A standard appointment for graduate assistantships includes half-time or quarter-time work during the fall and winter terms of the academic year. Your specific work and time schedule is determined by your supervisor, according to the program, schedule and needs of the department.
Appointments may be made for up to 12 months. Normally, appointments for master’s-level candidates should not exceed two years, and appointments for doctorate-level candidates should not exceed five years.
During a typical nine-month contract, graduate research assistants will be assigned specific responsibilities for the research project, equivalent to the hours indicated on your contract (typically 20 hours per week). Since the percentage of time a graduate research assistant devotes to assigned duties on a research project varies from day to day, your supervisor will determine when you have fulfilled the appointment.
Additional work: As a graduate assistant, you may be assigned to another department, research project or administrative function at the University, providing it contributes to your professional development.
Graduate assistants may work additional hours for additional compensation, based on the following guidelines:
· Additional work must be approved by your department chairperson or program director.
· The work should be related to your field of study or career/professional development.
· Additional work cannot exceed 38 hours per month of your contract.
· Under some conditions, students working on federal contracts may not work additional hours. Please verify the requirements dictated by federal guidelines.
· There are no restrictions on the amount of the additional hourly compensation.
These arrangements will be made by your supervisor with another department, and approved by your department chairperson or program director. You will need to complete an Authorization for Additional Work by a Graduate Assistant and submit it to your department for processing. If you are an international student, the International Student Advisor is required to verify your eligibility to work more than 20 hours per week.
In addition to standard appointments during the academic year, graduate students may be employed during the three-month summer term, provided suitable opportunities are available. Full-time summer appointments require 40 hours per week and part-time appointments generally require 20 hours per week.
Dismissal and Non-Reappointment