IX. Appointment of Student Teaching, Research, and Administrative Assistants

A. Graduate Assistantships

The goal of graduate education is transformation of the student into a professional and/or a scholar, and graduate assistantships at UNC Charlotte are conceived to facilitate this transformation. Whether the assistantship duties are performed in the classroom, the laboratory, or a University office, they provide valuable experience in teaching, research, or administration that is an integral part of the student's graduate education. The major goal of the assistantship is two-dimensional: to promote the student's progress toward a graduate degree and to provide additional resources to accomplish the mission of the University.

Graduate assistants receive financial support for their contributions to the teaching, research, and service missions of the University. However, the quality of their supervision, the kind of work they are assigned to do, and the outcomes expected of them distinguish graduate assistants from other employees--even those of the same educational background who receive similar pay.

The University makes a commitment to students supported through assistantships--regardless of the source of the funding. A part of this commitment involves maintaining the synergistic relationship between the student's studies and assistantship responsibilities. Because these activities must be mutually reinforcing, the student's supervisor has the responsibility both to assure that assigned duties contribute to the student's graduate education and to guide the assistant through the assigned duties.

General Policies and Terms and Conditions of Appointment. The following policies and terms and conditions of appointment apply to all graduate assistants at UNC Charlotte. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in the denial or termination of an appointment.

1. To be eligible for appointment as a graduate assistant, an applicant:

• must have a baccalaureate degree, or a baccalaureate degree and work experience, that equips them for the assignment;
• must have been admitted to full standing in a graduate degree program; and
• must have had an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 or better overall; or must have completed at least six hours of graduate work with a GPA of 3.0 or better.

2. To retain their appointment, graduate assistants:

• must participate in any required orientation program;
• must follow instructions of the employing department to complete the INS Form I-9 to certify eligibility for employment no later than the third day of the employment term; (International GAs complete this form in the Office of International Programs.)
• must enroll in at least six semester hours (or equivalent thesis/dissertation research) during each semester;
• must work no more than twenty hours per week in the assistantship and any other employment on or off campus;
• must perform assigned duties satisfactorily according to the terms of appointment and participate in the supervision and evaluation processes required for the assistantship;
• must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.0; and
• must make satisfactory progress toward completion of a graduate degree at UNC Charlotte or through an approved interinstitutional degree program.

General Policies and Requirements for Tuition Awards and Scholarships. The Graduate School has resources to provide tuition awards and scholarships to a limited number of graduate students during each academic year. The following policies and requirements apply to all graduate tuition awards at UNC Charlotte.

1. Non-resident tuition differential awards. To be eligible for one of these awards which pays the difference between the in-state and non-resident tuition rates, the graduate student must be awarded a graduate assistantship which pays a stipend of at least $2,000 for the academic year.

2. Tuition scholarships for North Carolina residents. To be eligible for one of these scholarships, the graduate student:

• must be a legal resident of North Carolina for tuition Purposes, and
• must be enrolled during the term for which the scholarship is awarded.

Teaching Assistantships. Graduate teaching assistantships enhance student understanding of the content and pedagogy of the discipline and extend faculty resources and their contribution to the teaching mission of the University. Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) work under faculty guidance and are assigned a variety of instructional responsibilities depending upon their educational background and experience. These responsibilities are included in three major categories:

• Grading papers, setting up laboratory experiences, keeping class records, preparing instructional materials, and/or other instructional duties;
• Teaching a laboratory or recitation section of a course; and
• Teaching an independent section of a course.

The assignment to GTAs of full responsibility for teaching courses in a classroom is subject to the Criteria for Accreditation of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and UNC Policy Manual section 400.3.6: Training, Monitoring and Evaluation of Graduate Teaching Assistants.

• GTAs who have primary responsibility for teaching a course for credit and/or for assigning final grades for such a course must have earned at least 18 graduate semester hours in their teaching discipline, be under the direct supervision of a faculty member experienced in the teaching discipline, receive regular in-service training and be evaluated regularly. (Comprehensive Standard 3.7.1.f)
• Students for whom English is a second language may be appointed as GTAs only when the English Language Training Institute certifies that the applicant's proficiency in oral and written communication indicates that the appointment is appropriate. (UNC Policy Manual section 400.3.6)
• GTAs must possess a demonstrated competence in the subject matter that they will be teaching as determined by experts in the field. They should have an appreciation for the theory and practice of the subject matter as well as a developing understanding of the major themes and divisions of their field. (UNC Policy Manual section 400.3.6)
• GTAs should have an appreciation for the teaching and learning enterprise acquired from their own undergraduate and graduate academic programs, as well as by means of both required and optional teacher training seminars, symposia, workshops, publications, and university staff resources. Competency to teach includes an effective command of the language of instruction, usually American English, and an appreciation for the culture of the American university classroom. (UNC Policy Manual section 400.3.6)
• GTAs must be graduate students in good standing in their programs. (UNC Policy Manual section 400.3.6)

STUDENTS

Graduate Research Associate. A Graduate Research Associate is an enrolled graduate student who has research experience and demonstrates high research potential, is seeking a degree at the master's or doctoral level and is assisting a faculty member in conduct of research.

