Graduate Assistantships & Awards

The University awards a limited number of graduate assistantships and associateships in research and instructional programs in most graduate departments. Research assistants and associates assist in conducting research, usually under the supervision of a faculty member, while teaching assistants and associates assume responsibilities related to teaching in academic departments.

Graduate assistantships, associateships, non-working fellowships, and traineeships are awarded according to the contract negotiated by the Graduate Employee Organization (GEO) and includes the benefits of a tuition and curriculum fee waiver for on-campus, face-to-face graduate students. Students holding these types of awards qualify for a partial waiver of the health fee. Students enrolled through Flexible Education (formerly UWW) such as DNP, some Masters, and certificate students, are not eligible for tuition and fees remission. Students with non-working fellowships do not qualify for some of these benefits and should check which benefits (if any) are associated with their fellowships.

Students holding assistantships or receiving University paychecks are paid bi-weekly via direct payroll deposit. If you are uncertain about the benefits associated with your award, contact the Graduate School, Bartlett Building 130 Hicks Way or click here to learn more about funding policies and procedures. 

Appointment and Reappointment Procedure for Graduate Assistants

The following information shall serve as procedure for appointment and reappointment of graduate students who serve as teaching or research assistants for the EMCON.

Posting of open positions
A posting of positions and application will be made available to current and incoming graduate students. Usually, applications for fall positions are circulated in March and applications for spring positions are circulated in October.

Decisions on who will receive funding
The PhD Program Director will make recommendations for assistantships and the Graduate Program Director will approve candidates who have met all of the following criteria:

• Student completes an application and submits a curriculum vitae (CV)
• Student is in good academic standing within the EMCON (no outstanding incompletes or failing grades)
• Student holds the desired experience in order to properly match that of the faculty and the course being taught
• Students can fulfill the commitment required by the course as determined by the faculty of record
• PhD students will be given preference

Application procedure
Interested students should complete the application and submit a CV within the timeframe indicated on the call for applications.

Appointment procedure

• Recommended students shall meet with the designated faculty member to discuss the details of the appointment.
• Specific details of the TA/TO/RA/PA appointment will be discussed and the guidelines outlined in the Graduate Appointments Policies and Procedures will be followed.
• Student signs the Appointment Form for Graduate Fellowship and Assistantships after understanding and agreeing to the responsibilities.
• If the student is new to the University system, they will be informed that they must attend the Graduate School’s TA orientation, known as the Teaching Academy, held in the fall of each year during new student orientation.

Reappointment procedure
A student who is hired for an assistantship should be able to commit to an entire academic year. If that is not the case, and positions become available during the academic year, students will be contacted in the form of an announcement, e-mail, or a mailing regarding the new positions. A new pool of applicants will be drawn upon each academic year. All applications will be considered, although PhD students who are in the first three years (post MS) or four years (post BS) will be given priority.

Policies and guidelines
The Elaine Marieb College of Nursing will follow all guidelines outlined in the Agreement between Graduate Employee Organization UAW Local 2322 and The University of Massachusetts Amherst. The College of Nursing will also follow all guidelines from the Graduate College Assistantship Office and policies and procedures outlined in the Graduate Handbook. The quality of student work and fulfillment of agreed upon responsibilities will be reviewed mid-semester and at the end of each semester in which the graduate assistant serves. Each student will be given a copy of this document and the Agreement between Graduate Employee Organization UAW Local 2322 and The University of Massachusetts Amherst. Any disciplinary action or termination of an appointment will be addressed by the graduate program director in Nursing, and policies and procedures for such action shall be done in accordance with GEO guidelines.

1. Assistantship
   Any student who receives an assistantship from the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing is required to attend the Graduate School TA orientation. International students who serve as TAs are also required to attend the International Student Orientation. If American English is not the student’s primary language, the student may be required to take the Spoken Language Test before being assigned an assistantship.

Policies for Teaching Assistants/Teaching Associates

Definitions

Teaching Assistant (TA): a graduate student employed on an hourly basis with one or more of the following responsibilities in courses for which they do not have primary responsibility: (1) coordinate, lead, or assist in the instructional process in preparation and direct interaction with students in lab, discussion, quiz, or problem sessions; (2) meet with students and teach during office hours; (3) grade papers; (4) grade and proctor exams; (5) supervise undergraduate interns; (6) counsel students; (7) administer colloquium programs. A TA may have additional, related duties as assigned.

Teaching Associate (TO): a graduate student employed on an hourly basis responsible for the teaching and grading of a course. A TO may have additional, related duties as assigned.

For more information see the GEO-UAW contract and other information .

Student Principles

TA/TO positions provide:

• Financial support for PhD education
• Teaching experience for PhD, DNP, and MS students
• Opportunities to be mentored by faculty and to experience faculty as colleagues
• Integral part of PhD education – meets an essential goal of the PhD curriculum
• TOs further advance teaching skills

* BS-PhD students (as well as post-master’s students) may not have had the opportunity to gain formal teaching experience aside from TA/TO positions.

Faculty Principles

TA/TO positions provide:

• Assistance for teaching large classes
• Assistance for teaching for faculty building a research agenda
• TOs may be assigned in clinical and classroom settings in place of a faculty person

Faculty of record must offer TA/TO

• Coaching to develop teaching skills
• Expectations at the beginning of the semester

TA/TO Process Principles

• The faculty of record are encouraged to discuss communication preferences with TAs/TOs, to orient new TAs/TOs to their courses, and to both provide and solicit coaching and feedback to/from their TAs/TOs on a regular basis.
• TAs are encouraged to lead at least one class and/or the co-creation of curricular materials/course projects during the term and receive formal feedback from the faculty of record.
• In the EMCON, while TAs generally serve 10 hours per week, spread over 19 weeks, for a total of 190 hours per semester per TA fellowship, they could serve as little as five hours per week and as much as 20 hours per week based on the needs of the program. Faculty are encouraged to communicate anticipated course burden to TAs and TOs, early and often, so TAs and TOs can plan and adjust their workloads accordingly.
• In the EMCON, TOs are generally ~10 to 12 hours per week for a 3-credit course.
• Duties are determined by University guidelines/GEO contract.
• TAs should work with expert teachers who have prior experience serving as TAs/TOs or as teaching interns and/or mentoring new nurse faculty/graduate TAs.
• Faculty are encouraged to schedule a formal evaluation/feedback and mutual mentoring sessions at midterm and end of semester
• Faculty will also complete the end of semester TA evaluation
• TA/TO positions can qualify as teaching internships for PhD students.
• International students who will be first-time TAs/TOs and who are subject to English language testing requirements for admission to the Graduate School must take the Spoken English Communication Skills test (International Teaching Assistant Communication Program) and score at least a 50.

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