Supervisor’s Guide To Hiring Graduate Assistants

What is a Graduate Assistant?

Graduate Assistants (GAs) provide services such as administrative and faculty support. In return, these students are eligible to receive a tuition waiver and in some cases, a stipend, housing waiver and/or meal plan. The primary goal of the GA program is to ensure transparency and opportunity for all graduate students. 

Applicants must be formally accepted into a degree-seeking graduate program prior to applying for a GA position.

*Per the Sacred Heart University Human Resources Department, employees of SHU or dependents of a SHU employee cannot obtain a GA position.

Graduate Assistant Hiring Process

This process must be repeated each year.

Step 1

Prior to hiring for a new or returning position:

  1. Supervisor completes the “Position Information” and “Award Offer” sections of the Graduate Assistant Administrative Requisition Form and submits it to their Dean or Vice President for signature based on the Authorization limits provided here: Signature Authorization Limits.
  2. The Supervisor forwards the GA Requisition Form via interoffice mail or electronically to the Divisional Budget Director for their signature confirming that sufficient funding is available as noted in the "Total Award Offer" and "Account (GL) Number."
  3. Divisional Budget Director signs the GA Requisition Form and sends it via interoffice mail or electronically to the Business Office.
  4. Business Office will sign the GA Requisition Form and send it back to the Supervisor and GA Coordinator. It is at this time that a job description can be submitted online or sent to SFA@sacredheart.edu (Attention: SFA GA Coordinator).

Step 2

Upon receipt of the completed GA Requisition form and accompanying job description, the vacant position will be posted to the SFA GA website. 

Step 3

Only when the GA job opening becomes live on the job postings website may the hiring supervisor begin interviewing candidates and collecting the required cover letter, resume, etc.

The hiring supervisor should confirm that the candidate has already been fully accepted into a degree-seeking graduate program. If the candidate is a current graduate student, they must be in Good Standing with the University with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Step 4

Once the position has been offered to and accepted by the GA, notify the SFA GA Coordinator at sfa@sacredheart.edu so that the position may be noted as filled on the job postings website. The hiring supervisor must then complete the Graduate Assistant Employment Authorization Form and submit it via interoffice mail or electronically at sfa@sacredheart.edu to the Office of Student Financial Assistance, Attn: GA Coordinator.

Step 5

Upon receipt of the aforementioned documentation, SFA will send the Graduate Assistant a GA Agreement to sign and return to the Office of Student Financial Assistance. A sample of the GA Agreement and Policies is located at the end of this guide.

Although Graduate Assistants are not paid hourly, they must log in and out of Dayforce on a weekly basis for tracking purposes. Supervisors must sign off on their hours

Disciplinary Guidance

If you are dissatisfied with a GA’s performance, follow these guidelines in the order listed below in order to allow the GA the opportunity to improve their work practices:

  1. Discuss your concerns and issue a verbal warning. The supervisor must document this in writing and save a signed copy of this correspondence for their records.
  2. In written warning list specific problems, adequate solutions, and the ways in which the student has failed to improve since the initial verbal warning. Issue the student a specific timeframe in which to improve. The supervisor must document this in writing and save a signed copy of this correspondence for their records.
  3. If the student still does not improve after two warnings, you are free to terminate the student. He or she must be notified in clear terms that the position is no longer available to him/her, and reminded of the reasons why.

Termination or Resignation

If a GA is unable to meet your expectations, the GA may be terminated after the proper steps – outlined above – are taken. If a GA resigns or is terminated the supervisor must promptly notify the SFA GA Coordinator at sfa@sacredheart.edu with the date employment ended. Award offer may be prorated or removed in its entirety from the account - if the time of termination/resignation is within the semester. 

For the Graduate Assistant to Complete

Graduate Financial Aid Application

  • Can be completed via SHUAwards or on our website.
  • This form indicates which semesters the GA plans to take courses in and will ensure that the funds will be properly allocated.

Work Application

  • If a GA is receiving a stipend as part of their award offer they must complete a Work Application in blue or black ink and submit it to the Student Financial Assistance. Upon receipt, SFA will forward these documents to Payroll with the GA start and end date of employment. If these forms are incomplete or lack proper documentation to support eligibility to work, Payroll will not process the GA’s paycheck. Any questions regarding the Work Application may be sent to sfa@sacredheart.edu.

GA Agreement

  • The GA Agreement is sent to student by SFA via email once supervisor has submitted all required documentation.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) | optional

    • If a GA would like to utilize federal loans they will need to submit a FAFSA. SHU’s school code is 001403.