Graduate Research Assistant. A Graduate Research Assistant is an enrolled student who demonstrates good research potential, is seeking a degree at the master's or doctoral level and is assisting a faculty member in conduct of research.

1. Initial Appointment

Graduate assistants are appointed by the Graduate Dean upon the recommendation of the Graduate Coordinator/Director or Department Chair/Unit Head, the Principal Investigator if the assistantship is grant funded, and the Dean of the college or the Associate Provost of the area in which the appointment is to be made. Procedures for all appointments of GRAs and GAAs and for academic year appointments of GTAs are described below. Separate procedures for appointment of GTAs for the summer terms are described in Section 7.

Application for Graduate Assistantship. Prospective and continuing graduate students seeking appointment to a graduate assistantship are instructed to file an application in writing with the appropriate department. An Application for Graduate Assistantship (Form AA-28) is available for the convenience of the student and the department, but it is not required. It provides information for use by the Graduate Coordinator/Director or Department Chair/Unit Head and does not need to be forwarded to the College or Graduate School.

Recommendation for Appointment. The recommendation for the appointment of a graduate assistant is prepared by the Graduate Coordinator/Director (or Department Chair/Unit Head) or by the Principal Investigator if the assistantship is funded by a grant. It is submitted to the College Dean (or Associate Provost/Vice Chancellor) on the form for Recommendation and Payroll Authorization for Appointment to a Graduate Assistantship (Form AA-29). A Duties and Responsibilities (Form AA-30) addendum specifying the (1) educational requirements; (2) job requirements; (3) duties; and (4) performance standards for the assistantship is required for appointment of a graduate teaching assistant and strongly recommended for any other appointment to an assistantship. (The department retains a copy of the recommendation and the addendum for its files.) The College Dean (or Associate Provost/Vice Chancellor) is responsible for verifying the availability of funding for the assistantship and for forwarding to the Graduate School the original and five copies of the approved Recommendation and Payroll Authorization for Appointment to a Graduate Assistantship (AA-29) with the accompanying Duties and Responsibilities (Form AA-30). (The college retains a copy of the recommendation and the addendum.)

The amount of the stipend for the assistantship is established by the employing department and the College Dean (in consultation with the Director of Summer Programs for GTAs funded by Summer Programs.)

Offers of Appointment/Appointment Agreement. The Graduate Dean is responsible for verifying eligibility for an assistantship and making offers of appointment to the recommended candidates by executing an Appointment Agreement containing the terms and conditions of the assistantship, including title, stipend, term of appointment, and other terms and conditions of appointment (if any). The Duties and Responsibilities addendum to the Appointment Agreement, if any, will specify the (1) educational requirements; (2) job requirements; (3) duties, and (4) performance standards for the appointment.

The Graduate School mails the Appointment Agreement and Duties and Responsibilities addendum to the graduate student, or if the employing department prefers, forwards them to the employing department for transmittal to the graduate student.

Accepted Appointments. When an appointment agreement is signed and returned to the Graduate School indicating that an offer of appointment is accepted, the Graduate Deanis responsible for notifying the employing department, certifying that the appointment file is complete, and establishing the permanent personnel file for the graduate assistant. The completed file includes one copy of the (1) recommendation and payroll authorization; (2) the duties and responsibilities addendum; and (3) the signed appointment agreement.

Certification of Eligibility for Employment. The University (through the Student Employment Office, the Office of International Programs, or the employing department) has the responsibility to verify the identity and eligibility for employment in the United States of each new graduate assistant, to make a photocopy of the graduate assistant's original social security card, and to obtain completed supplemental employment forms (I-9, Selective Service Registration Compliance Statement, Federal and State Tax Withholding) from each of them. See Section IV. of the On-Campus Student Employment Policies and Procedures Guide distributed by the Student Employment Office for detailed instructions.

