Oklahoma State University

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Assistantship inquiries should be addressed to the unit head or graduate program coordinator of the unit/department/school/program in which the appointment is desired. The service expected is governed by the terms of the appointment. 3.5 Graduate Assistantship Responsibilities. An offer of an assistantship is a commitment by a unit/department/ school/program to provide financial support to admitted graduate students. Assistantships are an investment made by a unit/department/ school/program and are granted primarily to enable the student to pursue an advanced degree and gain valuable experience. Accepting an assistantship brings with it a professional obligation to fulfill all of the responsibilities associated with the assistantship assignment. Included in this professional obligation is the expectation that students who have accepted an assistantship will diligently pursue their degree to completion. In recognition of this commitment and to provide adequate time for students holding assistantships to devote to study, employment as a graduate assistant is limited to a total, from all University sources (including external grants and contracts), of 0.50 FTE (an average of 20 hours per week) in the Fall and Spring semesters, and 0.75 FTE (an average of 30 hours per week) between the end of the Spring semester and the beginning of the Fall semester. Exceptions to this limitation may be requested by the employing unit or graduate program to the dean of the Graduate College. A student with an 0.50 FTE assistantship is expected to devote, on average, 20 hours per week to their duties as a graduate teaching or research assistant; the remainder of academic effort is devoted to his/ her own studies and research. The time devoted to the assistantship may vary from day to day and week to week as long as it does not exceed the average given above. As part of a graduate student’s educational experience, OSU makes a number of GRAs available on a routine basis. Graduate students on a GRA are expected to devote full-time effort to their graduate programs. While the GRA appointment provides a modest stipend for an average of 10 or 20 hours per week for a 0.25 or a 0.50 FTE assignment, respectively, in recognition of contributions to the OSU research enterprise, it does not indicate that no additional time and effort may be required of the graduate student who is actively pursuing a graduate research degree. Depending on the stage of the research project and the graduate student’s advancement in the program, the student may be enrolled in research credit hours for academic credit or only enrolled in formal coursework. Irrespective of that enrollment, it is expected that the graduate student is working full-time toward completion of the advanced degree. OSU, like most institutions nationwide, does not define the research credit hour as equating to a specific amount of time and effort, as the nature of research is highly dependent on the individual’s progress on the project. For instance, general OSU policy only requires a minimum enrollment in two credit hours when a graduate student is working on a research project and using OSU resources unless they are employed as a GTA/GRA. In addition, all students holding a graduate assistantship are required to be full-time students - see “Enrollment Requirements” below. For fall and spring semesters, students employed 0.50 FTE must be enrolled in at least six credit hours to be considered full-time, while students employed less than 0.50 FTE must be enrolled in at least nine credit hours to be considered full-time. However, full-time enrollment for students admitted to doctoral candidacy is two credit hours. For the summer term, students employed at any level must be enrolled in at least two credit hours during any summer session to be considered full-time.

International students who are dependent upon an assistantship for their financial guarantee must remember that forfeiture of that assistantship may require the re-submission of a newly revised financial guarantee to the Office of International Students and Scholars. Students who forfeit their graduate assistantships risk rescission of tuition waivers, as well as any health insurance coverage for graduate assistants provided by the University. Note that all graduate student benefit programs, such as tuition waivers, are only available to individuals with a primary classification as a graduate student enrolled in a degree program, which does not include certificate-seeking or non-degree seeking graduate students. OSU employees taking graduate classes do not qualify for graduate student benefit programs, irrespective of whether their employment is a benefit eligible position. One cannot selectively opt-out of certain benefits to seek eligibility for other benefits. Please contact the Graduate College or Human Resources if you have questions. 3.6 Graduate Assistantship General Benefits. Graduate Teaching or Research Assistants employed at least 0.50 FTE in the fall/spring semester (average of 20 hours per week) are enrolled in a minimum of six (or two for doctoral candidates) eligible graduate hours will receive a tuition waiver (hours of enrollment must be required per the graduate degree program). Summer tuition waivers for the same GTA or GRA for spring semester will apply during the summer regardless of summer employment. Tuition waivers cannot be applied to independent study, leveling, undergraduate or outreach type courses. Granting of these tuition waivers is also contingent upon the student submitting an electronic GTA/GRA (GSSI) tuition waiver agreement through the Graduate College website (http://gradcollege.okstate.edu/FormsPage), by the first day of the semester, in which they acknowledge their employment, enrollment and good academic standing responsibilities. Once enrolled, good academic standing (i.e., not on academic probation – beyond probationary admission) is a requirement for OSU tuition waiver eligibility. Once matriculated, a graduate student going on probation is not eligible for tuition waiver benefits. This does not preclude a GTA/GRA appointment(s). Graduate programs can request a one-time exception for exceptional circumstances from the graduate dean. For more information regarding tuition waiver benefits or academic standing, please visit the Graduate College website (gradcollege.okstate.edu (http://gradcollege.okstate.edu)). Any graduate student employed as a GTA and/or a GRA less than 0.50 FTE total per week will not be eligible for any type of tuition waiver benefit. 3.6.1 Health Insurance Benefits. Graduate Teaching or Research Assistants employed in a 0.25 FTE GTA/ GRA position during the fall or spring semesters and who are enrolled in at least nine graduate credit hours throughout that entire semester are eligible for single-person-coverage health insurance through OSU for the fall (or spring) semester. Note: Spring semester eligibility coverage continues through the following summer regardless of employment or enrollment status. Graduate Teaching or Research Assistants who are not eligible for health insurance coverage during the summer session by virtue of their eligibility during the previous spring semester but who are employed in a 0.25 FTE GTA/GRA position during the eight-week summer session and enrolled in at least two graduate credit hours are eligible for single- person-coverage health insurance through OSU for the summer term.