Graduate Student Support
4.1 Classes of Support
4.1.1 Students receiving support through the University fall primarily into three classes:
4.2 Graduate Assistants
4.2.1 Graduate assistants are graduate students currently enrolled in degree programs who are appointed through established University procedures and according to University policy governing graduate assistantships. Duties assigned to graduate assistants may include (but not be limited to) classroom instruction, student advising, writing supervision, reading of papers and examinations, and research. The responsibilities delegated to a graduate assistant must be performed under the supervision of an appropriate faculty member or administrator.
4.2.2 With the participation of graduate student representatives, each unit appointing graduate assistants shall develop policies and make available current information covering, but not limited to, the following:
4.2.3 By March 31st of each calendar year, units shall advise each graduate assistant in writing of one (or more) of the following: (a) that the assistantship will be renewed for the following academic year; (b) that the assistantship will be renewed provided the assistant is able to meet certain specified conditions; (c) that the assistantship will be renewed provided the unit is able to meet certain specified conditions; (d) that the assistantship will not be renewed for the following academic year. If the assistantship is not renewed, the reasons shall be indicated. Evaluative judgments about students should be communicated in accordance with guidelines in 2.4.8. (See all Sections 2.5.2--2.5.2.4.)
4.2.4 The Office of the Provost shall establish a campus-wide policy for graduate assistant stipends, taking into account (a) the amount of stipend adequate in relation to the current cost of living, (b) the need to be competitive with other universities, and (c) the availability of resources for graduate assistant stipends. (The Office of the Provost shall consult with the Dean of The Graduate School and the University Graduate Council on graduate assistant stipend levels.)
4.2.5 Graduate assistants are entitled to all benefits normally accorded to full-time graduate students, except as specified under policies established in accordance with 4.2.7.
4.2.6 All graduate assistants are entitled to such clerical-secretarial help and supplies as are commensurate with their assigned responsibilities and the resources of the unit.
4.2.7 The Office of the Provost and the Office of the Vice President for Finance and Operations, in consultation with the Dean of The Graduate School and the University Graduate Council and other appropriate, duly authorized authorities, shall review and publish policies for graduate assistants relating to (a) sick leave, (b) parking privileges, (c) bus privileges, (d) travel off campus, (e) insurance, and (f) health care.
4.2.8 Within the constraints of their training, experience and responsibilities, graduate assistants have a right to the same professional respect as that accorded to regular faculty.
4.3 University-Employed Graduate Students
4.3.1 The following articles are intended to cover all graduate students who are not formally designated as graduate assistants but are employed by the University.
4.3.2 The University's student employment office shall publish annually minimum and maximum salaries and hourly wages for University-employed graduate students. This office shall have the authority to approve unit requests for all payments above the established maximums.
4.3.3 The University shall not deny a regular employee's fringe benefits solely because the person is also registered as a student.
4.3.4 Working hours shall not be adjusted in such a way as to deprive graduate student employees of fringe benefits they would otherwise be entitled to without the consent of the graduate student(s) involved.
4.3.5 University employees who are pursuing graduate study are bound by collective bargaining agreements or other applicable University personnel policies and agreements.
4.3.6 Employment-related grievances of graduate students employed in non-academic positions should be filed with the employing units under their respective procedures.
4.4 Fellowship, Scholarship and Grant Recipients
4.4.1 A graduate student supported by a fellowship, scholarship, or grant shall have a right to such information as (a) the responsibilities and performance required for retention of support, (b) the privileges and status associated with support, and (c) grievance procedures.
4.5 University Policies Relating to Graduate Student Support Recipients
4.5.1 Michigan State University and all of its units are Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employers. Therefore, (a) discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, gender, national origin, political persuasion, sexual preference, marital status, handicap or age is expressly prohibited; (b) employment appointment policies shall be consistent with anti-discrimination policies of Michigan State University.
4.5.2 Graduate students shall be informed of all employment policies when a position is tendered.
4.5.3 The University retains the right to demote, suspend, terminate or otherwise discipline graduate students receiving support through the University for cause and for failure to meet their responsibilities. The University also retains the right to terminate a graduate student's participation in an academic program, which in turn may terminate the graduate student's assistantship or other support. Graduate students who believe they have a grievance under this article may utilize the judicial procedures outlined in Article 5.
4.5.3.1 In cases where the graduate student contends that the action of the University may cause irreparable harm, the graduate student may appeal to the appropriate judiciary for an expedited hearing.
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