Each new graduate assistant must complete INS Form I-9 not later than the third day of the appointment period. The new graduate assistant completes the form as instructed by the employing department. Graduate assistants who have not presented the appropriate documents and signed the I-9 form by the third day of the appointment period must not be permitted to continue to work. The completed I-9, a copy of the social security card, and the other required supplemental employment forms are completed in or forwarded to the Student Employment Office.

The Student Employment Office is responsible for clearing the graduate student for employment on campus, notifying the employing department that the student may begin work, and forwarding the original and three copies of the Recommendation and Payroll Authorization form to the Budget Office. The Budget Office verifies account and position numbers and forwards the original and two copies to the Payroll Office which forwards a copy to Sponsored Programs, if external funding is involved. The employing department is responsible for ensuring that graduate assistants have been cleared for employment by the Student Employment Office before they are permitted to work more than three days.

2. Orientation

The Graduate School conducts a general orientation to teaching for all new graduate teaching assistants prior to the beginning of classes each fall and spring semester. All new GTAs are required to participate in the general orientation program and in the specific orientation to and training for their assistantship assignments conducted by the department in which they have their appointment. Failure of a GTA to participate in these orientation and training sessions may result in immediate cancellation of the appointment.

In addition, the Graduate School and the English Language Training Institute conduct a special orientation to the cultural aspects of instruction in this country in which all new international GTAs are required to participate. Each international GTA is tested for spoken English proficiency. Failure of a new international GTA to participate in these orientation and language assessment sessions may result in immediate cancellation of the appointment. A student who does not have the requisite proficiency in spoken English is not permitted to receive a classroom assignment and is required to attend one to two semesters of an English language class taught by the Institute. International GTAs must pass this class before they are permitted to receive a classroom assignment.

Employing departments are expected to provide each graduate research assistant and graduate administrative assistant with appropriate orientation to and training for their assignment. Failure of a new GRA or GAA to participate in orientation and training sessions required by the employing department may result in immediate cancellation of the appointment.

In addition to the orientation and initial training sessions, the Graduate School provides ongoing professional development opportunities for GTAs and the employing departments provide on-going training for their GTAs.

3. Supervision

Each graduate assistant is assigned a supervisor at the time of appointment. These supervisors are responsible for providing guidance and support to the graduate assistants and to ensure that they are prepared to carry out the duties of their assistantships.

4. Evaluation

The supervisor is responsible for evaluating the graduate assistant for effectiveness in carrying out the assigned duties and responsibilities as measured against the performance standards for the appointment. The process for conducting the evaluation is established by the employing department and is expected to include the following:

• Evaluation of the effectiveness of the graduate assistant in carrying out assigned duties according to the performance standards for the appointment;
• A conference in which the supervisor reviews the evaluation with the graduate assistant;
• A written evaluation is required for graduate teaching assistants and strongly recommended for all assistants; it is signed by the graduate assistant to acknowledge receiving a copy of the evaluation and participating in the evaluation conference; and
• Forwarding a copy of the evaluation signed by the graduate assistant to the Dean of the Graduate School for inclusion in the official personnel file of the graduate assistant.

5. Payroll

Graduate assistants typically are paid on the last working day of the month. Stipends for fall assistantships are paid September through December (although stipends may begin in August if all paperwork is processed and clearance for employment is received in the Payroll Office by August 15). Stipends for spring assistantships are paid January through April, and stipends for summer assistantships are paid at the end of the months worked between May and August. GTAs funded by Summer Programs are paid at the end of each summer session in which they work.

6. Reappointment

Graduate assistants are reappointed by the Graduate Dean upon the recommendation of the Graduate Coordinator/Director or Department Chair/Unit Head, the Principal Investigator if the assistantship is grant funded, and the Dean of the college or Associate Vice Chancellor for the area in which the appointment is to be made.

Terms and Conditions of Reappointment. To be eligible for reappointment as a graduate assistant, the student must comply with the General Policies and Terms and Conditions of Appointment specified above in Section IX.A.

Recommendation for Reappointment. The recommendation for the reappointment of a graduate assistant is prepared by the Graduate Coordinator/Director (or Department Chair/Unit Head) or by the Principal Investigator if the assistantship is funded by a grant. It is submitted to the College Dean (or Associate Provost/Vice Chancellor) on the form for Recommendation and Payroll Authorization form for Appointment to a Graduate Assistantship (Form AA-29). A Duties and Responsibilities (Form AA-30) addendum specifying the (1) educational requirements; (2) job requirements; (3) duties; and (4) performance standards for the assistantship is required for reappointment of a graduate teaching assistant and strongly recommended for any other reappointment to an assistantship. (The department retains a copy of the recommendation and addendum for its files.) The College Dean (Associate Provost/Vice Chancellor) is responsible for verifying the availability of funding for the assistantship and for forwarding to the Graduate School the original and five copies of the approved Recommendation and Payroll Authorization for Appointment to a Graduate Assistantship with the accompanying Duties and Responsibilities addendum. (The Dean/Associate Provost/Vice Chancellor retains a copy of the recommendation and addendum.)

