Graduate Assistantships

Guidelines:

A limited number of graduate assistantships exist at the University of Montevallo. When they do exist, graduate assistants are students first and employees second. They have as their primary focus advanced study and ultimately the completion of a graduate degree. Therefore, the services they provide as graduate assistants should complement professional development in their chosen field of study.

Any student admitted conditionally or unconditionally to a particular graduate program of study is eligible to apply for a graduate assistantship. With the exception of graduate assistant coaches, graduate assistants must be enrolled as a full-time student as defined in the Graduate Bulletin (unless fewer than six hours are required to complete the degree in their last term). Graduate assistant coaches must be enrolled in at least 50 percent of this minimum requirement during the regular terms. All graduate assistants must be enrolled for a minimum of three hours during the summer.

Students should make application for a graduate assistantship in the office employing graduate assistants. The application process varies from department to department. The employing department contacts Graduate Admissions and Records for clearance on eligibility (via the Notice of Eligibility form) before making an offer of employment. Once a student is employed, Graduate Admissions and Records will be notified by memo from the employer—so that a current list of graduate assistants may be maintained.

Graduate assistants must maintain the cumulative 3.0 grade point average required of all graduate students and must perform satisfactorily in the judgment of the employing department/supervisor. Of course, the availability of funds is a critical factor as well. If a student is terminated, Graduate Admissions and Records will be notified by memo from the employer.

Graduate assistants are employed on a semester basis and may be continued for no longer than three calendar years. When a student’s appointment ends, Graduate Admissions and Records will be notified by memo from the employer.

The amount of the graduate assistantship stipend is determined by each employing department/budget head.

Graduate assistants are supervised directly by a full-time faculty or staff member within the employing department. Graduate assistants’ responsibilities are defined by the employing department/supervisor. Graduate assistants not completing practicum or internship requirements may not be permitted to work beyond an average of twenty (20) hours per week.

The University of Montevallo does not employ graduate assistants for teaching on a regular basis; however, occasionally, students may be employed if they have a minimum of eighteen (18) graduate hours in the discipline that is to be taught and if they demonstrate proficiency in English. Graduate assistants employed to teach physical education activity courses do not have to have the eighteen (18) hours but must have the pre-requisite knowledge and experience to teach the activity effectively. Graduate assistants may teach no more than six (6) hours per regular term and three (3) hours per abbreviated term.

Evaluations of the graduate assistant’s performance are completed and maintained by the employing department/supervisor.

The oversight of graduate assistants is the responsibility of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or the Vice President for Student Affairs, through the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, the academic dean or Student Affairs director, and the supervisor (department chair, staff supervisor, faculty supervisor, etc.).