School of Health, PE, and Leisure Services
Graduate Assistant Policies
The HPELS policies are based on and serve as a supplement to, but do not supersede, the policies of
the Graduate College found at http://www.grad.uni.edu/assistantships/-graduate-assistantshipsystem
Graduate Assistant appointments vary by type of assignment, duration of assignment, and number of
hours assigned per week. Graduate Assistant Stipends and Graduate Tuition Scholarships are available
to qualified students who are working toward a graduate degree at the University of Northern Iowa.
They may only be held by full-time students who are in residence during the time of their appointment.
Within the School of HPELS, a Graduate Assistant (GA) is a graduate student who has been appointed to
the position of Graduate Teaching Assistant or Graduate Research Assistant. A Graduate Teaching
Assistant is a graduate student receiving a stipend whose primary responsibilities may include classroom
or laboratory teaching, grading assignments or tests, proctoring exams, or providing other instructional
support. A Graduate Research Assistant is a graduate student receiving a stipend whose primary
responsibilities involve duties other than instruction which may include support of faculty or staff in
research activity, creative work, project support, or administrative needs.
Types of Awards
There are two different types of support available from the Graduate College for qualified graduate
students: (a) The Graduate Tuition Scholarship and (b) The Graduate Assistant Stipend. A student may
receive one or both of these awards.
The Graduate Tuition Scholarship is an award which pays for all or one half of a student's tuition. It does
not cover any non-tuition expenses such as university fees or the costs of books. Students who receive
only the Graduate Tuition Scholarship are not required to perform any services or work assignments as a
condition of their scholarship.
The Graduate Assistant Stipend, when awarded in full, requires the student to work 15 to 20 hours a
week on assignments which meet the guidelines approved by the Graduate Council.
The academic unit or department to which a student is assigned identifies and assigns a work load for
the Graduate Assistant Stipend consistent with the following guidelines:
1. Assistantships best serve graduate students and the university when they are used as an integral
part of graduate education. They should under no circumstances detract from a student's graduate
education nor distract him or her from its pursuit. Assistantships cannot be justified merely as a
source of inexpensive labor or even merely as financial support for students.
2. Graduate Assistant Stipend assignments should enhance students' graduate education by exposing
them to the professional activities and concerns of their discipline, involving them in university
activities related to their academic and professional interests, and giving them opportunities to work
closely with faculty and other university professionals. This extensive, tutorial experience is a
valuable part of the professional development of graduate students.
3. Students on Graduate Assistant Stipends should provide high quality support for the academic
activities of a university.
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4. In the academic programs, the graduate assistantship system supports and strengthens graduate
and undergraduate instruction. The contributions of graduate assistants include teaching under
careful supervision, providing teaching or research support for faculty, serving as laboratory
assistants, and serving in other academically appropriate ways.
Within HPELS, Division Chairs and Graduate Coordinators are responsible for ensuring that the work
load is academically appropriate and meets maximum hour guidelines. Division Chairs and Graduate
Coordinators are encouraged to consult with students in making work assignments. Academic credit
may not be given for Graduate Assistant Stipend assignments or any work or services performed as part
of the assigned duties for a Graduate Assistant Stipend.
Eligibility
1. The student must possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution prior to
admission to graduate study and to the appointment of an assistantship.
2. The student must have been admitted to graduate study at the University of Northern Iowa on a
degree-track basis, either regular admission or provisional admission for reasons other than GPA.
For regular admission, the student must hold a 3.0 overall undergraduate grade point average.
Students admitted on provisional status due to undergraduate grade point average below 3.0 are
not eligible for an assistantship or tuition scholarship.
3. The student must maintain a minimum of a 3.0 graduate grade point average throughout the
program of study.
4. The student must be enrolled full-time and carry a minimum of 9 and a maximum of 12 on-campus
graduate hours applying to the degree for each semester during the award. Audit, undergraduate,
or courses offered through Continuing Education may not be used as part of the minimum load.
Application
Applications must be made in accordance with UNI Graduate College policy. Within HPELS, incoming
students will apply for available GA positions by indicating interest on the HPELS application form.
Continuing students will be informed of the application process for any available positions via e-mail.
Deadline
The end of the fall semester is the recommended deadline for GA applications to be submitted in order
to allow names of recipients to be sent to the Gradate College by approximately March 1. Because of
budgetary and other constraints, some appointments may be made on other dates.
Selection
Recommendations for awards of assistantships are determined by the Graduate Coordinator and
Division Chair in consultation with Division Faculty. Recommendations will be made based on the needs
of the Division in combination with the quality of the student applications. In the case of GRA positions
funded by external funding sources, the Project Director or Principal Investigator will have full discretion
in the selection of candidates who meet the aforementioned eligibility requirements.
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Term
Graduate Assistantships in the School of HPELS are awarded for one semester, to be renewed each
semester pending evaluation.
Notification
Eligible students selected to receive an assistantship will be sent a letter of offer by the Graduate
College regarding the appointment period and level of support. A follow-up letter from the School of
HPELS will provide information on expected duties, evaluation procedures, and faculty supervisor.
The student must notify the Graduate College in writing that he/she accepts a Graduate Assistantship
Stipend and/or Graduate Tuition Scholarship. The student must respond to each offer email separately.
Acceptance of either the GA stipend or the tuition scholarship does not imply acceptance of the other.
Applicants not receiving assistantships will be notified by the HPELS Graduate Secretary.
