Graduate Students

Overview Video

Supervisor Best Practices 

All graduate assistant supervisors should be familiar with the GA Handbook. It is the most important document regarding graduate assistant policies and guidance. In addition, the Graduate School has compiled a document of Best Practices for Graduate Assistant Supervisors. You can also reach out to the Graduate School with questions at any time. 

Training Opportunities

GA Support Staff Team

The GA Support Staff Team is used to communicate with hiring units about GA policies, updates, and deadlines. Please complete this form if you would like to be added to the Team.  

GA Best Practices: Contracts and Supervisory Meeting 

This annual meeting if for supervisors and contract submitters alike and includes helpful reminders, updates, and tips. You can access the recording of the 2022 meeting  here.  

One-on-One GA Hiring Training 

Anyone who wants a training session with a graduate school staff member on GA hiring or supervising can request training by emailing the Graduate School.  

I9 Completion Training 

Hiring units are responsible for completing I9's in person with students on or before their first day of employment. If you would like training on completing an I9, see the sample I9's on this page, watch the I9 Overview Video, or contact the Graduate School for more info.  

Before Hiring a Graduate Assistant 

• Make sure you know the eligibility requirements. You can find out more in the eligibility section of the GA Handbook. 
• Ensure funding is available for the position. Particularly with grant funded positions, a GA can not be hired if the account number for the position is not in place. Consult with your grant accountant for more information.  
• Ensure compliance with University policies. All open GA positions must be posted on the GA Job Postings website. If applicable to the appointment, the position must be approved through the Strategic Position Alignment process before the position is offered verbally or in writing. 
• Consider the contract length. GA contracts must be at least 12 weeks in the fall or spring term and 8 weeks in the summer term in order to be approved by the Graduate School.  

The Hiring Process 

1. A graduate student is offered a GA position either verbally or in writing by the hiring unit. The parameters are clearly explained including the stipend, start and end dates, job duties, and work schedule.  
2. An SIUE employee submits a Graduate Assistant Contract for the student on behalf of the hiring unit. Submit the contract as early as possible to allow sufficient time for contract approvals. The contract cannot be processed until all approvals and required documents are submitted. I9 completion should be considered before a start date is determined since I9 completion must be done in person. If an I9 is required, the hiring unit will receive more details about the I9 process when the contract is reviewed by the Graduate School. 
3. The Graduate School reviews the contract and checks the student's eligibility. The contract is checked for conformity to Graduate School regulations and then it is approved. If there is a problem with the contract or the student, the form will be sent back to the submitter with more information.  
4. The form goes through all of the required routing. The form submitter indicates who needs to approve the form as part of the submission process but the Graduate School also includes approvers depending on the type of contract. Those that are included in the routing by the Graduate School are: Post Award (grant accounts only), the student, the department chair (new TA's only).   
5. The contract is processed by the Graduate School. This means that the student's payroll record is applied and their tuition waiver information is sent to Financial Aid. This could be delayed due to payroll processing holds. See the semi-monthly payroll schedule for more info.  

Determining Contract Effective and End Dates

The effective date and end date that the hiring unit enters in the GA contract are determined by the hiring unit. Students should start and stop working on these dates unless the hiring unit is contacted by the Graduate School because of a contract or eligibility issue.

Effective Date: This is the first day the student will be paid and the date they should physically start working.

Consider the below when determining the effective date:

• If the student is a new GA, can they complete their I9 on or before this date?
• Will the student be on campus to start working on this date?
• Is this start date early enough to ensure the student will work enough weeks of the term to earn a tuition waiver?

End Date: This is the last day the student will be paid and the last date they should physically work. 

Consider the below when determining the end date:

• Is the student graduating during the term they are working? If they are graduating, they should be terminated no later than the last day of the term.
• Is the end date during a time period when the University is closed? The hiring unit may want to end the contract prior to a University closure to ensure stipend payment aligns with actual work days.

I9 Resources 

A link to the current I9 form is available on the GA Hiring Unit Forms page. You can also access it on the USCIS Web site.  

Kuali Build GA Contract Info 

All graduate assistant hiring, position changes, and terminations are processed using the Graduate Assistant Contract in Kuali Build. All University employees and students have access to Kuali Build using their eID and password. If you are experiencing an error with Kuali Build, email kualihelp@siue.edu. 

Kuali Build GA Contract Training Documents 

Other Kuali Build GA Forms 

You can find more forms for graduate assistants on the Graduate School forms page in the Graduate Students/Assistants and GA Hiring Units sections.  

Click here for Kuali Build FAQ's 

Graduate Assistant Stipends 

The table provided here lists the minimum stipends and grant funded GA recommendations. Consult with the budget advisor in your unit before submitting a GA contract form in case your unit has a higher minimum amount. The Graduate School will return GA contracts that do not pay at least the minimum stipend amount. See policy 4A3 for more information on 1st year and 2nd year GA's. 

 GA Salary Table

Grant Funded GA Positions: It is always recommended to budget for more than the minimum stipend on grant funded GA positions to accommodate potential stipend fluctuations.

Graduate School Contact Info