Graduate assistants in the Lubar College of Business are eligible for a maximum of two years of support at the Master’s level, and a maximum of four years at the PhD level. Annual renewals are not automatic and are not guaranteed to any student. Renewals are contingent upon evidence of:
- progress toward degree;
- strong classroom performance;
- good academic standing, and
- position availability.
Progress Toward Degree
Renewals are contingent upon progress toward the degree (rather than from the time the Graduate Assistantship is initially awarded). The following rules govern eligibility for Graduate Assistantships:
Master’s Students
To be eligible for support in your second year, you must have completed at least 12 credits during your first year as a master’s student.
Doctoral Students
To be eligible for support in your second year at the doctoral level, you must have completed a total of 12 credits.
To be eligible for support in your third year at the doctoral level, you must have completed a total of 24 credits.
To be eligible for support in your fourth year at the doctoral level, you must have passed preliminary examinations by the end of the spring semester and applied for dissertator status.
In addition, doctoral students teaching independently must be within 3 years of their most recent milestone, (ex: preliminary exams, proposal) to be considered for renewal.
Strong Classroom Performance
Teaching Assistants will have their appointments renewed only if they fulfill all duties as required by their teaching assignment (e.g., attendance at required orientation sessions, staff meetings, keeping sufficient office hours, etc.). Teaching Assistants will not have their appointments renewed if they perform poorly in the classroom (e.g., consistently poor teaching evaluations, excessive student complaints) or if they fail to adequately perform other duties related to their assignment.
Good Academic Standing
Graduate Assistants must carry at least a six-credit course load per semester. Doctoral students are eligible to register for one credit the semester before their preliminary exams; after doctoral students attain dissertator status, they are required to register for only three credits per semester.
Master’s Students
Graduate Assistants must maintain at least a 3.33 grade point average and have no incompletes to be eligible for renewal. Any incompletes at the end of the spring semester (when Graduate Assistantships are renewed) must be cleared before July 15th in order for renewal of the Graduate Assistantship. This means that the incomplete work must be submitted to the instructor at least one week before the July 15th deadline so that there is adequate time for the instructor to grade the work and process the necessary forms. It is the student’s responsibility to make these arrangements with the instructor in advance and to inform the Office of the Dean that the incomplete has been cleared.
Doctoral Students
Graduate Assistants must maintain at least a 3.33 grade point average. Any doctoral student who receives a permanent incomplete will not be eligible for renewal.
Position Availability
The availability of a position for a continuing graduate assistant is not guaranteed.