Graduate Program Coordinator Handbook

The Graduate College

Graduate Program Coordinator Handbook 2016-17

Kennesaw State University Kennesaw Hall, Room 3442 http://graduate.kennesaw.edu

Table of Contents

Welcome ............................................................................................................................................................2 The Role of Graduate Program Coordinator ............................................................................................3 Key People and Offices ...................................................................................................................................4 Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) ...........................................................................................5 Graduate Faculty Status ..................................................................................................................................6 Graduate Faculty Status Categories: ....................................................................................................6 Admitting Students ...........................................................................................................................................9 Curriculum Approval Process .................................................................................................................... 11 GPCC and the GPCC Executive Committee ......................................................................................... 13 Graduate Programs and Curriculum Committee GPCC ............................................................. 13 GPCC Executive Committee.............................................................................................................. 13 Graduate Council .......................................................................................................................................... 14 Financial Aid .................................................................................................................................................... 15 Forms of Financial Aid for Graduate Students: .............................................................................. 15 Graduate Research Assistantships ..................................................................................................... 16 Mentoring, Advising, and Supporting Students........................................................................................ 17 General Resources ................................................................................................................................ 17 Resources for D2L Brightspace and the Other Online Tools and Technologies ................... 17 Resources for Thesis/Dissertation Writing ..................................................................................... 17 Resources for Graduate Research Assistants, Graduate Teaching Assistants, Graduate Assistants ................................................................................................................................................. 18

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Welcome Dear Graduate Program Coordinators, Whether you are new to your role as the coordinator of a graduate program(s), or are a “seasoned� coordinator, this handbook is designed to provide you with information, resources, and advice to help you navigate your role and support the students in your graduate program(s). As we curated the information in this handbook, we invited other coordinators to share their collective wisdom with us so that we could pass it along to you. The final version of this handbook is the culmination of this collaborative crowdsourced effort, and we hope you will find the information and ideas useful.

Very sincerely, Cherilyn and Stephanie

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The Role of Graduate Program Coordinator One of the greatest challenges about becoming a Graduate Program Coordinator is understanding all of your new responsibilities and resources. As a coordinator you are now the “face” of your program and you will have several responsibilities that begin immediately: For example:  You will be answering questions from prospective students about admissions, o graduate assistantships, and many other topics  Reporting to your Department Chair and Dean about your program  Facilitating the admissions process within your department  Representing your program at meetings and events  Working with your Chair and possibly the Undergraduate Coordinator to determine o faculty workloads for the purpose of scheduling courses in your graduate program  You may be the main supervisor of Graduate Assistants  Proposing curriculum changes that you or other graduate faculty have identified as  beneficial  Ensuring that the Graduate Faculty Status is current for all the faculty teaching in your graduate program(s)  Developing and implementing an assessment plan for the graduate program(s) you oversee as part of the Improve KSU initiative (see http://oie.kennesaw.edu/improveksu/) While specific duties vary based on the needs of your particular graduate program, as well as departmental and/or college resources available to support your program, the aforementioned responsibilities are relatively consistent among the various coordinators.

As you transition to your role as a Graduate Program Coordinator, it is important to avail yourself of the resources offered through The Graduate College, including the information presented through the outreach program (see http://graduate.kennesaw.edu/facultyresources/gcop.php), and the professional staff in the college, and the other program coordinators and directors (see the information on Graduate Council).

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Key People and Offices Dr. Mike Dishman Professor of Education Policy & Governance Interim Dean of The Graduate College Phone: 470-578-6738 mdishma2@kennesaw.edu

Dr. Jeff Chastine Professor of Software Engineering & Game Development Interim Associate Dean of The Graduate College Graduate Faculty, Curriculum and Policy Phone: 470-578-5333 jeff@kennesaw.edu

David Baugher Assistant Dean of The Graduate College Graduate Student Support Phone: 470-578-3008 dbaugher@kennesaw.edu

Nikki Palamiotis Assistant Dean of The Graduate College Admissions, Marketing and Recruiting Phone: 678-915-4600 npalamio@kennesaw.edu

