School of Health, PE, and Leisure Services
Graduate Assistant Policies
The HPELS policies are based on and serve as a supplement to,but do not supersede, the policies of the Graduate College found at
Graduate Assistant appointments vary by type of assignment, duration of assignment, and number of hours assigned per week. Graduate Assistant Stipends and Graduate Tuition Scholarships are available to qualified students who are working toward a graduate degree at the University of Northern Iowa. They may only be held by full-time students who are in residence during the time of their appointment.
Within the School of HPELS, aGraduate Assistant (GA) is a graduate student who has been appointed to the position of Graduate Teaching Assistant or Graduate Research Assistant. A Graduate Teaching Assistant is a graduate student receiving a stipend whose primary responsibilities may include classroom or laboratory teaching, grading assignments or tests, proctoring exams, or providing other instructional support. A Graduate Research Assistant is a graduate student receiving a stipend whose primary responsibilities involve duties other than instruction which may include support of faculty or staff in research activity, creative work, project support, or administrative needs.
Types of Awards
There are two different types of support available from the Graduate College for qualified graduate students: (a) The Graduate Tuition Scholarship and (b) The Graduate Assistant Stipend. A student may receive one or both of these awards.
The Graduate Tuition Scholarship is an award which pays for all or one half of a student's tuition. It does not cover any non-tuition expenses such as university fees or the costs of books. Students who receive only the Graduate Tuition Scholarship are not required to perform any services or work assignments as a condition of their scholarship.
The Graduate Assistant Stipend, when awarded in full, requires the student to work 15 to 20 hours a week on assignments which meet the guidelines approved by the Graduate Council.
The academic unit or department to which a student is assigned identifies and assigns a work load for the Graduate Assistant Stipendconsistent with the following guidelines:
- Assistantships best serve graduate students and the university when they are used as an integral part of graduate education. They should under no circumstances detract from a student's graduate education nor distract him or her from its pursuit. Assistantships cannot be justified merely as a source of inexpensive labor or even merely as financial support for students.
- Graduate Assistant Stipend assignments should enhance students' graduate education by exposing them to the professional activities and concerns of their discipline, involving them in university activities related to their academic and professional interests, and giving them opportunities to work closely with faculty and other university professionals. This extensive, tutorial experience is a valuable part of the professional development of graduate students.
- Students on Graduate Assistant Stipends should provide high quality support for the academic activities of a university.
- In the academic programs, the graduate assistantship system supports and strengthens graduate and undergraduate instruction. The contributions of graduate assistants include teaching under careful supervision, providing teaching or research support for faculty, serving as laboratory assistants, and serving in other academically appropriate ways.
Within HPELS, Division Chairs and Graduate Coordinators are responsible for ensuring that the work load is academically appropriate and meets maximum hour guidelines. Division Chairs and Graduate Coordinators are encouraged to consult with students in making work assignments. Academic credit may not be given for Graduate Assistant Stipend assignments or any work or services performed as part of the assigned duties for a Graduate Assistant Stipend.
Eligibility
- The student must possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution prior to admission to graduate study and to the appointment of an assistantship.
- The student must have been admitted to graduate study at the University of Northern Iowa on a degree-track basis, either regular admission or provisional admission for reasons other than GPA. For regular admission, the student must hold a 3.0 overall undergraduate grade point average. Students admitted on provisional status due to undergraduate grade point average below 3.0 are not eligible for an assistantship or tuition scholarship.
- The student must maintain a minimum of a 3.0 graduate grade point average throughout the program of study.
- The student must be enrolled full-time and carry a minimum of 9 and a maximum of 12 on-campus graduate hours applying to the degree for each semester during the award. Audit, undergraduate, or courses offered through Continuing Education may not be used as part of the minimum load.
Application
Applications must be made in accordance with UNI Graduate College policy. Within HPELS, incoming students will apply foravailable GA positionsby indicating interest on the HPELS application form. Continuing students will be informed of the application process for any available positionsvia e-mail.
Deadline
The end of the fall semester is the recommended deadline for GA applications to be submitted in order to allow names of recipients to be sent to the Gradate College by approximately March 1. Because of budgetary and other constraints, some appointments may be made on other dates.
Selection
Recommendations for awards of assistantships are determined by the Graduate Coordinator and Division Chair in consultation with Division Faculty. Recommendations will be made based on the needs of the Division in combination with the quality of the student applications. In the case of GRA positions funded by external funding sources, the Project Director or Principal Investigator will have full discretion in the selection of candidates who meet the aforementioned eligibility requirements.
Term
Graduate Assistantships in the School of HPELS are awarded for one semester, to be renewed each semester pending evaluation.
Notification
Eligible students selected to receive an assistantship will be sent a letter of offer by the Graduate College regarding the appointment period andlevel of support. A follow-up letter from the School of HPELS will provide information on expected duties, evaluation procedures, and faculty supervisor.
The student must notify the Graduate College in writing that he/she accepts a Graduate Assistantship Stipend and/or Graduate Tuition Scholarship. The student must respond to each offer email separately. Acceptance of either the GA stipend or the tuition scholarship does not imply acceptance of the other.
Applicants not receiving assistantships will be notified by the HPELS Graduate Secretary.
