Graduate Assistant Orientation

Graduate Assistant Orientation Graduate School 200 Boone Hall

Graduate School Personnel • Associate Vice-Provost, Dr. Jeff Kentor(jkentor@emich.edu) • Faculty Associate, Dr. Claudia Petrescu(cpetrescu@emich.edu) • Faculty Associate, Jessica(Decky) Alexander (jalexande1@emich.edu) • Administrative Assistant, Nancy Sutter (nsutter@emich.edu) • Thesis/Dissertation Reader, Lisa Mills Walters (lwalters@emich.edu) • 200 Boone Hall, graduate_school@emich.edu • 734-487-0042

GA Policies - Web site • www.emich.edu/graduate/students/ga • Graduate Assistantships • Student Information • Human Resources, Michele Miller, 140 McKenny, 487-3430, mmill134@emich.edu • Payroll: 104 Hover, 487-2393

GA Website www.emich.edu/graduate/students/ga

Hiring Procedures • Department/office makes hiring decision, sends offer letter, student returns Obligation Form to department • Department/office completes Personnel Action Form (ePAF), sent electronically to Dean or VP for approval, then to Human Resources • Human Resources approves the GA appointment • Student Business Services posts tuition into student account • Financial Aid posts scholarship/tuition award as a financial resource - this will impact loans • Payroll processes pay

Stipend/income and Tuition/fees • Income/stipend -- hiring department PAF • Tuition/fees – Human Resources and Student Business Services/Financial Aid (registration, general, technology, and student union fees) • Fees NOT paid: • Program fees • New student records initiation fee • Late registration or drop/add fees • Late payment fees

Number of Credits • Payment based upon hours worked – 18 credits maximum for the academic year (September - August) for full-time GA • Tuition and fees paid for fall or winter semesters would be: • 100% -- 20 hours -- up to 9 credit hours scholarship each semester • 50% -- 10 hours -- up to 5 credit hours scholarship • Two year MAXIMUM: exceptions must be approved by Graduate School.

Summer Credits • If all credits are not used during the fall and winter semesters, one is able to use remaining credits over the summer semesters. • One can NOT exceed 18 credits of tuition in the academic year. If all 18 hours are used fall/winter, then no additional award is available. • The academic year ends at the end of August. Tuition awards are granted for the Academic year. If not used, they go away.

Tuition posting • Tuition/fees post to your account a few days before the semester begins, once the ePAF has been processed (payment adjusts automatically with drop/add) • You pay program fees by first bill due date • Loans post around the first day of classes; they are adjusted based on GA tuition scholarship • Aid refunds pay out at the start of the semester; check your online bill.

Registration • All GAs for fall/winter must enroll in at least 6 graduate credit hours in courses noted on the Program of Study (summer GAs need to enroll in a minimum of 1 credit hour). International Gas must enroll in 8 cr. Hrs. Fall and Winter semesters. • Without proper registration, you risk losing the GA award! • Course withdrawal -- YOU repay tuition if you drop a course after the 100% refund period • A copy of the Program of Study needs to be on file in Human Resources. All programs of study must be filed with the Office of Records and Registration for graduation audit. • Inform Human Resources when you need to register for fewer than 6 credit hours (faculty email verification that you are at the end of your program).

Payroll • Paystub information is found on my.emich Employee tab – and electronic W2 • Pay for all students will be deposited into your Eagle One (ID) account card • Go to www.EMUEagleOne.com to set access preference for your funds. • Leave on Eagle One account – debit card, buy paper checks for bill payment, pay bills online • Forward to your bank account (must be same bank as loan disbursement) • Get a physical paycheck – a week delay • PRINT ACH FORM AND TAKE TO PAYROLL

FICA Tax • Enrolled students who are employed will have the FICA federal tax waived – it’s not withheld from your pay. • However, if you are not in at least 4 credits during the time when payroll runs, then FICA is withheld. (For example, being enrolled in a one week course meets the GA enrollment requirement for the term, but not the FICA exemption for the other weeks of payroll.)

Additional Paperwork • I-9: document required by Homeland Security regarding eligibility to be employed. Required of all employees and MUST be completed within three days of employment. If GA was previously employed by EMU, then a new document is not required. Please complete in HR office if you have not done so already. • W-4 form -- complete at Payroll Office, Hover Building. Form used to declare number of exemptions for payroll tax. International students make appointment to complete the waiver of taxes form.

International GAs • New I-20 must document GA position. Take offer letter to Office of International Students (OIS). • Apply for Social Security number. • If enrolled in fewer than 8 credits fall and winter, must notify OIS (6 credit requirement is allowed by EMU but not SEVIS).

Progress Toward Degree Completion • Must maintain 3.0 or better GPA • Must show 67% course completion • GA tuition scholarship covers one master’s degree for a maximum of 36 credit hours, typically 4 enrollment periods (exception to 6 enrollment periods must be approved by Graduate School.)

Benefits • Tuition and fees (registration, general, technology, and student union fees -- not program fees) • GA/white card (from department/school secretary) gives library privileges, parking hangtag (parking form) • Priority registration • Experiential learning opportunities

When there is a problem… • Hiring issues – department/school, Human Resources -- Timing of PAF submission • Pay issues -- Payroll, Human Resources • Tuition issues – Student Business Services, Human Resources • Loans -- Financial Aid • I-9 – Human Resources, W-4 -- Payroll • SSN number and new I-20 for international students, Office of International Students • MIGS -- classes taken at another school

Office Protocol • Goals of position/learning objectives • Office procedures -- office orientation • Timeline for tasks/expectations clarified • Ask questions/network • Avoid over commitment • Strive for balance -- school, work, social, family, spiritual/mental health, physical health

Office Protocol cont. • Addressing personnel/formality of office • Attire and general appearance • Punctuality • Changes in scheduled work hours • Social relationship of office colleagues/harassment issues -- know the boundariesComplete sexual harassment training and deliver/email certificate to Human Resources • http://training.newmedialearning.com/psh/emichu/index.htm

Role Model • Influencing undergraduates • Informal mentoring of other graduate students or new GAs • Graduate student Support Group • Strive to function in a capacity for which the department/school, college, and University can be proud

Safety and Security • http://www.emich.edu/security/ • http://www.emich.edu/publicsafety/ • Cleary Act Training • Hazardous Materials Training • Campus alerts/text messages • 911 from campus landline • (734) 487-1222 from cell phone

Graduate Assistant Orientation