Ann Vancza Assistant to the Vice President Phone: 470-578-6738 avancza@kennesaw.edu

Jennifer Harb Administrative Assistant Phone: 470-578-6046 jharb@kennesaw.edu

Office of the Registrar Telephone Number: 770.423.6200 Fax Number: 470.578.9097 Email Address: registrar@kennesaw.edu

Office of Financial Aid Telephone Number: 770-423-6074 Fax Number: 470-578-9096 Email Address: finaid@kennesaw.edu

Dr. Michele DiPietro (CETL) Executive Director mdipietr@kennesaw.edu

Dr. Michael L. Sanseviro Dean of Student Affairs msansevi@kennesaw.edu

Graduate Student Association The Graduate College ksugsa@gmail.com Website: Website: http://graduate.kennesaw.edu/index.php http://graduate.kennesaw.edu/students/gsa.php

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Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes are a “taxonomic scheme� (NCES, n.d., n.p.) that allow institutions to categorize individual academic programs. CIP codes allow accurate tracking, assessment, and reporting of fields of study and program completion activity.

Furthermore, these codes also allow for cross-institutional comparisons of academic programs.

At KSU, CIP codes Enterprise Information Management (EIM) and Institutional Research are responsible for assigning CIP Codes for programs and courses through Curriculog. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) provides a complete list of CIP codes at: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/browse.aspx?y=55.

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Graduate Faculty Status Graduate Faculty Status is required of any faculty member, full or part-time, who will be instructing at the Graduate level or serving on graduate thesis or dissertation committees.

Kennesaw State University requires all faculty members teaching graduate coursework to meet specific disciplinary or experiential requirements (e.g., advanced degree in discipline or particularized professional expertise). Additionally, full-time faculty members at Kennesaw State University can apply for assessment by the corps of the Graduate Faculty for either Provisional or Full Graduate Faculty status, conferring a significant number of rights (such as the right to vote for or sit upon the University’s Graduate Policies and Curriculum Committee (“GPCC”)), the faculty body ultimately responsible for decisions of curriculum and the Faculty voice for graduate policy The form to apply for Graduate Faculty Status can be found on the following webpage: http://graduate.kennesaw.edu/facultyresources/faculty-appointment.php For questions about eligibility or the process contact Dr. Jeff Chastine, Interim Associate Dean of The Graduate College at jeff@kennesaw.edu.

Faculty going up for Graduate Faculty Status should work with their Program Coordinator and their Department Chair to determine which level is appropriate to apply for and which specific courses the faculty member anticipates teaching or feels that he/she could teach at the graduate level.

Graduate Faculty Status Categories: Please note that only tenured or tenure-track full-time faculty members are eligible for Full Membership or Provisional Membership in the Graduate Faculty.

Full – For Full appointment to the Graduate Faculty of Kennesaw State University, a faculty member must:  hold a full-time tenure or tenure-track position at KSU at the rank of Assistant Professor or above,  show evidence of effective teaching consistent with The Graduate College’s expectations for graduate faculty, and,  have a track record and active program of scholarship or creative activity consistent with the Graduate College’s expectations for graduate faculty, and

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

hold the relevant terminal disciplinary degree, or in unusual cases, have demonstrated exceptional scholarly activity or professional experience.

Full Appointments are made for a period of up to five years. This is the standard graduate appointment for all faculty who are engaged in graduate education, broadly defined by their research and creative activity, teaching, and service to their professional communities.

Provisional – For Provisional appointment to the Graduate Faculty of KSU, a faculty member must:  hold a full-time tenure or tenure-track position at KSU at the rank of Assistant Professor or above,  have some teaching experience, or demonstrate high potential for effective teaching consistent with The Graduate College’s expectations for early career graduate faculty, and.  begin an active program of scholarship or creative activity consistent with The Graduate College’s expectations for early career graduate faculty, and,  hold the relevant terminal disciplinary degree, or in unusual cases, have demonstrated exceptional scholarly activity or professional experience.