Offers of Reappointment/Appointment Agreement. The Graduate Dean is responsible for verifying eligibility for an assistantship and making offers of reappointment to the recommended candidates by executing an Appointment Agreement containing the terms and conditions of the assistantship, including title, stipend, term of appointment, and other terms and conditions of appointment (if any) and a Duties and Responsibilities addendum as appropriate that specifies the (1) educational requirements; (2) job requirements; (3) duties, and (4) performance standards for the appointment.

The Graduate School mails the Appointment Agreement and Duties and Responsibilities addendum to the graduate student, or if the employing department prefers, forwards them to the employing department for transmittal to the graduate student.

Accepted Appointments. When an appointment agreement is signed and returned to the Graduate School indicating that an offer of reappointment is accepted, the Graduate Dean is responsible for notifying the employing department, certifying that the reappointment file is complete, and incorporating it into the official personnel file of the graduate assistant in the Graduate School. The completed file includes one copy of the (1) recommendation and payroll authorization; (2) the duties and responsibilities addendum, if any; and (3) the signed appointment agreement. The Graduate School retains a copy of the Recommendation and Payroll Authorization.

The Student Employment Office is responsible for confirming that the graduate student is cleared for employment on campus and forwarding the original and three copies of the Recommendation and Payroll Authorization form to the Budget Office. The Budget Office verifies account and position numbers and forwards the original and two copies to the Payroll Office which forwards a copy to Sponsored Programs Office, if external funding is involved.

7. Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) Appointed for the Summer Terms

Graduate teaching assistants for the summer terms are appointed by the Graduate Dean upon the recommendation of the Graduate Coordinator/Director or Department Chair and either the College Dean (if the stipend is to be paid from college funds) or the Director of Summer Programs (if the stipend is to be paid from the summer term (102) budget).

Terms and Conditions of Reappointment. To be eligible for appointment as a graduate teaching assistant in the summer term, the student must comply with the General Policies and Terms and Conditions of Appointment specified above in Section IX.A.

Recommendation for Appointment. The recommendation for the appointment of a graduate teaching assistant for a summer term is prepared by the Graduate Coordinator/Director (or Department Chair). If the stipend is to be paid from college resources, it is processed using procedures described above for academic year appointments. If it is to be funded by the summer term (102) budget, the amount of the stipend is established in consultation with the Director of Summer Programs and the recommendation then is processed as follows. An original and three copies of the recommendation is submitted to the Graduate School on the form for Recommendation and Payroll Authorization form for Appointment to a Graduate Assistantship (Form AA-29). A Duties and Responsibilities (Form AA-30) addendum specifying the (1) educational requirements; (2) job requirements; (3) duties; and (4) performance standards for the assistantship is required. (The department retains a copy of the recommendation and addendum and sends an information only copy to the College Dean.)

Offers of Appointment/Appointment Agreement. The Graduate Dean is responsible for verifying eligibility for an assistantship and making offers of appointment (or reappointment) to the recommended candidates by executing an Appointment Agreement containing the terms and conditions of the assistantship, including title, stipend, term of appointment, and other terms and conditions of appointment (if any) and a Duties and Responsibilities addendum that specifies the (1) educational requirements,: (2) job requirements; (3) duties; and (4) performance standards for the appointment.

The Graduate School mails the Appointment Agreement and Duties and Responsibilities addendum to the graduate student, or if the employing department prefers, forwards them to the employing department for transmittal to the graduate student.

Accepted Appointments. When an appointment agreement is signed and returned to the Graduate School indicating that an offer of reappointment is accepted, the Graduate Dean is responsible for notifying the employing department, certifying that the appointment file is complete, and incorporating it into the official personnel file of the graduate assistant in the Graduate School. The completed file includes one copy of the (1) recommendation and payroll authorization; (2) the duties and responsibilities addendum; and (3) the signed appointment agreement. The Graduate School retains a copy of the Recommendation and Payroll Authorization and forwards the original and two copies to the Student Employment Office.

