e., the only "competition" for classes will be other graduate assistants. If the G.A. does not take advantage of registering on this date, he or she will be able to register at the regularly appointed times listed in the Class Schedule book for that semester.


Reappointment, Academic Probation, and Continuation

In order to be reappointed or continued on an assistantship from semester to semester, one must have maintained a cumulative 3.0 or "B" average and have provided satisfactory performance as a G.A. (Please note: individual department requirements for reappointment will vary.) A 67% course completion rate must also be maintained.

Any G.A. failing to maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA is automatically placed on academic probation and is subject to removal from the assistantship. No graduate student currently on academic probation may be appointed or reappointed to a graduate assistantship.

Students who fail to maintain a cumulative 3.0 ("B") graduate grade-point average for any semester while on assistantship and/or whose duties have not been performed in a satisfactory manner will not be reappointed for the following semester. Stipend and tuition scholarship benefits will be terminated.


Directory

To obtain answers to questions that might arise during a G.A. appointment or graduate studies at Eastern Michigan University, please contact the following offices:

Questions Regarding	Office	Location & Phone
Matters dealing with status as a graduate student	Academic Department and the Graduate School	200 Boone Hall, 487-0042
Financial obligations to the University	Student Business Services	203 Pierce Hall, 487-3335
Status of awarding a diploma	Records and Registration	303 Pierce Hall, 487-0093
Student ID card	Eagle ID card Office	McKenny Hall, 487-3176
GA ID Card & Parking Decal Application	Home Department	Secretary
Withdrawal process	Graduate School	200 Boone Hall, 487-0048
Financial Aid Office	Financial Aid	403 Pierce Hall, 487-0455
Grievances dealing with academic matters	Home Department	Department Head
Stipend check	Home Department, Graduate School, Payroll	Hover Bldg. 487-2393
Registration questions, drop/add courses	Records and Registration	303 Pierce Hall, 487-2300
Student health insurance & services	Snow Health Center	487-1122

Offices and services described above are generally available from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. during regular working days (please note that some campus office hours vary from the above schedule). In some instances, there are extended office hours at the beginning of a semester.


Requests for exception to any policy stated in this material must be made in writing to the associate dean of the Graduate School. Eastern Michigan University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, or disability.

* The contents of this document are subject to revision at any time. The University and the Graduate School reserve the right to change these policies and procedures as required. It is the responsibility of the student to meet and satisfy all requirements.