A Provisional Appointment is typically awarded to new faculty without an extensive record of teaching, or who are beginning to develop a record of scholarship consistent with the college’s expectations for early career graduate faculty. Provisional appointments may be for a period up to three years. At the conclusion of that appointment, the applicant may apply for Full Appointment to the Graduate Faculty, or may, if circumstances warrant it, reapply for Provisional Graduate Faculty status.

Clinical Professional of Practice – For appointment to the Graduate Faculty of KSU, a Clinical Professional of Practice member must:  hold any form of non-tenure track position at KSU (part-time, temporary, adjunct, visiting, clinical, etc.),  have some teaching experience, or demonstrate high potential for effective teaching consistent with The Graduate College’s expectations for graduate faculty based upon professional experience, and,  have an active program of scholarship or creative activity consistent with The Graduate College’s expectations for graduate faculty based upon professional experience, and,  hold the relevant terminal disciplinary degree, or in unusual cases, have demonstrated exceptional scholarly activity or professional experience (i.e., professionally qualified).

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A Clinical Professional of Practice appointment is typically awarded to a non-tenure track faculty member who will teach a graduate course or serve on a graduate student committee. Clinical graduate appointments are typically made for a one (1) to three (3) year period reflecting the assignment in the graduate domain (MS or PhD committee member, temporary teacher, outside reviewer of graduate performance, Visiting Scholar, etc.). They may be renewed. Appointment as a Clinical Professional of Practice does not carry the rights and privileges of Full or Provisional membership on the Graduate Faculty (such as serving on committees limited to Graduate Faculty members or voting on Graduate Faculty matters). However, when assigned to a student's’ graduate committee and solely in that context, they do have the right to vote as a Member of the Graduate Faculty would.

Permission to teach graduate courses -- For appointment to the Graduate Faculty of KSU, a faculty member must:  hold any form of non-tenure track position at KSU (such as part-time, temporary, adjunct, visiting, clinical),  have some teaching experience, or demonstrate high potential for effective teaching consistent with The Graduate College’s expectations for graduate faculty (as evidenced by undergraduate teaching record, scholarly activity, or professional experience in a particular area related to a course or other assignment, and  hold the relevant terminal disciplinary degree, or in unusual cases, have demonstrated exceptional scholarly activity or professional experience (i.e., professionally qualified).

Permission to teach graduate courses is typically granted to non-tenure track full-time faculty or administrators, part-time faculty, and adjunct faculty, who may be reviewed for permission to teach graduate classes or otherwise direct the experience of graduate students. It may be granted for a period of up to three years. Approval to teach graduate courses is contingent upon reappointment to a specified position each year during the three-year period. Permission to teach graduate courses does not make an individual a member of the Graduate Faculty.

If an applicant is ineligible for appointment at the Full, Provisional, or Clinical ranks, she or he will be considered for permission to teach graduate courses.

In addition to the categories identified above, the Dean of The Graduate College may, at his or her discretion, award an applicant a one (1) year “temporary” Graduate Faculty status. This appointment does not carry the rights and privileges of Full or Provisional membership on the Graduate Faculty (such as serving on committees limited to Graduate Faculty members or voting on Graduate Faculty matters). However, when assigned to a student's’ graduate committee, they do have the right to vote as a graduate faculty member in that context.

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Admitting Students Webpage: http://graduate.kennesaw.edu/admissions/ Phone: 470-578-4377 Email: ksugrad@kennesaw.edu As a program coordinator you need to know if your program admits every term (Fall, Spring, Summer) or at specific times (Fall only, Fall and Spring). You then need to note the application deadline for the term of enrollment. Additionally, you need to determine if you admit a qualified applicant as their materials are received or is there a competitive review of all applicants at the close of the admission cycle?

You can check your program’s deadlines here: http://graduate.kennesaw.edu/admissions/resources/deadlines.php The admissions process is completed through Nolij Web. In order to see applicants, you will need to have a username and password for this program. It is important to note that this password will be required to be updated every 3 months. If you notice that you cannot gain access to Nolij Web then one of the first things to try is to reset your password.

