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Graduate Assistants - New Hires

Graduate Assistant (Teaching)

In order to hire a Graduate Teaching Assistant the following criteria must be met:

Must be enrolled as a full-time graduate student at Prairie View A&M University.
Must have a Bachelor's degree and have a minimum of eighteen (18) graduate credits in filed or discipline courses are to be taught.
Must be in good academic standing.
Candidate should be enrolled in at least 9 credit hours of graduate courses per semester.
Graduate Assistants (Teaching) may not work more than 50% effort = 20 hours per week.

Summer - All students must be enrolled for a minimum of six (6) credit hours of graduate courses per session or enrolled for three (3) credit hours of graduate courses in Summer I and three (3)credit hours of graduate courses in Summer II to be eligible for summer employment.

Graduate Assistant (Research or Non-Teaching)

In order to hire a Graduate Assistant (Research or Non-Teaching), the following criteria must be met:

Must be enrolled as a full-time graduate student at Prairie View A&M University.
Must be in good academic standing.
Candidate should be enrolled in at least 9 credit hours of graduate courses per semester.
Graduate Assistants (Non-Teaching) may not work more than 88% effort = 35 hours per week.
Graduate Assistants (Research) may not work more than 50% effort = 20 hours per week.

Summer - All students must be enrolled for a minimum of six (6) credit hours of graduate courses per session or enrolled for three (3) credit hours of graduate courses in Summer I and three (3) credit hours of graduate courses in Summer II to be eligible for summer employment.

Additionally, a Graduate student may not be employed holding a dual title (i.e., Graduate Assistant & Teaching/Program Coordinator), regardless of the percentage effort worked or to be worked. It is the hiring department's responsibility to interface with the Office of Human Resources in relation to the hiring of the Graduate Assistants.
Graduate Assistants ((Non-Teaching) on an F-1 Visa, may not work more than 50% effort = 20 hours per week. Hiring departments must secure this information from their hire once a verbal offer has been made. The 20 hours per week work requirement will then be reflected in the written offer of employment.

Additionally, a Graduate Student may not be employed holding a dual title.
(i.e., Graduate Assistant –Teaching/Program Coordinator) regardless of the percentage effort worked or to be worked.

It is the hiring department's responsibility to interface with the Office of Human Resources in relation to the hire of Graduate Assistants.

Graduate Non-Teaching Assistant

In order to hire a Graduate Non-Teaching Assistant, the following criteria must be met:

Must be enrolled as a full-time graduate student at Prairie View A&M University.
Must be in good academic standing.

Additionally, a Graduate Student may not be employed holding a dual title.
(i.e., Graduate Assistant –Teaching/Program Coordinator) regardless of the percentage effort worked or to be worked.
It is the hiring department's responsibility to interface with the Office of Human Resources in relation to the hire of Graduate Assistants.

To hire a Graduate (Teaching or Non-Teaching) Assistant, the following steps must be completed prior to their start date:

Graduate Assistant hires should have completed an online application using the “Create Application” link prior to the first day of work using the PV PATH Online Application System. Prospective Graduate Assistants should have printed, signed and dated the application and turned it in to the hiring department. There will not be a corresponding job posting for this type of hire. The department is responsible for routing the application to the Office of Human Resources. 2

1	Graduate Assistant hires should have completed an online application using the "Create Application" link to the first day of work using the PV PATH Online Application System. Prospective Graduate Assistants should have printed, signed and dated the application and turned it in to the hiring department. There will not be a corresponding job posting for this type of hire.
2	Graduate Assistant hires should have included a copy of their detailed class schedule via PantherTracks to provide proof of enrollment in graduate courses.
3	Department should have submitted a completed Confidential Release Form to initiate a criminal background check on the prospective Graduate Assistant hire. The prospective employee may not begin working until the results of the criminal background check have been received. The Confidential Release form contains "Sensitive Information". Please do not email or attach the Confidential Release form to the EPA. Anytime there is a break in employment, a new background check is required on the prospective employee. A break in service constitutes separation of employment from the University in excess of 15 calendar days.
4	The following should be delivered to the Office of Human Resources as one package: Signed and dated Staff Application for Employment. Copy of detailed class schedule. Completed Confidential Release form.
5	Written offer of employment should have been extended to prospective Graduate Assistant in accordance with Offer Template provided by the Office of Human Resources. All written offers of employment must be routed to the appropriate Vice President’s office using standard routing process.
6	The prospective Graduate Assistant should have returned the accepted/declined written offer of employment to the hiring department. A copy of the accepted offer of employment should be attached to the EPA.
7	EPA should be routed so that it is approved by the Office of Human Resources, three (3) working days prior to the Graduate Assistant's start date. Approval of the EPA is contingent upon the successful completion of the above listed items 1-6. The following items should be attached to the EPA to ensure timely approval: Note: An EGR should be completed for all Graduate Assistants. If the EGR is for a Graduate Assistant (Non-Teaching), then the FTE hourly rate should be indicated. If the EGR is for a Graduate Assistant (Teaching or Research), the FTE monthly rate should be indicated.
8	New Employees are required to attend New Employee Orientation. Department will be notified by the Office of Human Resources that the new employee has been approved to attend New Employee Orientation. Please note that prospective hire will not be approved to attend New Employee Orientation until the EPA has been approved by the Office of Human Resources.

*If Graduate Assistant received Federal or Texas Work Study funds then Graduate Assistant should process in through the Student Employment Office. Graduate Assistants being paid from 100% of the department’s budget should process in through the Office of Human Resources and adhere to the above listed steps.