Load
For a Graduate Teaching Assistant, a full-time appointment equates to a 6 credit hour teaching load. A
half-time appointment equates to a 3 credit hour teaching load. For a Graduate Research Assistant, a
full-time appointment equates to 20 hours weekly. A half-time appointment equates to 10 hours
weekly. GAs are not to exceed 20 hours of effort per week. Thus, hours should be distributed evenly
throughout the semester and not be allowed to accumulate.
Absence from Service
The faculty supervisor may allow for a reasonable absence from assigned duties for good cause. It is the
responsibility of the GA to notify the supervisor in advance of the absence when possible and work to
obtain a replacement or rearrangement of duties. Excessive absence, regardless of reason, is cause for
termination before the end of the contract.
Evaluation
All Graduate Assistants are to be evaluated by a faculty supervisor each semester using the standardized
evaluation form available on the HPELS website. GAs will be provided with feedback within 10 days of
evaluation to allow for improvement in their performance. Based on evaluation findings and other
written documentation of performance, a recommendation for continued funding of the GA position
will be made. GAs can be recommended for renewal, recommended for renewal with concern, or
recommended for termination. Those renewed with concern will be provided with an action plan to
substantially improve performance to avoid termination at the next evaluation period. Decisions
regarding recommendation for termination should be made by the evaluating faculty member, Division
Chair, and Graduate Coordinator and be approved by the Chair of the HPELS Graduate Committee
and/or the Director of the School of HPELS.
Renewal
A student who has been awarded a Graduate Tuition Scholarship and/or a Graduate Assistant Stipend
receives the award only for the duration stated in the formal letter(s) of offer from the Dean of the
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Graduate College. Students seeking continued support must complete a new application for the
Graduate Tuition Scholarship and/or the Graduate Assistant Stipend and submit the form(s) directly to
the department or academic unit. For first year students seeking a second year of support, the
application form(s) should be submitted during February of their first year. Failure to do so may prevent
the student from being considered for further support.
Resignation
A graduate student may elect to resign the Graduate Tuition Scholarship or the Graduate Assistant
Stipend or both. If students are carrying a full-time load in their program of study and are maintaining a
3.0 grade average or higher they may retain their Graduate Tuition Scholarship even if they elect to
resign their Graduate Assistant Stipend. Full-time students in good academic standing cannot be forced
to resign their tuition scholarship, even if their Graduate Assistant Stipend is terminated because of their
failure to perform the work assignments required by their stipend.
If students resign from their Graduate Assistant Stipend, they must provide written notice to the
Graduate College and to the department. Their stipend will terminate on the day the resignation is
effective. They will continue to be paid their stipend until the effective resignation date.
If students resign or lose a Graduate Tuition Scholarship because they are dropping all classes or
dropping below a full-time load in the program of study, the scholarship will be revoked and they will be
required to pay the entire tuition charges for that semester.
Termination
Graduate Assistants are term appointments, and thus do not have a guarantee of continued
appointment. Reappointment is ordinarily based on satisfactory progress toward the degree,
satisfactory performance in GA duties, availability of funding, and other related factors. A Graduate
Assistant Stipend and/or Graduate Tuition Scholarship may also be terminated for any one of the
following reasons: (a) the overall grade point average for courses toward the degree falls below 3.0, (b)
the semester course load falls below the minimum full-time load of 9 on-campus graduate credit hours
in the program of study, or (c) an allegation of academic or scientific misconduct such as cheating,
plagiarism, or falsification of data, has been investigated and verified.
In addition to the above reasons, a Graduate Assistant Stipend may be terminated when there is
substantial written documentation that a student consistently has not carried out work assignments
which fall within the guidelines of the Graduate Assistantship System. If a student holds both a
Graduate Assistant Stipend and a Graduate Tuition Scholarship, the failure to perform work assignments
for the Graduate Assistant Stipend normally cannot lead to termination of the Graduate Tuition
Scholarship. However, Tuition Scholarships awarded under an externally funded grant may be
terminated as well if required under the terms of the grant.
When termination of a GA is recommended, the Division’s Graduate Coordinator will: (a) notify the
student of the specific nature of the problem or problems, (b) allow the student a reasonable
opportunity to be heard, whether the student wishes to respond orally or in writing, (c) if possible,
attempt an informal resolution to avoid termination, and (d) give the student written notification of the
department's reasons for recommending termination if an informal resolution cannot be achieved.
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After the above steps have been followed, the Graduate Coordinator will forward the written
recommendation, including the reasons leading to the recommendation, to the Graduate College for
review and approval. The School of HPELS cannot terminate an award without the review and approval
of the Dean of the Graduate College, even if the funding is not provided by the Graduate College.
Suspension or dismissal of a graduate student from the University for disciplinary reasons will terminate
concurrently both a Graduate Tuition Scholarship and a Graduate Assistant Stipend.
Grievance of Termination
When complaints or disagreements arise concerning a student's Graduate Assistant Stipend assignment,
efforts should be made to resolve problems informally. However, in such efforts fail, graduate assistants
have the option of filing a grievance.
Students who hold or have held a Graduate Assistant Stipend and who have a complaint or
disagreement concerning their graduate assistantship may file a grievance according to the steps
outlined in the Graduate Assistantship Grievance Procedure, revised form approved by the Graduate
Council March 9, 1989. Copies of both grievance procedures are available from the Graduate College.
Appeals arising from suspension or dismissal for disciplinary reasons will be processed under the
University's Discipline-Student Policy.
Postponement of Awards
The School of HPELS and the UNI Graduate College is unable to postpone awards for students unable to
attend in the semester for which their award was made. Students who forfeit an award may apply for
awards in the future.
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