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Institute Policy on Graduate Assistantship Appointments and Waivers
Academic, Administrative, and Financial Guidelines (NEW - May 2006)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
Q: What is the purpose of the new policy?
A: To provide Institute guidelines for graduate assistantship appointments, to increase the financial accountability associated with such appointments, and to ensure more standard practices Institute-wide. Q: What are the major changes that impact students?
A: There are two:
1. The Graduate Student Assistant (GSA) job title will be eliminated effective Fall 2006. Most student positions that are currently called "GSAs" will be changed to Graduate Assistant (GA) positions. GAs are not eligible for reduced GRA/GTA tuition or tuition waivers.
2. Administrative departments are no longer permitted to hire students in the GRA or GTA classification or grant tuition waivers of any nature for students.
Q: What is the effective date of the new policy?
A: The starting date of the new policy is July 1st, the beginning of our new fiscal year. Graduate students who have assistantships and waivers that will no longer be permitted under the new policy can continue to receive waivers for the summer 2006 term, even though the term ends after June 30, 2006, if approved by the student's academic department. The policy will go into full effect starting Fall 2006.
Q: Whom should I contact to find out if I can have my GSA and waiver this summer 2006?
A: Contact the graduate coordinator (e.g. associate chair) or school chair/college dean of your major department on this matter.
Q: I was a GSA working for an administrative unit and the majority of my tuition and fees were waived. Will I still get a tuition waiver in the Fall?
A: Probably not. In a few exceptional cases, a GSA might be changed to a GRA or GTA and hired through the major department. In most cases, the administrative unit will have to change your title to Graduate Assistant or another appropriate title and you will no longer receive a waiver of any portion of your tuition. The administrative unit is expected to compensate you at a fair market rate of pay.
Q: What about GRAs working for research units such as GTRI?
A: Students working in the following research departments can have graduate research assistantships with GRA waivers, if the students' respective major departments approve the assistantships and enter the GRA waivers on BANNER:
Georgia Tech Research Institute, Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), Economic Development Institute (EDI), and interdisciplinary research centers reporting to the Office of the Provost.
Q: My advisor is in a different academic department from me: can I keep my GRA with her?
A: Yes. If your academic department approves the assistantship and enters the GRA waiver on BANNER, you can still have your GRA with your advisor and keep your GRA waiver.
Q: I have more questions - whom can I ask?
A: Your academic department should be able to answer most of your questions. They are the one who must approve your assistantship. If your department does not know the answer to a question about this policy, your academic department should contact one of the following:
- for student-related questions, the office of the Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies;
- for budget-related questions, the Budget Office;
- for questions about how to place waivers, the Bursar's Office.
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