The Student Employment Office is responsible for confirming that the graduate student is cleared for employment on campus and forwarding the original and one copy of the Recommendation and Payroll Authorization form to the Office of the Director of Summer Programs. The Director of Summer Programs submits payroll information to the Payroll Office using a blanket PD7-S.

Separation. The employing unit is responsible for promptly contacting the Graduate School and the Director of Summer Programs when a graduate teaching assistant declines a contract, resigns, or must be dismissed. If the contract is declined, the employing unit sends a Notice of Separation (Form AA-31) to the Director of Summer Programs and the Graduate School, and the Graduate School voids the offer of appointment.

If the graduate teaching assistant resigns, the employing department prepares a Notice of Separation and forwards the original and three copies to the Graduate Dean and one copy to the Director of Summer Programs. The Graduate Dean distributes the original and one copy to the Payroll Office and a copy to the Student Employment Office. A copy of the student’s written notice of resignation is forwarded to the Graduate Dean with the Notice of Separation. If the student does not provide notice of resignation in writing, the employing department confirms acceptance of the resignation in writing to the student and forwards a copy of the confirmation to the Graduate Dean.

The employing department must consult the Graduate Dean to establish the procedure that must be followed if it is necessary to dismiss a graduate teaching assistant during the summer term.

Payroll. Stipends for GTAs funded by Summer Programs are paid at the end of each summer session in which they work. Stipends for other summer assistantships are paid at the end of the months worked between May and August.

8. Separation

The employing unit is responsible for promptly contacting the Graduate School when a graduate assistant declines a contract or resigns, or when the unit finds it necessary to dismiss the graduate assistant.

Declined Contract. In the event that a student declines an offer of appointment to an assistantship, does not report for duty, or resigns after accepting an appointment, the employing unit sends a Notice of Separation (Form AA-31) to the College Dean (Associate Vice Chancellor, or Director of Summer Programs, for a summer assistantship), the Student Employment Office, and the Graduate School. The Graduate School voids the offer of appointment.

Resignation. Upon receiving notice that a graduate student has decided not to continue an ongoing appointment as a graduate assistant, the Graduate Coordinator (or Department Chair/Unit Head) or the Principal Investigator if the assistantship is funded by a grant prepares a Notice of Separation (Form AA-31) for the graduate assistant. The department forwards the original and four copies of the form to the Graduate Dean and one copy to the College Dean (or Associate Vice Chancellor or Director of Summer Programs as appropriate). The Graduate Dean distributes the original and one copy to the Payroll Office, a copy to the Student Employment Office, and a copy to the Sponsored Programs Office if external funding is involved. A copy of the student’s written notice of resignation is forwarded to the College Dean (or Associate Vice Chancellor) and the Graduate Dean with their copies of the Notice of Separation. If the student does not provide notice of resignation in writing, the employing department confirms acceptance of the resignation in writing to the student and forward copies of the confirmation to the College Dean (or Associate Vice Chancellor) and the Graduate Dean.

Dismissal. A graduate assistant can be dismissed prior to the expiration of his/her contract for one of the following reasons:

• Breach of the contractual agreement, e.g., neglect of duty, misconduct such as not teaching the appointed material in a class or missing mandatory activities, and/or violation of performance expectations;
• Offenses such as academic dishonesty or sexual harassment; or
• Not reporting for work, leading to the reasonable conclusion that the student has resigned the assistantship.

Because of the contractual nature of the relationship between the University and the graduate assistant, due process must be afforded the student before a decision to dismiss is reached. Employing units that find it necessary to dismiss a graduate assistant must consult the College Dean and the Graduate School to establish the procedures that will be followed during this process.

The Dean of the Graduate School will review the recommendations for dismissal from an employing unit and College Dean (Associate Vice Chancellor), and if he/she concurs, will notify the Payroll Office and the Student Employment Office that the contract has been terminated. The Payroll Office will inform the Sponsored Programs Office if external funding is involved.

B. Undergraduate Assistants

Undergraduate teaching, laboratory, and research assistants are appointed as temporary wage employees. Budget flexibility may be used to move resources from 1110 to 1453 and from 1310 into 1454 student temporary wage lines to support these appointments.

Appointment of an undergraduate assistant is accomplished with the Student Temporary Wage Appointment form that is available from the Student Employment Office. Consult Section VI of the On-Campus Student Employment Policies and Procedures Guide for the policies and procedures governing these appointments.

Undergraduate assistants fill out the regular time cards that are submitted to the Payroll Office. The policies and procedures that apply to all temporary wage employees provide the appointment, review and appeal process for undergraduate assistants.