Graduate Assistants
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Document Number: SFS--122
Revision #: 2.0
Document Owner: V. P. for Enrollment Management
Date Last Updated: 05/14/2018
Primary Author: Executive Director of Enrollment Services
Status: Pending
Date Originally Created: 11/30/2011
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General Description
Description:
Information about graduate assistants relative to student financial aid.
Purpose:
Delineation of policy.
Scope:
Students, Director of Human Resources
Responsibility:
Director of Human Resources
VP of Business and Finance
Student Financial Services
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Requirements
Relevant Knowledge:
Current University policy
Terms and Definitions:
Additional training
Corrective Action
Loss of privilege, general
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Policy Provisions
1. Graduate Assistants
A limited number of graduate students will be able to receive a Cumberland University graduate assistantship each year. Graduate assistant responsibilities are to assist the school/department/program as directed by the supervisor, 20 hours per week for the term awarded. This is to include times that students are not in classes, but the University is open for regular business hours.
1. A graduate assistant must be accepted and enrolled in a Cumberland University graduate assistantship each year. Interested students that meet the Cumberland University graduate program requirements may apply for a graduate assistantship by completing the application located in the office of the Director of Human Resources.
2. Graduate assistants must be enrolled in a minimum of six semester hours of graduate work each semester during their assistantship term.
3. Graduate assistants are to maintain no less than a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on all graduate coursework to remain in good standing. When a graduate assistant's GPA falls below the minimum required, the student is automatically placed on probation and must petition the Graduate Studies Council through his/her Program Director to continue in course work in any graduate program of Cumberland University. Students on probation may remain on probation for a maximum of one semester; if the student's cumulative grade point average has not risen to the required 3.00 level at the end of one semester of probation, the student may be officially withdrawn from the program as stated in the graduate section of the catalogue.
4. Graduate assistants must be enrolled in courses that lead toward the completion of a graduate degree in the student's program of study. The payment associated with course(s) not in the student's program of study will be the responsibility of the graduate assistant.
5. A graduate assistant is first and foremost a graduate student and his/her academic responsibilities take priority over all other responsibilities relative to their assigned graduate assistant position.
6. Graduate assistants are to demonstrate leadership and responsibility through their actions, upholding the highest professional standards in both their academic and personal endeavors. Failure to uphold the University standards, any issue(s) of poor performance, and/or misconduct will lead to disciplinary sanctions, up to and including loss of the assistantship.
7. Graduate assistants are expected to maintain only professional relationships with Cumberland University undergraduate students. Prohibited relationships with undergraduate students include but are not limited to, romantic relationships, sharing living quarters, and/or socializing with undergraduate students. Failure to exercise one's professional judgment in avoiding such relationships will result in disciplinary sanctions, up to and including loss of the assistantship.
8. Failure to serve for the entire term/semester/year will result in the total cost of the current semester being the responsibility of the graduate assistant.
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Performance Evaluation
Performance Metrics:
Compliance with standard policy and procedure
Consequences:
Further training
Loss of privileges
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Subject Experts
The following may be consulted for additional information.
Executive Director of Enrollment Services