Graduate Academic Assistants, Assistants and Tutors- Hourly

Qualifications:

• Be a degree-seeking graduate student without existing admissions conditions imposed by the Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies.
• Be in good academic standing and making satisfactory progress toward a graduate degree.
• Remain registered in courses that count toward the graduate degree for at least nine semester hours during each long semester.
• If holding an appointment for summer, they must remain registered in courses that count toward the graduate degree for at least three semester hours.

Responsibilities for position is one which involves instructional assistance of a technical or professional nature to a member of the faculty and to students under the direction of and final responsibility of that faculty member. The responsibilities may include student conferences, supervision of voluntary or informal review or discussion sessions, evaluation of student work, classroom or laboratory assistance under the direct supervision of a faculty member in charge of the class or section, and similar duties of a professional nature.

The academic assistant title is not to be used for those who are in charge of regularly scheduled classes, class sections, discussion sections or laboratory sections which are listed in the Course Schedule.

Qualifications:

• Be a degree-seeking graduate student without existing admissions conditions imposed by the Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies.
• Be in good academic standing and making satisfactory progress toward a graduate degree.
• Remain registered in course that count toward the graduate degree for a least nine semester hours during the long semesters.
• If holding an appointment for summer, they must remain registered in courses that count toward the graduate degree for at least three semester hours.

Responsibilities for position may include grading papers, clerical work directly concerned with record-keeping for a class, preparing class or laboratory materials, experiments or demonstrations, non-instructional work in laboratory courses or sections and other subordinate functions directly related to a class.

Assistants may not include teaching classes, giving quizzes or examinations unless the instructor is present and personally supervising, or performing general clerical or office work.

To be eligible for appointment as a tutor, an individual student must be a graduate student in good academic standing. The appointment to the title must be approved by the dean.

Responsibilities of the tutor is to provide supervised tutoring on an individual or a small group basis to students who show evidence of need for such services. They must meet with their supervisor for evaluation, submit progress reports on students, maintain regular group or individual tutorial sessions, and consult with offices, agencies, departments and faculty members when needed.

The student employee provides administrative, operational, or programmatic support to the department. These positions are designed to offer students practical work experience while supporting the day-to-day functions of the department.

Academic Assistants- Examples of job duties include but are not limited to:

• Provide general administrative support, such as filing, data entry, and document preparation.
• Assist with front desk operations, including greeting visitors and responding to inquiries.
• Support departmental programs, events, or projects assigned.
• Maintain records and ensure accuracy of information.
• Perform routine office tasks (e.g., copying, scanning, organizing materials).
• Adhere to established procedures and complete tasks within assigned timelines.
• Other duties as assigned.

Non-academic student workers are prohibited from performing personal tasks for the supervisor.  Supervisor and student worker should agree with methods for communicating during the semester, frequency of meetings, and guidance and feedback

Non-academic student employees are required to accurately account for all hours worked. Time must be recorded in the university’s designated timekeeping system, Workday, and submitted in accordance with established payroll deadlines. Reported hours must reflect actual time worked, and employees may not record time for hours not worked or outside of approved schedules.

Non-academic student employees do not accrue vacation or sick leave. Therefore, the supervisor agreement should clearly outline expectations for both planned and unplanned absences. The agreement should also address expectations for work during exam periods and academic breaks (excluding official university holidays), in accordance with school, college, or departmental policies.

Student employees are expected to:

• Adhere to assigned work schedules and accurately report time worked in accordance with university procedures.
• Perform job duties as outlined by the supervisor and department.
• Meet established performance expectations, including professionalism, reliability, and quality of work.
• Follow all applicable university policies and procedures, including those related to conduct, confidentiality, and workplace safety.
• Maintain regular communication with their supervisor regarding work assignments, availability, and any concerns.
• Notify their supervisor of anticipated or unanticipated absences in a timely manner.

Failure to maintain eligibility or meet the conditions of employment may result in modification or termination of the appointment. Departments are responsible for ensuring that student employment practices align with university policy and applicable regulations.

Non-academic student employees should receive regular, job-related performance feedback from their supervisor. Providing feedback mid-semester (or mid-appointment) is recommended to identify performance concerns early and support timely improvement. When performance issues are identified, supervisors should develop a performance improvement plan in consultation with the student employee, outlining expectations and a reasonable timeline for improvement. The frequency and format of performance evaluations should be defined in the student employee–supervisor agreement.

Academic assistant, assistant or tutor appointments are usually terminated at the end of a designated period of appointment. However, this policy statement does not create contractual obligations. The terms or conditions of the appointment may be modified or terminated with or without advance notice for any reason including the failure of the appointee to meet eligibility requirements. In the event that an appointee becomes ineligible for continued appointment through unsatisfactory academic progress, failure to maintain the minimum required credit hours per semester, or through failure to continue enrollment as a student, the appointment may be terminated at any time. Appointments may also be terminated at any time for nonacademic reasons, such as for failure to perform the required duties of the position.

Every effort should be made to resolve grievances informally between the student and the employing faculty member. When serious issues cannot be resolved informally, the student shall have recourse to the grievance procedure. 

Employment disputes are handled according to departmental review policies by the department employing the student.  

The order of review for employment disputes is as follows: 

• The faculty or staff member supervising the student
• The program graduate adviser
• The department chair or head of the department hiring unit employing the student
• The dean of the college or school employing the student
• The decision of the college or school dean is final