Graduate Coordinator
& Staff Support Training
DR. KATE HAUSBECK KORGAN, PH.D.
INTERIM DEAN
FALL 2014
TRAINING OVERVIEW

The structure of graduate education @ UNLV

GC Staff & Services Overview

GC Strategic Planning, Mission & Goals

Graduate Council Roles & Responsibilities

Admissions Policies & Procedures

General Graduate College Policies

Mentorship Tips & Guidelines

Student Records Issues & Timeline

Graduate Student Appeals & Issues

Graduation Policies & Procedures

GA Program Policies & Procedures
GRADUATE EDUCATION @ UNLV
o
We have more than 130 graduate programs.
o
Student admission, matriculation, separation or graduation are all both departmental and
graduate college processes.
o
Department handbooks and policies must be consistent with NSHE, UNLV and GC policies.
o
The Graduate Council oversees graduate curriculum, new programs & program changes,
program review, appeals, student funding & professional development.
MISSION, GOAL & PLANNING

The Graduate College provides strong leadership to facilitate Tier One graduate education, extend
educational opportunities to graduate students, ensure the consistent and fair application of policies,
and provide support for graduate faculty and programs by cultivating an environment in which the
highest quality graduate scholarship and research can thrive.

Core values: excellence, equity, diversity, opportunity, and impact.

Strategic Planning 2013-2014
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Funding for GAs
Recruitment and Grad R2PC
Graduate Rebel Academic Success Progarm
E-systems and Support Services
Tier One Graduate Education & Resources
GC STAFF & SERVICES
GRADUATE COUNCIL

Faculty Leadership of Graduate Council

Meetings 4+ Times per Year
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Committees:
 Executive
 GCNP&PRC
 GCCC
 Student Appeals & Legal Issues
 Awards
 Professional Development
 Program Review
 Ad-Hoc Grad R2PC and Ad-Hoc Diversity & Inclusivity
ADMISSIONS POLICIES & PROCESSES

Application Process: Apply Yourself “AY”
 Deadlines & Fees; Processing Time
 Official Transcript Requirements; Regionally Accredited
 Up-front admit/deny by departments
 Department decision emails
 Full, Conditional & Provisional status: GC vs. Dept. Rec.

Admissions Requirements & Policies
 Dual application process
 Minimum 2.75, or 3.0 in last 2 years or 60 credits
 Domestic vs. International Requirements: Credential Evals &
PEP
 Meeting Conditional & Provisional Requirements
 Roll-over & Roll-back Policies
 Non-degree Info.
ADMISSIONS/RECORDS POLICIES &
PROCESSES

Matriculation
 Immunizations & Residency Processes
 Enrollment requirements
 First Semester
 6 Grad Credits in 3 Semesters (incl. Summer)
Registration Requirement
 Annual review of graduate students
 Good standing, probation & separation processes

Forms & Records Management: Retrievex
 Department access to student records
 Appeals and confidential docs not available
 Scanning in-house for quick turn-around
ACADEMIC POLICIES

Program Information
 Catalog & Websites
 GCNP&PRC: New Program Proposals & Program
Changes
 Simultaneous Enrollment
 Changes to Program, Plan, and/or Sub-Plans
 UG to Grad Fast Track Programs
 Dual Degree Programs
 Graduate Certificates

Course Information
 Grading System & X “hold” grades; S/F, S/U
 Grade Changes, Withdrawals, Etc.
 Course numbers: 500-700
 Repeat Credits & Double Counting Courses
ACADEMIC POLICIES

FERPA Training Online

Rebel Mail Requirement

Credit Load Limitations
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GPA Requirements
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Leave of Absence Policy
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Academic Dishonesty or Conduct Code Issues
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Probation & Separation Requirements