Load
For a Graduate Teaching Assistant, a full-time appointment equates to a 6 credit hour teaching load. A half-time appointment equates to a 3 credit hour teaching load. For a Graduate Research Assistant, a full-time appointment equates to 20 hours weekly. A half-time appointment equates to 10 hours weekly. GAs are not to exceed 20 hours of effort per week. Thus, hours should be distributed evenly throughout the semester and not be allowed to accumulate.
Absence from Service
The faculty supervisor may allow for a reasonable absence from assigned duties for good cause. It is the responsibility of the GA to notify the supervisor in advance of the absence when possible and work to obtain a replacement or rearrangement of duties. Excessive absence, regardless of reason, is cause for termination before the end of the contract.
Evaluation
All Graduate Assistants are to be evaluated by a faculty supervisor each semester using the standardized evaluation form available on the HPELS website. GAs will be provided with feedback within 10 days of evaluationto allow for improvement in their performance. Based on evaluation findings and other written documentation of performance, a recommendation for continued funding of the GA position will be made. GAs can be recommended for renewal, recommended for renewal with concern, orrecommended for termination. Those renewed with concern will be provided with an action plan to substantially improve performance to avoid termination at the next evaluation period. Decisions regarding recommendation for termination should be made by the evaluating faculty member, Division Chair, and Graduate Coordinator and be approved by the Chair of the HPELS Graduate Committee and/orthe Director of the School of HPELS.
Renewal
A student who has been awarded a Graduate Tuition Scholarship and/or a Graduate Assistant Stipend receives the award only for the duration stated in the formal letter(s) of offer from the Dean of the Graduate College. Students seeking continued support must complete a new application for the Graduate Tuition Scholarship and/or the Graduate Assistant Stipend and submit the form(s) directly to the department or academic unit. For first year students seeking a second year of support, the application form(s) should be submitted during February of their first year. Failure to do so may prevent the student from being considered for further support.
Resignation
A graduate student may elect to resign the Graduate Tuition Scholarship or the Graduate Assistant Stipend or both. If students are carrying a full-time load in their program of study and are maintaining a 3.0 grade average or higher they may retain their Graduate Tuition Scholarship even if they elect to resign their Graduate Assistant Stipend. Full-time students in good academic standing cannot be forced to resign their tuition scholarship, even if their Graduate Assistant Stipend is terminated because of their failure to perform the work assignments required by their stipend.
If students resign from their Graduate Assistant Stipend, they must provide written notice to the Graduate College and to the department. Their stipend will terminate on the day the resignation is effective. They will continue to be paid their stipend until the effective resignation date.
If students resign or lose a Graduate Tuition Scholarship because they are dropping all classes or dropping below a full-time load in the program of study, the scholarship will be revoked and they will be required to pay the entire tuition charges for that semester.
Termination
Graduate Assistants are term appointments, and thus do not have a guarantee of continued appointment. Reappointment is ordinarily based on satisfactory progress toward the degree, satisfactory performance in GA duties, availability of funding, and other related factors. A Graduate Assistant Stipend and/or Graduate Tuition Scholarship may also be terminated for any one of the following reasons: (a) the overall grade point average for courses toward the degree falls below 3.0, (b) the semester course load falls below the minimum full-time load of 9 on-campus graduate credit hours in the program of study, or (c) an allegation of academic or scientific misconduct such as cheating, plagiarism, or falsification of data, has been investigated and verified.
In addition to the above reasons, a Graduate Assistant Stipend may be terminated when there is substantial written documentation that a student consistently has not carried out work assignments which fall within the guidelines of the Graduate Assistantship System. If a student holds both a Graduate Assistant Stipend and a Graduate Tuition Scholarship, the failure to perform work assignments for the Graduate Assistant Stipend normally cannot lead to termination of the Graduate Tuition Scholarship.However, Tuition Scholarships awarded under an externally funded grant may be terminated as well if required under the terms of the grant.
When termination of a GA is recommended, the Division’s Graduate Coordinator will: (a) notify the student of the specific nature of the problem or problems, (b) allow the student a reasonable opportunity to be heard, whether the student wishes to respond orally or in writing, (c) if possible, attempt an informal resolution to avoid termination, and (d) give the student written notification of the department's reasons for recommending termination if an informal resolution cannot be achieved.
After the above steps have been followed, the Graduate Coordinatorwill forward the written recommendation, including the reasons leading to the recommendation, to the Graduate College for review and approval. The School of HPELS cannot terminate an award without the review and approval of the Dean of the Graduate College, even if the funding is not provided by the Graduate College.
Suspension or dismissal of a graduate student from the University for disciplinary reasons will terminate concurrently both a Graduate Tuition Scholarship and a Graduate Assistant Stipend.
Grievance of Termination
When complaints or disagreements arise concerning a student's Graduate Assistant Stipend assignment, efforts should be made to resolve problems informally. However, in such efforts fail, graduate assistants have the option of filing a grievance.
Students who hold or have held a Graduate Assistant Stipend and who have a complaint or disagreement concerning their graduate assistantship may file a grievance according to the steps outlined in the Graduate Assistantship Grievance Procedure, revised form approved by the Graduate Council March 9, 1989. Copies of both grievance procedures are available from the Graduate College. Appeals arising from suspension or dismissal for disciplinary reasons will be processed under the University's Discipline-Student Policy.
Postponement of Awards
The School of HPELS and the UNI Graduate College is unable to postpone awards for students unable to attend in the semester for which their award was made. Students who forfeit an award may apply for awards in the future.
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