Once you are logged in you will have a fairly blank screen. In the top right corner (next to the “Log Out” prompt) you will need to make sure it says Grad Schools – Admissions, if it says Grad Advisor – Admissions, you will need to use the drop down box to select Grad Schools – Admissions.

The left side of the screen is your Workflow and it should be set on Workflow: Grad Admit To view current applicants, you will select the folder with your program’s name. A box will pop up in the middle of your screen with all the current applicants who are awaiting a decision. To view an applicant, you will select their name and then click Open.

Once you have selected an applicant to review all of their information and application materials will be available in the workflow area. Additionally, you will need to go to the bottom right corner and expand the window to reveal summary information such as the term, program and major for which they are applying, GPAs from all institutions attended and GRE and GMAT scores if those are required by your program.

Once a decision has been made then you use the drop down box under Add Decision to either Accept or Reject.

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After selecting Accept or Reject click the save icon located next to the box that says Grad Student Current on the right side of the screen.

Next, on the far left side of the screen there is a Green checkmark in the Workflow area. To complete and route the decision you MUST click the Green checkmark. Once you do this a box will pop up that says “workflow step” with a question asking about Routing to Decision.

Select OK to complete the process.

You will then see that it says “Decision Made” next to Current Inbox.

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Curriculum Approval Process All proposals for new courses and academic programs, as well as changes to existing courses and academic programs are initiated in Curriculog, an online curriculum management system used at KSU. To get access to Curriculog, you must complete an online training that is appropriate for your user role (e.g., proposal originator, curriculum committee chair/faculty administrator, and/or curriculum committee member). Once you have completed the online training, you will have access to Curriculog.

When you are logged into Curriculog, you will have the ability to create a new proposal.

The “New Proposal� option should be used to initiate a proposal to make a change to an existing course; change a program, requirements, or policies; discontinue a course; or propose a new course.

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The curriculum approval process generally consists of the following steps:

You can use the “My Proposals� tab in Curriculog to monitor the status of your proposal(s).

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GPCC and the GPCC Executive Committee Graduate Programs and Curriculum Committee GPCC According to the Faculty Handbook, the purpose of the GPCC is to: ● Receive graduate course and program proposals from colleges and departments and insure their compliance with university policies and goals. ● Approve changes in curriculum including the addition or deletion of courses, approval of new programs or concentrations, and changes in program requirements. ● Recommend changes in graduate policies and procedures and monitors assessment of graduate programs. Its recommendations will be directed to the Vice President for Research/Dean of Graduate College, the Provost/VPAA and the President for their action, and to the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate for its use in monitoring the activities of this committee. ● Make recommendations regarding the curriculum development and review process to the Faculty Senate.

As a Faculty Senate Committee, GPCC includes two representatives (with provisional or full Graduate Faculty Status), elected by graduate faculty in each degree-granting college with a graduate program(s). Only one of the two representatives can be a graduate program coordinator. Graduate program coordinators that are not elected to GPCC may serve as exofficio members.

GPCC Executive Committee Modeled after the Executive Committee of the KSU Faculty Senate, the GPCC Executive Committee is a standing subcommittee of the GPCC that provides advisement to the Graduate Dean and The Graduate College during periods in which the GPCC is not in session. The Executive Committee also serves as a scheduling/coordination body for matters to come before the GPCC. In this role, the Executive Committee ensures that matters that come before GPCC have met procedural requirements. The body also serves as the voice of Graduate Faculty in conducting reviews of applications for membership in the Graduate Faculty. Because the Executive Committee is not a policymaking body, there are no provisions for voting.

Two members of GPCC are elected to serve on the Executive Committee each year. Because members of the committee meet every two weeks during each academic semester, The Graduate College provides members with a graduate assistant (Tier 1).

For more information about GPCC and the GPCC Executive Council, see http://graduate.kennesaw.edu/facultyresources/gpcc.php.