Student Refunds
STUDENT RECORDS, FORMS & TIMELINE
“A form for everything, and a policy to match!”
Graduate
Faculty Status forms
Degree Audit
Companion form
Committee Appointment
Prospectus
Defense/Advancement to Candidacy forms
Culminating
Experience Results forms & cover sheets
Thesis/Dissertation
Leave
And
forms
of Absence form
Appeal
form
more!
form (& change form)
GRAD COLLEGE DEPARTMENT FORMS

Graduate Faculty Status Forms

GA Forms

Recommendation for Probation

Recommendation for Separation
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Graduate Curriculum: New & Changes

Graduate Programs: New & Changes & Holds

UG Permission to Enroll

Authorization for Overload
THOUGHTS ON MENTORSHIP

Scholarly expertise & research

Training future colleagues (not just customers)
o RCR
o Professional Socialization
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Regular and substantive feedback/reviews
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Advocacy within the system
o Policies & Procedures: IRB, Hazardous Materials, Computer
Use, Tech Transfer, etc.
o Department & GC Requirements and Forms

Equity, Fairness, Professionalism
Q&A


…on Grad College Organization
…on Grad College Admissions

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…on Grad College Policies
…on Grad College & Department Forms
…on Mentorship & Advisor Responsibilities
GRAD COLLEGE APPEAL PROCESS

Graduate Students have the right to due process
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GA Appeal Form: Universal Use
o Academic appeals
o No conduct code issues
o Separate from fee committee
o Must go from department, to academic college, and then to
the Grad College

Recommendation to FSI Committee

Final Decision belongs to the Dean
GRADUATE STUDY TIMELINE

Meet your Advisor

Determine if you need a Graduate Advisory Committee; if so,
submit Committee Appointment Form

Submit Proposed Degree Program, Parts 1 & 2, to the Graduate
College at the same time: Until Degree Audit!

Submit thesis/dissertation prospectus approval to the Graduate
College (applies to thesis track and doctoral students only)
GRADUATE STUDY TIMELINE

Advance to candidacy (applies to doctoral students only):
Deadline for submitting forms for stipend increase: 8/1, 12/23,
5/1.

Apply for graduation by appropriate deadline; all but final
culminating experience paperwork must be submitted

Work with your Graduate Advisory Committee to draft your
document and eventually submit final draft for their review no
less than two weeks before your scheduled defense

Defend thesis/dissertation (Master’s Thesis and Doctoral
Students ONLY) or Pass your culminating experience
(professional paper, course, and/or exam)
GRADUATE STUDY TIMELINE

Submit final documents to the Graduate College by appropriate
deadline

Submit Thesis or Dissertation, if applicable, in the proper format.


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Student & Committee ensure compliance with publication style
Student & Committee ensure UNLV formatting guidelines are met
Submit to the Grad College for final format approval

Submit your final, approved E-version of your thesis or
dissertation to ProQuest

Graduate!
GRADUATION POLICIES & PROCEDURES
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Submit all forms as required along the way
Transfer credit issues/guidelines: Avoid last minute pitfalls!
Graduation Application Process
Graduate Catalog program requirements & Degree Audit
Preliminary Degree Check Process
Culminating Experience or Thesis/Dissertation Requirements
 Committee Composition
 Credits & Grades Posted & X grades changed
 Defense & Documents
Degree Conferral Process & Timeline
GRADUATION POLICIES & PROCEDURES
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Graduate Advisory Committee Guidelines
Program Exam Process: Qualifying, Comprehensive, Final
Exams
Thesis & Dissertation Process
 Formatting Process
 Paper Submission
 E-Submission to Pro-Quest
Professional Papers
6/8 year time limit extensions
Minimum of 3 graduate credits in final semester
Commencement Requirements
Q&A

…on Appeals, Timeline, Graduation?
GA PROGRAM POLICIES

GAs must receive a stipend to be considered a GA and derive
benefits (residency, etc.); they must be an active, enrolled regular
graduate student
 $10k minimum for 9 month Masters
 $13k min. for 9 mo. Pre-ABD Doc; $15k for 9 mo. Post-ABD Doc

GA full time status = 6 grad credits; GAs must be enrolled in a min. of
6 grad credits

Fixed appointment periods with min. stipend amounts: fall & spring,
fall, spring, or summer (externally funded only)

GAs may work up to 20 hours per week on teaching or research;
no ‘busy work’
GA PROGRAM POLICIES, CONT.

