T H E G R A D U A T E A S S I S T A N T G
U I D E
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A Message From the Director
The
mission of Winona State University (WSU) is to educate and enlighten
our citizenry at a distinctive institution. A community of
learners dedicated to improving our world is reflected in
the role of the Graduate Assistant. "Teaching,
research, and service," three activities that have shaped
the course of Winona State University since its inception are reflected
in the role of the Graduate Assistant at the University. The state's
oldest university remains dedicated to discovering, disseminating,
and applying knowledge. In
responding to societal change, WSU strives constantly to identify
carefully and to pursue vigorously new academic goals, while continuing
to honor previous commitments. A growing emphasis is graduate
education. Your appointment as a Graduate Assistant can involve
you deeply in the innovative and developing graduate program at
WSU.
If you are selected
as a Graduate Assistant, you will be contributing significantly
to the mission of WSU. We recognize
the valuable contributions you will make to the overall academic
environment. The Office of Graduate Studies has high expectations
of our teachers and students, and I am confident you will live
up to our high standards. In
appreciation of the vital role you play at WSU, we are committed
to helping you fulfill your duties. Thus, we are pleased to offer
this Graduate Assistant Guide containing vital information needed
for most areas of concern to you in your role as a Graduate Assistant.
Director of the Graduate Studies
Winona State University
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Definition and Qualifications
A Graduate Assistant is a student admitted to a graduate program
for the purpose of earning a Master’s, Specialist, or Doctoral degree
and hired to serve as a teaching, research, or staff assistant. To
maintain your role as a Graduate Assistant, a GPA of 3.0 or better
must be maintained throughout the term of appointment. Termination
of the assistantship will occur at the end of the semester where the
GPA falls below 3.0.
Categories
of Graduate Assistant
Graduate teaching assistants with responsibility for teaching
all or parts of a course for credit and/or assigning grades must be
directly supervised by a faculty member experienced in the teaching
discipline, receive regular in-service training, and evaluated periodically.
- Graduate Assistant (GA)
The term Graduate Assistant refers generally to all graduate
students enrolled at WSU who are employed to assist a faculty or staff
member in the areas of administration and research or to serve in some
instructional capacity.
- Graduate Staff Assistant (GSA)
A Graduate Staff Assistant assists the administrative staff
or that of a specific department within the University by
collecting, ordering, and interpreting various kinds of administrative
data. A
GSA may assist at registration, help with departmental exhibitions,
or work on special projects of a wide variety. Minor activities
may include attending seminars, doing library research, and
holding conferences.
- Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)
A Graduate Research Assistant assumes research-oriented
responsibilities such as library research, computer programming
and analysis, fieldwork, laboratory experiments, scientific
investigations, writing and editing material, and averaging and
assigning grades.
- Graduate Teaching Assistant
(GTA)
A Graduate Teaching Assistant serves
an instructional role in a class or laboratory within a specific
department of the University, performing pedagogical (teaching)
functions such as preparing lectures, conducting classes, constructing
and grading tests, holding student conferences, and assigning
course grades.
Application and Activation Process
The application form can be downloaded from the Graduate
Studies website download page. The
student is to fill out the first page and the supervising faculty or
staff member is fill out page two.The application is routed for several
signatures and, ultimately, sent to Student Payroll. Upon receipt
of the application, the student payroll manager will initiate a contract
and send it, as well as any other forms that must be completed, to the
student. After the hiring documentation is completed, the
student's contract will be entered in student payroll and a bi-weekly
rate is calculated. The
student does not have to complete time sheets. The payroll
system will automatically generate a payment every two weeks, based on
the bi-weekly rate. Graduate Assistants are required to use
direct deposit for their payroll checks.
If the Graduate
Assistant is to receive tuition reimbursement as
part of his/her compensation, that "waiver" will be processed
after the drop-add period is completed for the semester. If the
assistantship is a "staff" position (GSA), as opposed
to teaching or research, the amount of the waiver is considered taxable
income. In these cases, once the waiver has been applied, this amount will
be entered into student payroll and divided proportionately over
the remaining pay periods in the semester and added to the student's
wage as a taxable benefit. The student is not "paid" the
waiver amount, but will be taxed on it over several pay periods. This
will lesson the tax burden the student may incur at the end
of the year if the waiver had to be added as one lump sum on the student's
W-2 form.
Work Assignment and Compensation
When you serve as a Graduate Assistant, you must enroll as a
full-time degree seeking graduate student. However, you may be appointed
as a full-time or half-time GA.
|
WORK
HOURS PER WEEK |
MINIMUM
CREDITS PER TERM |
MAXIMUM
CREDITS PAID BY ASSISTANTSHIP
PER TERM * |
COMPENSATION
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Full
Time |
20 |
3 |
12 |
$10,000
per year or
$5000 per semester
plus
full tuition for up
to 12 credits per term**
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One-Half
Time |
10 |
3 |
6 |
$5000
per year or
$2500 per semester
plus
full tuition for up
to 6 credits per term
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* The
graduate assistant must pay all student fees
** The graduate catalog states that permission must
be given by the Director of Graduate Studies to exceed 12
graduate credits per semester and 9 graduate credits during summer.
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Concurrent
employment as a student assistant, student help, or other WSU classification
will not be allowed during the period of the assistantship. Any
exception must be authorized by the Director of Graduate Studies.
Your employment entitles you
to the same holidays as faculty members hired on 9-month appointments. If
you choose to be paid over 12 months, tuition for credits earned
during the official summer term will be paid as well. Refer to
the current academic calendar for information on reporting dates
and holidays.
Appointment/Reappointment and Duration of Appointment
Graduate Assistants are appointed annually for two years. A
full application form must be completed by the end of the previous
academic year for appointment the following academic year. A third year
may be allowed with approval of the hiring department and the Director
of Graduate Studies.
- Any 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 of the graduate
assistant or fellow; or failure to complete the degree requirements.
- A termination of appointment action
is initiated by the Chair of the department to which the
graduate assistant is assigned. The
Chair meets with the graduate assistant and
explains the causes of termination.
- The Chair forwards a letter of recommendation
for termination of appointment to the Director of Graduate
Studies. The letter
explains the basis of the recommendation
for termination. The Director of Graduate Studies reviews the recommendation
for termination of appointment and may investigate the circumstances
of the termination. After the review, the Director of Graduate
Studies sends a recommendation regarding the termination to the
Graduate Council.
- Grievances
in regard to termination shall follow the Official Handling
of Complaints (see below).
- A termination for
budgetary considerations is not subject to the Official Handling
of Complaints.
Supervision
Graduate assistants in
academic departments must be assigned
to and supervised by a full-status
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.
Health Insurance
Graduate
assistants are not covered
by the employee health insurance.
Health insurance may be arranged
through the WSU Student Health
Services, which is available to all students.
Official Handling of Complaints
Winona State University graduate students have the
right to appeal academic 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. Below is the communication
flow chart.
Student's Advisor ==> Department Chairperson ==> Dean
of the College ==>
Director of Graduate Studies ==> Graduate Council ==> Vice President
for Academic Affairs
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