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Graduate Council The Graduate Council consists of a Graduate Program Director from each graduate degree program as well as the leadership team of The Graduate College. The meetings are facilitated

by David Baugher.

This group does not vote or set policy but will discuss items of importance to graduate programs. Sometimes those discussions lead to policy changes that are then carried through university channels. The group normally meets once a month and the day is usually the first Wednesday of the month following a GPCC meeting unless otherwise posted.

Attending Graduate Council meetings is not mandatory but is an excellent way to stay informed regarding the general business of the Graduate College, Graduate Admissions, and issues or challenges that other programs are having.

All meetings begin at 2:00pm and are generally concluded by 3:30 at the latest.

If you have an issue that you believe is suited for a discussion at a Graduate Council meeting you should contact David Baugher dbaugher@kennesaw.edu Meeting dates, agendas, and minutes will be posted on the following webpage: http://graduate.kennesaw.edu/facultyresources/gpcc.php

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Financial Aid Webpage: http://graduate.kennesaw.edu/admissions/resources/financials.php The Graduate College Admissions website has the information that students need regarding financial information and students should be directed to this site for the proper information.

This site covers the following areas: ● ● ● ●

Tuition and Fees Financial Aid Scholarships Assistantships

Tuition and fees: The tuition and fees for the current term and upcoming terms are posted for both face to face and online courses. Graduate fees reflect universal fees and tuition only. However, selected departments may assess additional program or laboratory charges depending on the major.

Consult your department for details.

Questions concerning fee structure and payment of fees should be directed to the Bursar's Office at 470.578.6419.

Information regarding various sources of student financial assistance is available through the Financial Aid Office at 470.578.6074.

Fees are subject to change without notice.

Forms of Financial Aid for Graduate Students: Scholarships There is a "window" of opportunity to apply for scholarships. That window usually opens around late November and closes in early March. The Scholarship website is www.kennesaw.edu/scholarships. You can see a list of scholarships, specifically for graduate students by following these steps: ● ● ● ●

Go to www.kennesaw.edu/scholarships Click on "Apply now" Click on "Search Scholarships" Category Search (click on the box with the + sign)

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● In the Class box, select Graduate from list ● Scroll to the bottom and click Search Clendenin Scholars Program Established in 2008 by the Clendenin Family with a $1 million endowment, the Clendenin Scholars Program at KSU will provide financial support for academically gifted students accepted into graduate degree programs at KSU. Doctoral students enrolled at KSU will be eligible to receive $20,000/year plus an annual tuition waiver for a maximum of 3 years,while master’s students enrolled at KSU will be eligible to receive $15,000/year plus an annual tuition waiver for a maximum of 2 years.

Loans Graduate students are eligible for 2 different loan programs.

Stafford Loans offer $8,500 as subsidized interest free and $12,000 unsubsidized.

Gradplus Loans offers an amount that is the cost of education less any other financial aid (loans, scholarships etc) that the student is receiving for the year/semester. Additionally, repayment begins when the student graduates or ceases ½ time enrollment.

Graduate Research Assistantships A Graduate Research Assistant works with a faculty member on a specific research project for a certain number of hours each week. In exchange, the GRA is granted a reduced tuition rate of $25/semester and provided a stipend, however the student is still responsible for paying fees.

See the GRA website for more details.

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Mentoring, Advising, and Supporting Students As a Graduate Program Coordinator, students in your program will seek out mentoring, advising, and academic or professional support from you and the other faculty in your department. Below are some of the resources available to help you as you support the students in your program(s).

