Template for Assistantship Letters of Offer/Notices of
Appointment
For use for Graduate Assistantship (GA) for AY 2013-2014

The current Agreement between the University of Illinois and the Graduate Employees'
Organization (GEO) requires that letters of offer/notices of appointment be issued for all
TA and GA appointments between 25% and 67% FTE, inclusively — including those for
assistants already attending UIC.

The letter of appointment shall be issued no later than 45 days before the start of the
appointment. In the case of appointments made less than forty five (45) days before or forty five
(45) days after the beginning of the semester, the letter of appointment shall be issued as soon as
practicable.

Letters of offer should comply with the template below. (Portions in bold are to be filled
in with the appropriate information. Specific instructions are provided in italics. One of
the two underlined phrases regarding the stipend amount must be used in the letter.)
Nothing should be omitted or added except as noted below. A separate cover letter may
be added if desired.
[Date]
Dear [Name],
I am pleased to tell you that we are offering you an appointment as a Graduate Assistant for
[period of appointment and services dates]. This appointment will be for [percentage] %
time with a stipend of $ [amount] for the full appointment period [or] per monthly pay period,
prorated for the number of days worked in the pay period.
Your assistantship carries a tuition waiver which covers many, but not all, of the fees. It does
cover the service fee, health service fee, Academic Facilities Maintenance Fund Assessment
(AFMFA), and Library and Information Technology Assessment. For Academic Year 2013 –
2014, the waiver also covers $150 or 33%, whichever is greater toward the cost of university
health insurance (CampusCare) if the student is enrolled, provided in the fall and spring
semesters only. The waiver may NOT cover the tuition differential assessment, consult your
academic program if you have questions. The tuition differential will vary depending on the
program and the number of credit hours you are enrolled in (see attachment).
[Must be included only for GA/Graduate Assistant Appointments; do not include if offer is for
TA/Teaching Assistant Appointment:] Tuition and service fee waivers for Graduate Assistants
(GA) are considered taxable income unless exempt under a specific Section of the Internal
Revenue Code (IRC). The University has a 127 plan, which is an educational assistance
program that exempts the first $5,250 (per calendar year) of the tuition and service fee waivers as
allowed by IRC Section 127. Cumulative tuition and service fee waivers in a calendar year
exceeding $5,250 are considered taxable benefits. Therefore, your wages will have additional
withholding for any value above the $5,250 limit. The value of the tuition and service fee waiver
that exceeds $5,250 will be subject to tax withholding based on the graduated tax withholding
method. The calculation of the tax withholding will be in accordance with your current form W4 on file with the University Payroll and Benefits Office. The tax withholding may result in your
monthly paycheck or paychecks throughout the semester being significantly reduced possibility
up to the point where you have no take-home pay. This will depend on the value of your tuition
and service fee waiver and the pay you receive for the services you perform for the University.
Finally, please be aware that in order to receive a tuition waiver you must meet certain
conditions including, but not limited to, registering for a minimum of 8 hours in the fall and
spring semesters. For other requirements, please contact your program.
The main duties of the appointment will include [major components of the assignment]. Your
departmental supervisor for the assistantship will be [name and phone number], who will
provide specific information about your assignment. Your assignment of duties may be changed
at the discretion of the department with notice to you in advance.
[Must be included if there are optional or mandatory orientations:] [A/An]
[mandatory/optional] orientation session[s] will be held on [date, time] at [location].
[If the offer of appointment is contingent upon the student being certified by the University as
being proficient in English oral communication, that condition must be stated in writing as
follows:] This offer of appointment is conditional on your being certified by the University as
proficient in oral communication in English. For information on procedures for certification, see
