Grand Valley State University
Office of Graduate Studies
GUIDELINES FOR REQUESTING
SPECIAL PROJECT GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS 2013-14
With funding from
Office of Graduate Studies
318C DEV, 331-7123, www.gvsu.edu/gs
Due on or before February 25, 2013
Please review the Graduate Assistantship Policy to familiarize yourself with the eligibility
guidelines and appointment procedures. Graduate Assistantship forms and procedures are
located on our web site at www.gvsu.edu/gs. Please note that the graduate assistantship
job description must significantly focus on instructional or research responsibilities in
order to be compliant with the Internal Revenue Service definition of the tuition
reduction exemption for Graduate Assistants (GA). If the Special Project Graduate
Assistantship responsibilities are non-instructional or non-research then the tuition remission
and stipend received by the student may be subject to Federal, State, and Local withholding
tax.
Special Projects Assistantships pay stipends of $4,000 per semester for a full-time
assistantship (20-hour work week/15 weeks/semester) and $2,000 for a half-time
assistantship (10-hour work week/15 weeks/semester).
Important Considerations for Special Projects Graduate Assistantships
 Priority will be given to funding graduate assistantships that have a clearly unique
special project that supports the mission of the university.

Priority will be given to funding assistantships for full-time graduate students,
enrolled in 9 credit hours per semester.

Funding is primarily for academic year assistantships (Fall/Winter semesters).
Winter/Spring-Summer positions will be considered but at a lesser priority.

Please do not plan to receive continuation funding from this funding source. These
positions will not convert to base-budget funded positions.

Tuition is paid by the University for up to 9 credit hours per semester for full-time
assistantships, or for 6 credit hours per semester for half-time assistantships.
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To request a Special Project graduate assistantship, please submit your proposal
electronically to Irene Fountain at fountaii@gvsu.edu, by 5:00 pm on Monday February 25,
2013. Proposals must contain the following:
1. A clear description of the special project responsibilities to be performed by the
Graduate Assistant.
 These responsibilities must contain a significant instructional or research
component to be compliant with Federal Tax Law. If not, then the stipend and
tuition waiver is subject to federal, state, and local withholding taxes.
2. Baseline Information about any existing base-budget funded or grant-funded
assistantships in your unit:
Indicate the number of assistantships already available to your unit and the source of
funding:
 Base budget positions, either previously authorized by Academic Affairs or
created from your own discretionary budget
 Grant-funded or non-base positions typically earmarked for your students
 If you have no budget allocation for assistantships but your dean or Vice-Provost
Office does have such funds, please indicate the number of assistantships your
unit was allocated last year.
 If you earmark these positions for students in one or more master’s programs at
GVSU, please list the program(s) for which these assistantships are earmarked.
 If you are requesting a renewal for a position awarded in 2012-2013, please
provide evidence that your request for this position to be moved to the base
budget was indeed submitted to your unit head (Dean/Vice Provost) and also
included in that Dean or Vice Provost’s requests for new funds this year.
3. If you received funding for a graduate assistantship position for 2012-2013 from the
Office of Graduate Studies, please submit a Progress Report as requested in the
original award notice.
 Submit a brief report describing the contributions made by the graduate
assistant(s) toward the goals outlined in your original position description. Please
answer the following questions: How did this assistantship further the educational
purposes of the assistantship and/or build on or advance the skills of the student?
How did the graduate assistant contribute to your successful achievement of the
stated goals of the position?
4. Brief Job Description
 Please provide a brief job description and include the following: (a full job
description will be required if your request is approved).
 Is this a full time of half time assistantship?
 Will you hire a full time student or part time student? Please provide a
brief rationale for this request.
 Briefly describe the responsibilities that will be assigned to this position,
and in what ways it will enhance/expand the student’s academic
experience and/or build on advanced skills.
 List the type of skills and prior academic and work experiences desired. If
advanced skills are required, please describe them.
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 Indicate which graduate students will be eligible (e.g., will it be made
available only to your own program or to students from a number of
programs?).
 If your department does not offer graduate programs, please explain your
decision to limit the programs from where you plan to hire your GA.
 Will your GA have a dedicated work station? Where will the work station
be located?
 Who will supervise the GA? What is his/her position and title?
 How frequently will the GA be given performance guidance and reviews?
5. Renewal Limitations:
 If your request is approved, please keep in mind that the position is not
automatically renewed.
 All awards will be subject to a new application next year.
 Preference is given to positions that involve assignments that are clearly nonrecurring special projects.
6. Selection Process:
 Where will you advertise your GA position?
 What information do you request from applicants?
 What is your screening/interviewing process?
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