GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP POLICY

 

A limited number of graduate assistantships are available to qualified graduate students. Units must have graduate assistantship budget allocation in order to make appointments. Appropriate documentation indicating graduate assistantship appointments must be submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs each semester.

 

Minimum Qualifications. Applications for assistantships should be addressed to the head of the department in which the student will do the major work. Minimum qualifications for a student receiving a graduate assistantship appointment:

• Must be enrolled in a McNeese State University graduate program and seeking a graduate degree;
• Must be enrolled in at least six hours of graduate course work toward the degree or thesis for the semester;
• Must be in good standing (academic and otherwise) with the University.

 

Assistantship appointments are made to qualified graduate students on a semester by semester basis only. A student may hold a maximum of 1½ assistantships per semester provided service is proportionate. Reappointment is contingent upon satisfactory progress toward the degree and satisfactory performance of assistantship duties. Satisfactory progress toward the degree is defined as completion of a minimum of 6 hours of graduate course work each semester applicable to the degree.

 

Duties and Responsibilities. Duties and responsibilities expected of a graduate assistant must be communicated clearly to the student assistant by the supervisor. Assistantship employment follows the University’s academic calendar (from the first day of classes through the last day of final examinations) for each term. Some departments/units may require graduate assistants to work prior to or beyond the defined academic calendar, but no more than the cumulative hours required in a normal employment term. The University requires the following service for a full assistantship:

• Teaching Graduate Assistants teach two undergraduate classes or an equivalent of lab supervision (may include more than two labs). A graduate assistant may be assigned responsibility for teaching a class only after he/she has completed at least eighteen graduate hours in the field to be taught; however, an assistant may supervise labs without having earned 18 graduate hours. Teaching assistants should consult with the department head to verify specific responsibilities for their classes and the undergraduate students they will teach; departments must supply the Visiting Lecturer and Teaching Graduate Assistant Handbook to teaching assistants.
• Research graduate assistants perform twenty hours of service per week during the semester. A research assistant may perform a combination of duties to assist with labs, instruction, or research.
• Administrative graduate assistants perform twenty hours of service per week during the semester. Administrative graduate assistants perform clerical duties and assist with administrative operations.

 

Unless otherwise approved by the President’s Executive Staff, a full graduate assistantship consists of $2,000 stipend per semester and exemption of one half of the tuition portion of the student’s fees and exemption of non-resident fees if applicable. For administrative graduate assistants the waiver of tuition is considered taxable income.

 

Graduate students who resign assistantships during the semester or are terminated after the end of late registration do not reimburse the institution for the pro-rated share of their exempted tuition; however, they are ineligible for future employment as graduate assistants unless approved by the Graduate School dean. Assistantships may be revoked at any time duties are not fulfilled satisfactorily.

 

Because of their role as student and employee, graduate assistants assume particular responsibility for upholding the University’s Student Code of Conduct. All graduate assistants should be provided a copy of the McNeese State UniversityGraduate Student Orientation Handbook. Teaching graduate assistants must uphold responsibilities according to relevant sections of the McNeese State University Faculty/Staff Handbook. Supervisors should supply appropriate handbooks to the assistant.