Graduate Studies Graduate Assistantship (GSGA)

The School of Graduate and Professional Studies’ (SGPS) Graduate Studies Graduate Assistantship (GSGA) applications for the Academic Year 2025-2026 are now open to faculty.

The application deadline is Friday, March 28, 2025. Please Note: This is a hard deadline.

The exact number of awards will be contingent upon funds available, and the number of half-time and full-time applicants recommended for awards.

The faculty awarded a GSGA position must recommend an incoming or currently matriculated student to the Dean of SGPS by Friday, April 25, 2025. The graduate assistantships are non-need-based positions administered through the School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS). Please Note: This is a hard deadline.

Faculty who apply for a GSGA must be:

• A full-time tenure-track or tenured faculty member who is actively teaching or coordinating in a graduate program at Southern
• Actively engaged in research or creative activity with a strong record of scholarly or creative activity

A Graduate Student selected for a Graduate Studies Graduate Assistantship (GSGA)

1. Must be fully admitted to the Graduate School and pursuing work leading to a master ‘s degree, professional doctorate, sixth-year certificate, or post-master’s planned program.
2. Must have a minimum 3.2 grade point average (GPA) for all undergraduate coursework and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 for all completed graduate coursework, if applicable.
3. Must complete Student Acknowledgement of Terms and Conditions form and all HR forms.
4. (Full-time graduate assistants) Must be enrolled as a full-time graduate student (9 or more credit hours per semester) unless the faculty mentor provides written justification for part-time enrollment. (i.e., Student is in a special project, thesis or dissertation phase.)
5. (For students in a thesis, special project, or dissertation phase) Must be enrolled in the required number of credits to complete the thesis as determined by program of study.
6. Half-time graduate assistants may be either a full-time graduate student, as defined above, or a part-time graduate student (for this policy half-time is defined as a graduate student enrolled for 1.0 or greater credit hours but fewer than 9 credit hours per semester.)
7. Cannot hold other University supported positions (graduate student worker, graduate assistantship, graduate teaching assistantship, resident advisor, graduate intern, or adjunct faculty) while holding the GSGA.

A teaching assistantship should be considered if the faculty mentor seeks a graduate student who has the academic ability and commitment to teaching necessary to successfully assist in the classroom under their supervision. Please note that the GSGA – Teaching Assistant cannot be the instructor of record for a course. Teaching assistants receive a stipend in the form of a non-need-based scholarship and a potential fee waiver in return for various teaching responsibilities that may include assisting faculty mentor with the tasks listed below:

• Curriculum design, development, revision;
• Planning and preparing course materials;
• Organization and direction of group activities;
• Preparing presentations and other methods of instruction;
• Tutoring and other forms of individualized instruction; and,
• Assessment and grading.

A research assistantship should be considered if the faculty mentor seeks a graduate student to assist with an approved research project that will support the academic department. The student will work under the supervision of a faculty mentor in a field related to the student’s overall academic and professional development. Please note that the GSGA – Research Assistant cannot be the primary investigator of record. Research assistants receive a stipend in the form of a non-need-based scholarship and a potential fee waiver in return for various research responsibilities that may include assisting faculty mentor with tasks listed below:

• Data collection and analysis;
• Operation and maintenance of equipment;
• Dissemination of research findings;
• Conducting and guiding laboratory experiments,
• Literature review;
• Preparation of manuscripts, musical compositions, or other scholarly endeavors;
• Identifying and troubleshooting problems;
• Maintaining records and inventories; and,
• Recruiting research participants.

• There are two levels of academic department graduate assistantships. Full-time GSGA graduate assistants appointed to provide 20 hours of service per week or 300 total hours of service per semester. Full-time graduate assistants will be compensated at the rate of $6,000 per semester.
• Half-time GSGA graduate assistants appointed to provide 10 hours of service per week or 150 hours of service per semester. Half-time graduate assistants will be compensated at the rate of $3,000 per semester.

GSGA graduate assistants will also have the following fees waived: University Fee, University General Fee (except for that portion attributed to student accident insurance), and the Student Activity Fee.

• Students awarded a GSGA graduate assistantship must maintain a 3.5 GPA in the current semester in order to be eligible for any future awards.

Please note: The following required activities are new requirements starting in fall 2025.

• GSGA Graduate Student/Faculty Orientation
  All students and faculty members who are awarded a GSGA are required to attend this in-person orientation, which will be held on Monday, August 25, 2025 from 12-3 p.m. Students and faculty will participate in a mentor-mentee relationship building activity and goal-setting workshop.
• First Fridays: GA Connect & Grow
  All students awarded a graduate assistantship are required to attend at least three First Fridays: GA Connect & Grow meetings, held on the first Friday of each month at 10 –11 a.m.
  These gatherings offer an opportunity to discuss assistantships, address concerns, and participate in professional development. Faculty are always welcome and encouraged to attend. Meeting details will be shared before the semester begins, and supervisors are asked to allow their GAs to attend.
• Participation in the Graduate Student Research and Creativity Conference
  As a Southern Graduate Assistant, the student will be required to attend and present at the annual Graduate Student Research and Creativity Conference. This conference is a showcase of graduate student research, posters, papers, presentations, and more! All stages of work will be accepted. The conference was created to highlight graduate student research, help students gain professional development experience, and to form an interdisciplinary community among SCSU graduate students and faculty.

Please Note: These are hard deadlines.

• Forms to be completed by faculty:

Due by March 28, 2025 on or before 4 PM

1. 1. Faculty Mentor/Supervisor GSGA Application Form
   2. Faculty Mentor/Supervisor Acknowledgment of Terms and Conditions Form

Due by Friday, April 25, 2025 on or before 4 PM

1. 1. Graduate Student Recommendation Form with student resume

• Forms to be completed by graduate student:

Due by Friday, April 25, 2025 on or before 4 PM

1. 1. Student Acknowledgement of Terms and Conditions Form
   2. Student resume (to be shared with Faculty Mentor/Supervisor for submission of Recommendation form)

To be submitted promptly after HR contacts student and before semester begins:

1. 1. All HR paperwork