July 19, 2024
Vacation Policy for Graduate Assistantships
All graduate students in qualifying assistantships (graduate teaching assistantship, graduate research assistantship, graduate instructor, graduate library assistant, graduate fellow, and graduate professional assistantship) are entitled to paid vacation time. Students with a 12-month stipend are entitled to two weeks (10 working days) of paid vacation time per academic calendar year (August 1 through July 31 of the following year). Students with shorter appointments are entitled to a pro-rated amount of paid vacation time per academic year. This additional vacation time is separate from the standard MU holidays, which do not include the Spring or Summer recess periods. In cases where…
July 29, 2020
Deferred Pay for Graduate Assistantships
Graduate students with assistantships on a 9-month, monthly paid appointment may be eligible for pay deferral to have their assistantship pay allocated over 12 months. Full policy provisions and eligibility criteria are described in HR-219 Pay Periods and HR-105 Employment Documentation. Elections for deferred pay must be made prior to the first pay cycle of the academic year and renewed each appointment year. To elect deferred pay, complete HR Form 269A Deferred Pay Option Election Form for Faculty and Graduate Assistantships (PDF) and return it to your hiring department payroll/PAF…
Oct. 5, 2018
Instruction of Graduate Students
Graduate instructors must possess a relevant academic degree and hold a degree at least one level above the level of instruction, except in programs for terminal degrees or when equivalent experience is established. Graduate Faculty Status is required to teach a graduate or cross-level course at the University of Missouri. Graduate students do not qualify for Graduate Faculty membership.
March 6, 2018
Qualifying Titles for Graduate Assistantships
A graduate student is eligible for tuition remission of resident and non-resident tuition (if applicable) if they have an assistantship that meets the eligibility requirements of FTE, stipend level, and title. The student must be enrolled in a graduate degree-seeking program and be in good academic standing. Tuition support is subject to time limitations. If all criteria are met, the following titles qualify graduate students for both the Graduate Tuition Support Program and a student medical insurance subsidy: Graduate Research Assistantship (4016) Graduate Teaching Assistantship (4017) Graduate Instructor Assistantship (4014) Graduate Professional Assistantship (4018)…
March 6, 2018
Performance & Renewal Evaluation Criteria for Graduate Assistantships
Graduate assistantship evaluation methods The responsibilities of graduate assistantships and the performance evaluation method should be provided in writing to the student by the immediate supervisor at the beginning of the assistantship. An appeal process is available for students in graduate assistantships who assert they have not been fairly evaluated. Conducting evaluations The faculty or staff member who supervises the work of the student holding the graduate assistantship must conduct a written evaluation of the student’s performance at least once a year and provide a copy to the student and to the chair/director of the program or department for placement in the…
March 6, 2018
Leaves of Absence for Assistantships and Fellowships
Graduate students are responsible for resolving all issues pertaining to their support (assistantship, fellowship, etc.) with their advisors before taking any approved leave of absence. Issues may include the date when support will be terminated and under what conditions students may be reinstated. Notifying administrators A student with a graduate assistantship who is unable to fulfill the duties of an appointment because of illness or injury or because of a birth or adoption must notify the unit administrator as soon as possible. If the student’s assistantship is funded by an external grant (e.g., NSF, NIH), the funding agency may have…
March 6, 2018
Tuition Support Program Charge-Back Process: Grants & Contracts
The grant from which a student is funded may be responsible for some or all of the resident tuition remitted by the Graduate Student Tuition Support Program if: The student’s assistantship meets all the eligibility criteria for tuition remission. At least some portion of that appointment is paid by a grant. There are no prohibitions imposed by the granting agency. Departments requesting support for a graduate research assistant (GRA) should include in their budgets: The resident tuition support, normally calculated at 9 hours per semester. The insurance subsidy credit, based on the FTE of the assistantship/fellowship Note: If a student…
March 5, 2018
Appealing Graduate Assistantship Evaluation or Termination
A student with a graduate assistantship may appeal a decision regarding an assistantship in the following circumstances: Unfair dismissal. Prejudiced or capricious academic program evaluation. Equity issues in assistantship compensation or duties. If you are a graduate student and believe one of the above situations applies to you, you may begin the appeals process. Step 1: Work toward a resolution. First attempt to resolve the matter with the faculty/staff member or appropriate administrative leader of the school, college or unit responsible for your assistantship. Step 2: File a written appeal within your unit. If your attempt at resolution is unsuccessful,…
March 5, 2018
Fellowship and Assistantship Acceptance Deadline
The University of Missouri is a signatory to the Council of Graduate Schools’ April 15 Resolution regarding the offering and acceptance of financial aid. Specifically, students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support for the coming academic year before April 15. When a student accepts an offer before this date and subsequently desires to withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time. However, an acceptance given or left in force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another offer of financial support until they…
March 5, 2018
Graduate Student Tuition Support Program (Tuition Remission) Eligibility
The Graduate Tuition Support Program, administered by the MU Graduate School, remits (i.e., students would not pay) for tuition for qualified graduate students. Students must meet established criteria to be considered for the program. Download the Determination of Eligibility Form. Eligibility Eligible Qualifying graduate assistants and fellows — Graduate students (including those who are spouses or dependents of benefit-eligible employees) who hold qualifying assistantships or fellowships from academic departments or qualified non-degree-granting programs and are in good academic standing in their home departments may be eligible for tuition support. Not Eligible Benefit-eligible Mizzou employees — Benefit-eligible employees who are no longer…