http://www.uic.edu/depts/oar/grad/international_requirements_grad.html#EnglishCompetency
The terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to benefits and wages, for
this appointment are governed by a collective bargaining agreement between the Board of
Trustees of the University of Illinois and the Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO), which
may be found at the following web address: www.uic.edu/depts/hr/relations/relations.html
Under this agreement, your appointment and contact information will be forwarded to the GEO
whether or not you have requested that your student educational record be confidential under the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, unless you notify Academic Human Resources of
your objection within 5 days of the start of your appointment.
This appointment is contingent upon your completing all documentation required for
employment. You must confirm acceptance of this appointment by return letter or e-mail to
[name and contact information] [as soon as possible / by [date]].
[Closing and Signature]
(Accept)
_________________________________________________
_________________
Name
Date
Attachment
UIC Fall 2013 and Spring 2014
Graduate Differentials
Range I
12 hours
and over
$2,909
$2,409
$1,808
$2,201
Range
II
6 to 11
hours
$1,939
$1,606
$1,205
$1,467
Range
III
1 to 5
hours
$970
$803
$603
$734
Range
IV
Zero
hours
$485
$402
$301
$367
Architecture and the Arts - MS in Architecture in Health Design
Biomedical Visualization
$3,012
$4,192
$3,725
$2,008
$2,795
$2,483
$1,004
$1,397
$1,242
$502
$699
$621
Business: MBA, MA in Real Estate, MS Accounting, MS in Management Information
Systems, and MS in Finance
College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs (CUPPA) - Public Administration
College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs (CUPPA) - Urban Planning and Policy
MS Engineering - All Except Energy Engineering
Engineering - Energy Engineering
$4,350
$2,000
$2,500
$1,450
$3,295
$2,900
$1,333
$1,667
$967
$2,197
$1,450
$667
$833
$483
$1,098
$725
$333
$417
$242
$549
LAS:* Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Physics,
and Psychology
Medical Biotechnology MS
Nursing
Occupational Therapy (OT): Doctor of OT and MS in OT
Public Health (all except Healthcare Administration)
Public Health - Healthcare Administration
Social Work
$875
$3,449
$4,101
$2,134
$1,865
$5,046
$383
$583
$2,299
$2,734
$1,423
$1,243
$3,364
$255
$292
$1,150
$1,367
$711
$622
$1,682
$128
$146
$575
$684
$356
$311
$841
$64
Range I
6 hours
and over
$1,455
$1,205
$904
$1,101
$1,506
$2,096
$1,863
Range
II
3 to 5
hours
$970
$803
$1,205
$1,467
$2,008
$2,795
$2,483
Range
III
1 to 2
hours
$485
$402
$301
$367
$502
$699
$1,242
Range
IV
Zero
hours
$243
$201
$151
$184
$251
$349
$621
$2,175
$1,000
$1,250
$725
$1,648
$2,900
$667
$833
$483
$1,099
$1,450
$333
$417
$242
$549
$725
$167
$208
$121
$275
$438
$292
$146
$73
http://www.uic.edu/depts/oar/grad/tuition_grad.html
Architecture and the Arts - Architecture
Architecture and the Arts - Art and Design
Architecture and the Arts - Art History
Architecture and the Arts - MA in Architecture Design Criticism
Architecture and the Arts - MA in Museum & Exhibition Studies
UIC Summer 2014 Graduate
Differentials
Architecture and the Arts - Architecture
Architecture and the Arts - Art and Design
Architecture and the Arts - Art History
Architecture and the Arts - MA in Architecture Design Criticism
Architecture and the Arts - MA in Museum & Exhibition Studies
Architecture and the Arts - MS in Architecture in Health Design
Biomedical Visualization
Business: MBA, MA in Real Estate, MS Accounting, MS in Management Information
Systems, and MS in Finance
College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs (CUPPA) - Public Administration
College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs (CUPPA) - Urban Planning and Policy
MS Engineering - All Except Energy Engineering
Engineering - Energy Engineering
LAS:* Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Physics,
and Psychology
Medical Biotechnology MS
Nursing
Occupational Therapy (OT): Doctor of OT and MS in OT
Public Health (all except Healthcare Administration)
Public Health - Healthcare Administration
Social Work
*Students whose home academic program (not necessarily the appointing unit for
the assistantship) is in LAS will have the differential waived by the assistantship
tuition waiver)
$1,725
$2,051
$1,067
$933
$2,523
$192
$1,150
$1,367
$711
$622
$1,682
$128
$575
$684
$356
$311
$841
$64
$288
$342
$178
$156
$421
$32