1

Now that you have received a graduate assistantship and/or tuition scholarship, there are several topics that must be reviewed. In this orientation we will cover the following topics:
 The Graduate Assistant Handbook
 Eligibility
 Required forms
 Fee Remission
 Parking
 Plagiarism
And more!
2

3

The Graduate Assistant Handbook is your primary reference guide if you have questions regarding your assistantship.
Some of the important topics available are:
• Types of Graduate Assistantships
• Terms and Benefits
• Rights and Responsibilities
• Sexual Harassment/Non-Discrimination
• Grievance Procedures
Please review the handbook and bookmark the following link for your personal use:
Graduate Assistant Handbook
4

5

To be eligible for graduate assistantship:
 You must be fully admitted to a graduate degree program.
 You must be enrolled as a full-time student during each semester you are working as a graduate assistant.
9 + credits in Fall/Spring semester
6 + credits in combined Summer sessions
 Maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA and progressing towards degree completion.
 Maximum works hours on campus may not exceed 20 per week.
6

Eligibility Requirements, continued

You are required to perform your graduate assistantship duties satisfactorily.
 Maintain the standards of academic conduct.
 Honor the terms of your contract agreement.
 Teaching Assistants must meet oral proficiency requirements:
International students must provide a score of 23 or higher on the speaking portion of the TOEFL, and Domestic students must be assessed by departmental procedures.
7

The Polsky Building, Room 469
Akron, Ohio 44324-2101
330-972-5858
8

Required I-9 Form for the Graduate School:
Graduate Assistants are required to complete the I-9 Form for the
Graduate School.
Graduate Fellowships are not required to complete the I-9 Form for the
Graduate School.
Please be advised that you will not be paid until the Graduate School has received the I-9 form.
If you have worked for UA Student Employment, you are still required to submit the I-9 form to the Graduate School.
Do not send the I-9 form to the Payroll Office.
9

What it is
• The purpose of the I-9 form is to document that both citizens and non-citizens are authorized to work in the United States. It is required by the Department of Homeland
Security and must be completed by ALL graduate assistants.
• Read the I-9 Fact Sheet .
Required Identification
• The most commonly accepted identification is a passport or driver’s license and social security card.
• Review the List of Acceptable Documents on the I-9 form .
How to Complete the Form
• You must complete Section 1 of the I-9 form .
• Present your original identification documents to a university employee or a notary public. He or she will examine and record the original documents in Section 2 and provide a signature in the Certification section.
• When this is completed, it should be sent to: The Graduate School, Polsky 469,
Akron, Ohio 44325-2101
10

Location:
Administrative Services Building (ASB) Room 112
185 East Mill Street, Akron, Ohio 44325
Mailing address:
302 Buchtel Common, Akron, Ohio 44325-6210
330-972-7205
11

The Payroll Office requires the following forms:
1.
W-4 Form
2.
Direct Deposit Form
3.
Form SSA-1945
4.
SERS Exemption Form or SERS Membership Record Form
Please complete the Payroll Self-Service Tutorial provided by the
Payroll Office.
12

Retirement Plan
• As a State of Ohio institution, we do not pay Social Security; instead, we contribute to a state retirement system.
• As a student employee, you must choose whether or not you will participate in the School Employees Retirement System (SERS).
• Your contribution is 10% of your earnings and the University will supplement this with a contribution equal to 14%.
13

SERS Membership or Exemption
• You must submit either the Exemption or the Membership Records form to the Payroll Office within the first 30 days of employment.
Failure to do so will result in you automatically being enrolled in SERS and you will be unable to exempt yourself until there is a break in service.
• If you choose to complete the Membership Record, state law makes parents possible beneficiaries; therefore, your parent’s birth dates are required (note deceased if applicable).
Visit the SERS website for more information.
14

SERS Information for Teaching Assistants
• If you are an active member in State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS) and you are not on a leave of absence from a teaching position covered by STRS Ohio, you may apply for exemption from contributions to STRS Ohio.
Please consult the STRS Ohio website at https://www.strsoh.org/Employer/pubs/1k04.html
for more information and an exemption form.
• If you are an active member in State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS) and
on a leave of absence from a teaching position covered by STRS Ohio, or wish to contribute to STRS Ohio, you must complete a New Hire Notification for College and
University Employees form.
The form is available on the STRS Ohio website at https://www.strsoh.org/Employer/pdfs/50-279b.pdf
.
15

All Payroll forms must be submitted to the
Payroll Office:
Location
Administrative Services Building (ASB) Room 112
185 East Mill Street, Akron, Ohio 44325
Mailing address
302 Buchtel Common, Akron, Ohio 44325-6210
330-972-7205
• Any questions involving payroll forms should be directed to the Payroll
Office .
• The bi-weekly payroll schedule can be found on the Payroll website at: http://www.uakron.edu/busfin/controller/payroll.php
.
16

17

The University of Akron
The University of Akron shall provide a scholarship during each semester or summer session of award period for:
 graduate instructional fees
 non-resident surcharge and
 partial payment of parking permit for student campus lots
Scholarships are not provided for:
• audit or undergraduate courses
• administrative fees
• facilities fees
• technology fees
• drop/add fees
• library fees
• additional cost of professional fess for joint graduate/law students
• professional fees for any student that is not admitted to a joint/law program
• miscellaneous fees
• general service fees
• late registration fees
• tuition/fees at any other institution.
Graduate Scholarships will not be awarded, nor will any fee remission be applied, after the 14th day of any semester or session.
18

19

The University of Akron’s Policy on
Plagiarism
• Academic honesty is fundamental to the activities and principles of any university. All members of an academic community must be confident that each person's work has been responsible and honorably acquired, developed and presented. The assumption that your work is a fair representation of your actual ability, knowledge and skills form the basis of institutional quality and the quality of its graduates.
• For more information please view The University of Akron's policy on
Plagiarism and Academic Integrity .
20

21

Institutional Review Board
All students and faculty engaged in research are subject to the oversight and guidelines of the University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB)
• The IRB is a part of the Office of Research Services & Sponsored
Programs .
• All individuals conducting research involving human subjects must be certified. All researchers must take and pass the core modules in the
Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) curriculum. Application forms and deadlines are available online.
• A CITI Tutorial is available for Researchers Submitting a Protocol to the
IRB and for Students taking the CITI Training to satisfy course requirements.
After completing the tutorials, researches must complete the CITI course online .
• Guidelines and samples for obtaining informed consent, as well as ethical principles and Federal laws are also available online .
22

23

Parking Reimbursement
Your graduate assistantship entitles you to partial payment of a parking permit. You must request your Graduate Assistant Parking Permit online:
1.
Log into Zipline
2.
Access “Parking”
3.
Select “Graduate Assistant” and request permit.
Your department will be sent an approval notice. Once they have approved the payment, your student account will be credited.
Questions regarding parking should be directed to the Parking Office: 330-
972-7213 or parking@uakron.edu
.
24

25

Useful Links for General University
Information and Services:
• Campus Map
• Campus Shuttle
• Career Center
• Counseling Center
• Library Services
• Parking Services
• Off-Campus Services
• Schedule of Classes
• Registrar
• Student Health Services
• UA Athletics
• UA Bookstore
• UAnet Services--Getting Online at UA
• Zip Card Information
26

27