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Guidelines for Hiring Graduate Assistants

Graduate Assistant Requirements

To be hired under any assistantship classification, students must:

  • Be enrolled as a full-time (Master’s=9 credits; Doctoral=6 credits) degree-seeking graduate student for the term (fall/spring) in which the position will be held. Undergraduate students, including those in an accelerated track, and 老澳门资料 employees are ineligible for an assistantship position. Summer enrollment is not required to hold an assistant position.
  • Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 each term an assistantship position is held.
  • Work no more than 40 biweekly hours in combination with all other 老澳门资料 employment.

Hiring departments may request an exception to the above requirements by submitting an Assistantship Criteria Exception Form. Visit /graduateschool/staff-resources/assistantships.html for instructions. Exception reasons may include:

  • Students in their final term that do not have a full-time course load
  • Programs that define full-time differently than the university set requirement
  • A lower GPA if there is support from the program director
  • Additional working hours of up to 59 biweekly hours

Graduate assistants should only work the term dates, i.e., the first day of classes through the last day of term. If students need to work during intersession, they will need to be compensated for the extra hours. Or you may move their start/end date to compensate for the extra weeks, i.e. the length of employment should match the length of the term. For example, if you’d like a student to work two weeks of intersession before the semester starts, you may begin their employment two weeks prior to the term start date and end two weeks prior to the term end date. In doing so, they are still working the same total number of hours as GAs hired during the term.

International Hires

All job offers are contingent on the student’s ability to work under the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which requires documentation that proves identity and employment eligibility. 

Before engaging in work activities: 

  • All foreign national employees must schedule an in-person appointment with the Payroll Office and then complete onboarding (I-9) in-person at the Office of Human Resources. 
  • If the graduate student is classified as an international student under an F or J visa status, the department may contact the International Center to check if they have such ability and understand any applicable restrictions (i.e., not exceed 20 hours/per week including all jobs). 
  • 老澳门资料 students under other types of visas are also personally responsible to check if/when their visa allows paid/unpaid work or volunteering. Because each situation is unique, it is suggested they consult an independent immigration attorney to answer their questions.   

Departments must ensure all employees have completed onboarding (I-9) before allowing employees to report to work.

All graduate research assistants must complete the Foreign Influence Review before the hiring process can be completed. If you have questions regarding the Foreign Influence Review process, please reach out via email to FIR@unf.edu.

  • Graduate Assistant - General (GA)

    GA may:

    • Complete educational administrative duties that contribute to their program of study
    • Provide support to a qualified undergraduate course Instructor of Record, i.e. grading tests, assisting in discussion or lab sub-sections led by faculty, and/or coordinating field logistics
    • Instruct undergraduate breakout, discussion, recitation, clinical, or lab sub-section of a course, if a faculty member who qualifies to be an Instructor of Record is teaching the primary lecture activity and closely supervising all aspects of the teaching and learning process
      • In this type of teaching assignment, the GA delivers the material using a common textbook, common syllabus, common lab/classroom materials and procedures, and common exams and grading procedures as established by the Instructor of Record
      • The GA may recommend a final grade to the Instructor of Record, who reviews the recommendation and takes responsibility for assigning final grades
      • Students hired to complete these duties must be under the direct supervision of a faculty member experienced in the discipline, provided regular in-service training, and provided with planned and periodic evaluations

    GA may not:

    • Be listed as the primary instructor of any class, section, or sub-section
    • Engage in duties that may be considered research

    GA Stipend/Waiver Information:

    • Stipend: Provided by Graduate School allocated funds to each college or by college funds
    • In-state Tuition Waiver Eligible: Eligible if stipend is paid from Graduate School allocated funds or another funding source approved by the Graduate School
    • Out-of-State Tuition Waiver: Eligible if classified as non-Florida residents for tuition purposes and working at least 10 hours per week for the duration of the term
  • Graduate Assistant - DL Coach (GA-DLC)

    GA-DLC may:

    • Provide instructional support for online courses under the direction of the Instructor of Record and assist the instructor with the facilitation and maintenance of the course, i.e. posting announcements, assisting students with technical questions, participating in discussions, and documenting student comments, questions, and concerns

    GA-DLC must:

    GA-DLC may not:

    • Be listed as the primary instructor of any class, section, or sub-section
    • Engage in duties that may be considered research

    Stipend/Waiver Information:

    • Stipend: 老澳门资料 Online provides each college with annual funding for DL Coaches based upon their proportion of the University’s Distance Learning Section Credit Hours
    • In-state Tuition Waiver Eligible: Ineligible
    • Out-of-State Tuition Waiver: Eligible if classified as non-Florida residents for tuition purposes and working at least 10 hours per week for the duration of the term
  • Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)

    GRA may:

    • Complete any duties that may be considered research
    • Are involved in faculty-supervised research
    • May be funded through faculty-led sponsored research rather than from university funding sources, and therefore may be accountable to additional compliance considerations, e.g. export control oversight or IRB training

    GRA must:

    • Complete the Foreign Influence Review process prior to completing the hiring form (the form is not required for rehires)

    GRA may not:

    • Be listed as the primary instructor of any class, section, or sub-section

    Stipend/Waiver Information:

    • Stipend: Provided by Graduate School allocated funds to each college or by college funds
    • In-state Tuition Waiver Eligible: Eligible if stipend is paid from Graduate School allocated funds or another funding source approved by the Graduate School
    • Out-of-State Tuition Waiver: Eligible if classified as non-Florida residents for tuition purposes and working at least 10 hours per week for the duration of the term
  • Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA)

    GTA is:

    • Assigned as the Instructor of Record for an undergraduate course
    • Treated as members of the 老澳门资料 faculty for SACSCOC accreditation purposes, and are listed on the Faculty Roster provided to SACSCOC
    • Supervised by a faculty member experienced in the discipline
    • Provided regular in-service training
    • Provided with planned and periodic evaluations, including ISQ evaluations

    GTA must:

    GTA may not:

    • Hold any duties that could be considered research

    Stipend/Waiver Information:

    • Stipend: Provided by Graduate School allocated funds to each college or by college funds
    • In-state Tuition Waiver Eligible: Eligible if stipend is paid from Graduate School allocated funds or another funding source approved by the Graduate School
    • Out-of-State Tuition Waiver: Eligible if classified as non-Florida residents for tuition purposes and working at least 10 hours per week for the duration of the term