General Resources            

Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL): http://cetl.kennesaw.edu/ Counseling and Psychological Services at KSU: http://studentsuccess.kennesaw.edu/cps/ Department of Career Planning and Development (formerly Career Services): http://careers.kennesaw.edu/ and http://careers.kennesaw.edu/gradstudents.php (for graduate students)

Graduate College: http://www.kennesaw.edu/graduate/ KSU Academic Policies (Graduate Catalog): http://catalog.kennesaw.edu/index.php KSU Learn Online Resources & Information: http://learnonline.kennesaw.edu/ KSU Library: http://www.kennesaw.edu/library/ KSU Student Disability Services: http://www.kennesaw.edu/stu_dev/dsss/dsss.html KSU Student Media: http://www.kennesaw.edu/ksumedia/ KSU Student Resource Page: http://www.kennesaw.edu/students.php?t=2 KSU Student Technical Support: http://uits.kennesaw.edu/index.php Online Netiquette: http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html

Resources for D2L Brightspace and the Other Online Tools and Technologies     

D2L Brightspace Tutorial Videos New Student Technology Guide OwlExpress Student Information System Online Learning Tools for KSU Students Training Services (online or in-person classes for students and guides for programs and technology used at KSU)

Resources for Thesis/Dissertation Writing ● KSU Graduate College Outreach Program (Thesis/Dissertation Committee Information): http://graduate.kennesaw.edu/facultyresources/gcop.php ● KSU Library Graduate Services: http://library.kennesaw.edu/services/graduateservices.php ● KSU Writing Center: http://writingcenter.kennesaw.edu

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● KSU Graduate College Three Minute Thesis Competition: http://graduate.kennesaw.edu/students/3mt.php ● KSU Graduate College Thesis/Dissertation Forms: http://graduate.kennesaw.edu/students/forms.php ● Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL): https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ ● Support for Graduate Student Writers (University of Minnesota Writing Center): http://writing.umn.edu/sws/quickhelp/graduate.html ● Writing Theses and Dissertations (Claremont Graduate University): http://www.cgu.edu/pages/880.asp ● Writing Resources (UCLA Graduate Writing Center): http://gsrc.ucla.edu/gwc/resources/ ● Resources for Writing a Thesis or Dissertation (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) : http://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/current/news/resources-writing-thesis-or-dissertation ● Guidelines for the Preparation of Your Master’s Thesis (University of NebraskaKearney): http://www.unk.edu/academics/gradstudies/admissions/gradfiles/Grad%20Files/ThesisGdlnsFinal08.pdf ● Getting Started with Your Thesis or Dissertation (The University of British Columbia): https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/graduate-pathways-success/getting-startedyour-thesis-or-dissertation ● Sample Thesis and Dissertation Pages (University of Illinois): http://www.grad.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/pdfs/samplethesispages.pdf ● The Master’s Thesis: A Handbook for and Writer’s Guide for Graduate Students (Central Connecticut State University): http://web.ccsu.edu/criminology/files/Thesis_Handbook.pdf

Resources for Graduate Research Assistants, Graduate Teaching Assistants, Graduate Assistants Webpage: http://graduate.kennesaw.edu/students/assistantships/grapolicies.php#howtoapply Main contact: David Baugher dbaugher@kennesaw.edu What are Assistantships? ● Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) – GRAs are a research or project assignment that is relevant and adds value to the student's major field of study, area of interest or expertise.

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● Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA) – GTAs are teaching assignments where the graduate student will be the Teacher of Record and must be qualified to teach in that field. ● Graduate Assistantships (GA) – GAs are assignments where the primary function is neither research nor teaching. Graduate students in this category work on a variety of projects.

Description and Requirements of the Different Assistantships Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) - this is a student whose work predominantly involves assisting a faculty member with academic research. GRAs are not independent researchers and are not directly responsible for the outcome of the research. They are responsible to, and report to a research supervisor or principal investigator (PI). The duties of a Graduate Research Assistant primarily involve applying and mastering research concepts, practices, or methods of scholarship. Duties may include but are not limited to: performing independent research under the direction of a faculty member; conducting literature reviews or library research; preparing materials for submission to funding agencies, foundations, or IRB; collecting, coding, cleaning or analyzing data; designing an experiment; assisting in a faculty member's laboratory; coding computer programs to automate processes; presenting findings in a publication or dissertation; co-authoring the resulting research papers.

