Hiring Graduate Assistants

Units wishing to hire a graduate assistant, research assistant, or teaching assistant should follow the steps outlined below.

1. Review eligibility requirements.

Begin the hiring process by understanding the different policies that determine a student’s eligibility to hold a graduate assistantship:

2. Post position and interview applicants.

Develop a job description for your assistantship position and email it to the Graduate College for posting.

Interested students will submit the requested application materials directly to your department or unit. If you have any questions about an applicant's eligibility to hold an assistantship, contact the Graduate College at any time.

3. Complete the Personnel Action Form (PAF).

Once you have determined who you would like to recommend for an assistantship, you must complete the GA BearPAF in a timely manner following the deadlines below. The PAF requires you to outline the assignment type, appointment timeframe, stipend and waiver.

Please note:

  • By submitting a PAF, you are recommending the student to the Graduate College and we will determine eligibility. The official appointment form is sent directly from our office to the student. To help us ensure that we are in compliance with all eligibility requirements, please utlize the following language in your correspondence with students you wish to hire:
    You have been recommended for appointment as a [assistantship details] in the [unit details]. Should you indicate interest in accepting this appointment recommendation, your name will be sent to the Graduate College for eligibility verification. Once this verification process is complete and you are deemed eligible, you will receive the official offer and appointment letter from the Graduate College.
  • If you are hiring a GA outside the typical semester or academic year structure or if you are hiring at a unique stipend level, you must submit a GA PAF Dynamic Form.
INSTRUCTIONS
Creating a GA BearPAF

Deadlines for GA Bear PAF Submissions

GA Bear PAFs must be submitted by the following deadlines for each appointment term and type.

November 1 Spring new appointments and reappointments
April 30

Summer new appointments and reappointments
Fall and Academic Year (AY) reappointments
July 15 Fall and Academic Year (AY) new appointments.
Appointment Types
  • New Appointment: If you are hiring this particular student as GA, TA, or RA for the first time in your unit, that is considered a new appointment. Even if a student has previously held an assistantship elsewhere on campus but not in your unit, it is still considered a new appointment. If you are submitting a PAF for two appointments at the same time (e.g., summer term and academic year), please enter “New Appointment” on both PAF submissions.

  • Reappointment: If a student has previously held an assistantship of any kind in your unit, that is considered a reappointment.

4. Confirm GA employment appointment form is signed and returned.

The Graduate College will send to the student, and copy the individual who input the GA BearPAF, a Graduate Assistant Employment Appointment Form to sign and return. The GA is not officially hired until the Graduate College has received the signed Graduate Assistant Employment Appointment form back from the student. Reminders will be sent to all hiring units that have a GA who has not returned their signed appointment form back to the Graduate College two (2) weeks prior to the GA appointment starting. It will then be up to the hiring unit to contact the GA to be sure the GA is still accepting the appointment. If the signed GA appointment form is not received prior to the first day of appointment/work, the GA must not be allowed to work.

5. Ensure required training is complete.

Every graduate assistant must complete the following forms and trainings:

  • I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification
  • W-4
  • Authorization of Direct Deposit of Payroll
  • Required compliance trainings through Human Resources
  • FERPA trainings (and HIPAA trainings, if applicable)
  • Information Security Awareness Training
  • New TA Training (required for new Teaching Assistants prior to carrying out TA duties)

When the compliance trainings have been made available to the GA, they will receive an email notifying them that the compliance trainings are loaded into their My Learning Connection. The compliance trainings are required to be completed within 30 days after the GA receives the notification. Once the GA receives the email notification, the 30 days period starts. It is the hiring unit's responsibility to ensure the required compliance trainings are completed in a timely manner.

6. Follow policies for GA work hours and timesheets.

GA assignments vary across the University, but they typically work an average of 20 hours a week. Graduate assistants are not required to work University holidays and student-only holidays; view the Hours and Timesheets policy for more information.

Hours worked by non-teaching and non-research GAs must be tracked using the appropriate time sheets.  It is the hiring unit's responsibility to keep copies of all GA timesheets.

For additional information, please refer to the Missouri State University Web Policy Library - Op3.16 Graduate Assistantship Appointment Guide. 

Questions

For any questions related to Graduate Assistantships (graduate assistant, research assistant, and/or teaching assistant) please call the Graduate College at 417-836-5335, or email GradAssistantships@MissouriState.edu.