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Graduate Assistants

1. In advance of recruiting a graduate assistant position, the departments should meet with the dean's office to layout the number of graduate assistant positions available for hire within funding availability for that term/year.

2. Draft Offer Letter for selected graduate assistant.

3. Check with Dean's Office to find your school's policy for routing offer letters (i.e., Department, Employee, Dean's Office or Department, Dean's Office, Employee).

4. Forward fully signed offer letter to Human Resources. NOTE: If this is a grant-related position, send letter to Research Accounting.

5. Have employee go to HR to complete required hire paperwork.

Required forms:
* Employee Information Packet (includes W4 & I9)
* Photocopy of Social Security Card for proof of legal name

Notes

• For information on the Graduate Assistant Salary Schedule (minimum annual salary rates) please see the salary table at PSU's Budget Office website.

• Talk with your GAs about any other employment at PSU to avoid breaking the .49 FTE rule.

G.A.’s are not allowed to exceed .49 FTE in any term

To stay under .49 FTE in any term, the combination of appointment and hourly work should be no greater than the following:

• .15 FTE GA appt., 176 hours available for hourly work per term
• .30 FTE GA appt., 98 hours available for hourly work per term
• .45 FTE GA appt., 20 hours available for hourly work per term
• .49 FTE GA appt., 0 hours available for hourly work per term
  
• Please make sure your Graduate Assistants attend the GA Orientation offered in the Fall, (even if they start their GA appointment in Winter or Spring.)

• Give a copy of the current graduate terms of agreement to each Graduate Assistant each year.