Graduate Assistant (GA) - this category can be for many duties, especially where the student is not the Teacher of Record and not primarily doing research. Examples may be graduate students that are working with an administrator or other non-academic unit such as Academic Affairs or the Library; students that are assisting a faculty member with classroom activities such as grading tests/quizzes/papers, leading a discussion section, conducting labs, posting materials or responding to questions on D2L, tutoring students; or other special activities. ● GRA/GA Requirements ○ Completed the requirements for an undergraduate degree ○ Applied for and been fully accepted to a graduate degree program of study ○ Maintained a 3.0 grade point average in any previous/current graduate course work ○ Maintained a 3.0 grade point average in any previous undergraduate course work if a first semester graduate program student ○ In addition, the GRA/GA cannot exceed 24 waived course credits in an academic year, or reach or exceed the number of hours required for the registered program in waived course credits. Returning GRAs/GAs must have satisfactory performance on previous assignments.

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○ Be enrolled in graduate courses for the semester that you are serving as a graduate assistant. ○ Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) - this position is for graduate students that are teaching a course(s) and listed as the "Teacher of Record" (TOR). This category is no longer appropriate for those that are assisting in a classroom or assisting a faculty member. ● GTA Requirements ○ All of the requirements for a GRA/GA above ○ Have a Master’s in the teaching discipline or 18 graduate semesters hours in their graduate program ○ Submit both a CV and transcript to the Graduate College prior to beginning the teaching assignment ○ Attend a seven-week, non-credit Graduate Teaching Workshop offered by CETL (dates/times to be determined) or approved alternative. The CETL course is taught under the course code of GRAD 9001. ○ Complete the Teacher of Record Appointment Form ○ Complete the Buckley Form and submit it to the Registrar separately Graduate assistants are not to be used as "student assistants", to staff offices as an administrative assistant might, or to do work that would not normally require holding a bachelor’s degree.

What are the Responsibilities of an Assistantship Appointment? ● Appointments are for one semester (Fall, Spring, Summer) and will be awarded to qualified students. Some departments have 2 semester appointments (Fall and Spring). ● Graduate Students will work with the assigned Graduate Faculty Project Supervisor for 6-20 hours per week for 17 weeks per semester based on assignment (Fall and Spring). ● Graduate Students will work with the assigned Graduate Faculty Project Supervisor for 10-40 hours per week for 10 weeks per semester based on assignment (Summer). ● Graduate Students must be assigned to work with a faculty member holding provisional or full graduate faculty status. ● Graduate Assistants must register for and maintain a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 12 graduate semester hours for Fall and Spring semesters. ● A GRA/GTA may not be employed in any another position on the KSU campus nor can they hold two GRA/GTA positions in one semester ● International students will have additional steps to complete to be hired.

What are the Benefits of an Assistantship for the Student?

Tuition 20

● Tuition Rates – Each Assistantship position pays a special tuition rate of $25 per semester, as well as all student fees ● Tuition waivers are the same for in-state and out-of-state students. ● Tuition costs above the hours indicated on the contract will be the responsibility of the Graduate Student. ● Graduate Assistants that are enrolled in one of KSU's premium-priced or executive/premier programs will be required to pay all tuition/other costs of these programs in excess of standard graduate program tuition. ● Additional charges for on-line courses are covered in the tuition waiver. ● Tuition will only be waived for graduate courses. No tuition waivers will apply to any undergraduate courses. ● Tuition will not be waived for more hours than required for the degree program as stated in the Graduate Catalog.

Health Insurance ● All Graduate Assistants are required to have health insurance. Students will be billed for the mandatory health insurance fee at the time of registration. A waiver of the health insurance fee may be applied for directly with the insurer.

Stipends ● Assistantships normally include a stipend in addition to the special tuition rate as defined in the contract. ● Stipends will be paid monthly on the last business day of the month. ● Stipends are determined by the average number of hours of work expected by the student. The tiers are described below.