Since Spring 2012: New international GAs must take SPEAK test and
may be required to take ELC class before teaching

Dean generally has fixed state funded allocation for 3 year period;
dean’s office allocates funds to departments

80% of state funded GAs (GTAs) must teach 6 credits, or equivalent,
per semester

Approved additional employment form required for up to 10 hours per
week of paid work outside GA position; international GAs may not have
any additional employment
GA PROCESS OVERVIEW: PART 1

Students apply by set deadline in AY-GA: March 1st is
recommended

Departments appoint by set deadline in AY-GA
 Fall = May 15th
 Spring = December 15th
 Summer = May 1st

Grad College reviews appointment details
 Confirms funds are available
 Clarifies/reviews student offer

GC publishes letter to student w/email notification
GA PROCESS OVERVIEW: PART 2

Student accepts or declines offer within 2 weeks or offer is
rescinded automatically. If s/he accepts…

GA receives email invitation to participate in contract signing, as
well as a link to website with appropriate forms/documents;
International GAs must register w/ OISS and obtain a SSN
BEFORE signing a contract

GA registers for contract signing (separated by new domestic,
new international, renewals)

GA brings completed & signed docs to session; International GAs
must obtain a work permit from OISS, and bring the original
document to the contract signing session

GA completes process
 Externally funded students must complete the “pink” tuition
waiver form & submit to GC
 International students must have social security card
GA PROCESS OVERVIEW: PART 3

GC reviews accounts, pulls data from AY into Access
Database, codes student in PS

GC processes tuition waiver for state students within 2
business days; we process waiver for externally funded
students upon return of completed pink course form

GC processes contract in HRMS for stipend

GC submits health insurance for students who accept it
(mandatory for international students through OISS, not the
GC); non-refundable
AY–GA MODULE ~ PART 1:
OVERVIEW OF DEPT. PROCESS

Login to AY with your user ID and password

Use queries in AY to locate and review all GA applications

Enter your "Department Review" into AY
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GC reviews your request, publishes the offer letter, and sends an email notification to the student

Offer letter contains all appointment details as well as information on accepting or declining the
offer

Student must accept their offer within 2 weeks or it will be
rescinded
AY–GA MODULE ~ PART 2:
STATE VS. EXTERNALLY FUNDED GAS

State funded GAs come out of your departmental allocation. These GAs have a set offer package
including tuition waiver and health insurance benefit. 80% GTA, 20% flexible.

Appointing a state funded GA is therefore pretty simple in AY.

Externally funded GAs are appointed using departmental or grant accounts. These external funds
cover the stipend plus any tuition waiver or health insurance benefit you choose to offer.

Appointing an externally funded GA in AY is therefore a little more complicated, so make sure you
have your account numbers ready.
AY–GA MODULE ~ PART 3:
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Faculty/Staff Training & Users Guide

Tracking of Funds & Expenditure Reports
 Organized by College/Department; State funded only
 Includes tally for DOC contribution from Grad College
 $12k from state allocation; difference from GC
 Input full stipend amount into AY

GA Trend Data Available Moving Forward

Note: Grad Students (not GAs) hired on LOAs are processed by departments
Q&A
Ask your questions about Graduate Assistantships,
AY-GA, GA budgets,
and/or
GA policies!
WE ARE A RESOURCE FOR YOU!
Graduate College: 895-3320
Kate.korgan@unlv.edu
 895-0446
 Kendall.hartley@unlv.edu
 895-1039
 Valarie.burke@unlv.edu
 895-5773
 Janine.barrett@unlv.edu
 895-3346
 Brianne.heinle@unlv.edu
 895-1233
 Kara.wada@unlv.edu
 895-1211