What are the requirements to continue in the Assistantship program? ● GPA Requirements – If a student's grade point average falls below 3.0 (academic probation), they will no longer be eligible to hold an Assistantship. ● Resignation – A GRA/GTA/GA wishing to resign must submit a letter of resignation to their faculty supervisor and the Dean of the Graduate College. ● Failure to Meet Job Requirements – Students who do not meet the academic requirements or the requirements of the job may be terminated. ● Compensation Upon Termination – Compensation will cease upon termination of the contract, and the student may be required to reimburse the University for tuition.

How are Assistantships Funded?

Funding sources include the Graduate College, Departmental budgets, and funded grants.

Coordinators should work closely with their Department Chair to determine program needs and possible funding sources.

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To increase opportunity for and efficacy in The Graduate College's graduate assistantship process we are shifting the allocation of Graduate Assistantships to a university-wide competitive review model. We will do this over several years, gradually increasing the proportion of our budget to the pool available for competitive funding.

FY2017 - 25% of budget to competitive review / 75% program based allocation FY2018 - 50% of budget to competitive review / 50% program based allocation FY2019 - 75% of budget to competitive review / 25% program based allocation FY2020 - 100% of budget allocated by competitive review The new process will increase meaningful opportunities for graduate students and demonstrable benefit to the University.

The process will employ the following priorities: 1. Pre-existing agreements for Tier IV funding, OVPR related funding, and funding for strategic initiatives.

2. Externally funded research, either currently funded or in the opinion of the University Office of Research, having a high likelihood of external funding.

3. Non-funded research with a demonstrable benefit to both the University and to the graduate student.

4. Graduate level projects that are at the graduate level benefiting the student and demonstrably increasing the reputation of the university.

5. All other.

Tiers Tiers are used to better accommodate the correct allocation of stipends and waivers to the amount of work required of the student. There are four Tiers: Tiers

Average hrs/week

Stipend/semeste r

Tuition waiver hours/semester

I

6-10

$2000

Up to 6

II

11-15

$3500

Up to 9

III

16-20

$5000

Up to 12

IV

Maximum 20

negotiated

Up to 12

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*only graduate level credit hours can be waived. Tuition for undergraduate courses cannot be waived.

Tier IV Special Commitments are situations where The Graduate College has committed a set number of stipends for a defined period of time and/or a specific stipend amount. These situations may include a new program starting up, special recruitment situations, or responses to a need related to an external agency or grant. Tier IV Special Commitments are negotiated with The Graduate College office staff.

Hiring Procedures: Below is the process to hire a graduate student for a Graduate Assistantship position broken into two sections.

1. Recruit Your Graduate Student 2. Hire Your Graduate Student 1. Recruit Your Graduate Student A. You already know which student you are going to hire: If you have already identified the graduate student that will work with you as a Graduate Assistant communicate with them that the project has been funded and let them know: 1) what level of stipend they will receive and 2) the work expectations.

B. You need to find a graduate student: If you need to find a student, go to the GRA Job Board page, complete the form linked for Graduate Faculty, and submit the form to David Baugher at dbaugher@kennesaw.edu. Your form will be posted on the GRA Job Board. This will allow interested students to review the position and apply. You will be able to view the students that apply for your position and make your hiring decision.

2. Hire Your Graduate Student Please be sure you have been awarded an Assistantship by your Dean, Chair or Graduate Program Director (whichever is appropriate for your unit) before you hire a Graduate Student.

Once you have identified your graduate student and both sides agree to the work expectations, it is time to do the paperwork.

1. Complete a SEPAF (Student Employment Personnel Action Form) 2. Complete the Graduate Assistantship Contract and Approval Form (download the form to your computer, save it, complete it, save it again, print and sign) 3. Teacher of Record Form (only needed for GTA's) Incomplete forms will be returned.

4. Submit above forms to Jennifer Harb (jharb@kennesaw.edu) either scanned and emailed or they may be dropped off in person to the The Graduate College offices in Kennesaw Hall, Room 3422 or MD 0112. Always check the hiring deadlines!

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5. Once the paperwork has been verified and then signed by the Graduate Dean, the student must contact HR to schedule to attend an orientation. Failure to complete this step may mean the student is not paid. Orientation must be completed no later than the third day after the beginning of the contract.

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