Graduate Assistant SingleSemester Appointment Template Letter Instructions For

graduate assistant single-semester appointment template letter ============================================================== instructions

Graduate Assistant Single-Semester Appointment Template Letter
==============================================================
Instructions for completing a General Offer Letter for a Graduate
Assistant Single-Semester Appointment.
When complete, print this letter on letterhead. Attach:
1.
“Employment Terms and Conditions for University of Minnesota
Graduate Assistants,”
2.
Tuition Benefits Information, and
3.
Map to the building where the position is located.
Instructions for using this Template.
-------------------------------------
All fields contained within brackets [ ] are fields which require user
modification. Click once on any word within the bracket and type your
text. When a choice of paragraphs or sentences is given, be sure to
delete the paragraph or sentence not used.
[Click here and type Date]
[Click here and type Name of Recipient]
[Click here and type Recipient's Street Address]
[Click here and type City, State Zip Code]
Dear [Click here and type Name][Click here and type Student ID]:
I am very pleased to offer you a graduate assistant position of [Click
here and type Classification Title] ([Click here and type Job Code])
in [Click here and type Department/Division/Unit] at the University of
Minnesota. This is a single-semester graduate assistant appointment.
General policy and procedure information about graduate assistant
appointments can be found online at http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/gae/.
The terms of this offer are outlined below:
*
This is a single-semester appointment. This appointment may be
extended based on the needs of the department, availability of
departmental funding, and your satisfactory performance of
assistantship duties.
*
The mutually agreed upon start date for this appointment is [Click
here and type Day/Date/Time]. Please report to [Click here and
type Building Name/Address]. A map has been enclosed for your
convenience. The end date for this appointment will be [Click here
and type Day/Date/Time].
*
Your total salary is [Click here and type Salary Amount] with an
hourly rate of [Click here and type Hourly Rate]. You will be paid
bi-weekly (every other Wednesday). You may expect your first
paycheck on [Click here and type Date].
*
This offer is contingent upon your ability to provide
authorization to work in the United States and the University of
Minnesota prior to the start date identified in this offer letter.
*
A document describing tuition benefits associated with graduate
assistantships is enclosed. Please note that tuition benefits do
not cover student fees; you are responsible for paying all fees.
*
As a graduate assistant you qualify for enrollment in the Graduate
Assistant Health Insurance Plan if hours to be worked will meet a
minimum of at least 195 per semester. You may pick-up an
enrollment packet from your department or at the Graduate
Assistant Health Insurance Office at N323 Boynton Health Service.
Information may be found online at:
http://www.shb.umn.edu/twincities/graduate-assistants/index.htm.You
are also eligible to enroll your dependents for dependent health
insurance under the same plan in which you enroll, with the
University subsidizing a portion of the cost of the dependent
premiums as well.
*
You have a right to review your personnel file once every six
months while employed with the University of Minnesota. To
exercise this right, you must submit a written request to review
your file to [Click here and type Unit's HR Contact]. If, after
reviewing your file, you dispute specific information, please
inform your [Click here and type Unit's HR Contact]. The
University may agree to remove or revise the disputed information.
After you have had an opportunity to review your file, you may
make a written request for a copy of the record at no cost to you.
Below is a summary of the general position responsibilities and
performance expectations for your position:
[Click here and type Position Responsibilities and Performance
Expectations]. You are required to continue to comply with all
licensing, certification, work eligibility, and other requirement of
the position, as set forth in the position description.
I would be happy to answer any questions you may have or provide
further clarity on your appointment. Should you decide to accept this
position, return the enclosed copy of this letter with your signature
and date indicating that you have read and fully understand the
provisions of your employment as explained above. Please proceed to
make an appointment with [Click here and type Name of Payroll Staff
Member] at [Click here and type Phone Number] so that appropriate
documents connected with your acceptance of this new position may be
completed.
We look forward to working with you and anticipate that your
employment here will be rewarding to both you and [Click here and type
Department/Division/Unit].
Sincerely,
[Click here and type Name]
[Click here and type Title]
Enc: Employment Terms and Conditions for University of Minnesota
Graduate Assistants
Tuition Benefits Information
Map to [Click here and type Building Name]
cc: Employee File
I accept the position of [Click here and type Classification Title] in
[Click here and type Department/Division/Unit] and the terms and
conditions of employment described in this letter.
Graduate Assistant Signature
Date
Student ID Number
Employment Terms and Conditions for University of Minnesota Graduate
Assistants
Policy and Guideline information pertaining to graduate assistantship
employment is available online (http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/gae/), from
your hiring department, or from Graduate Assistant Employment. Please
be aware you are responsible for knowing the policies and guidelines
applicable to your appointment as a graduate assistant.
In addition to the terms and conditions set forth in your graduate
assistant appointment letter, graduate assistantships are contingent
upon admission to the Graduate School, current registration as a
graduate student and satisfactory progress toward a Graduate School
degree. In order to hold a graduate assistantship during fall or
spring semester, you are required to be registered for credit (audit
registration only is not acceptable). For regular assistantships, six
credits of registration are required; for Advanced Masters and Ph.D.
Candidate positions, one credit is required. If personal circumstances
require registration for fewer than six credits, you may apply for an
exception. For details, see the above website. Registration during May
Intersession and summer term are not required to hold an
assistantship.
Registration must be completed by the end of the second week of
classes and maintained for the entire semester or your graduate
assistantship will be terminated. Withdrawal from all credits will
result in termination of your assistantship. If your assistantship is
terminated, the hiring department has the option of converting your
appointment to a non-student classification for the remainder of that
semester only; however, benefits such as your graduate assistant
health insurance plan and tuition benefits may be adversely affected.
Tuition benefits will be available to you if you meet eligibility
requirements. These benefits are summarized on the following pages.
Further details may be found online (http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/gae/).
You may enroll in the Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Plan if you
meet eligibility requirements. If you are interested in this coverage,
you must enroll through the Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Office
located at N323 Boynton Health Service, 612-624-0627.
If you have F-1 or J-1 visa status, federal law prohibits the
University from employing you more than 20 hours per week (50% time)
during scheduled class periods and finals weeks. Exceptions exist if
you have been authorized for ‘practical or academic training.’ Consult
with the Office of International Student and Scholar Services over
these matters.
TUITION BENEFITS
Student Fees
============
Tuition benefits do not cover student fees.
Waiver of Nonresident Portion of Tuition
========================================
Graduate Assistants who work a minimum of 25% time (10 hours per week)
per semester and are properly registered are eligible to receive
resident rate tuition during that semester. Resident rate tuition also
applies to eligible students’ immediate family members (spouse or
registered same sex domestic partner, children, parents, or legal
guardian or ward living in the household).
Maximum Benefits per Semester
-----------------------------
A graduate assistant appointed 50% time (an average of 20 hours per
week) for the full-semester payroll period (which begins before the
start of classes and extends beyond finals week) typically receives a
tuition benefit equivalent to the Graduate School’s tuition band level
(at resident rates). This benefit would cover 6-14 credits per
semester. Those in the Advanced Masters or Ph.D. Candidate job classes
receive a benefit equal to one credit of Graduate School tuition.
Legal Project Assistants with Tuition Benefits receive the equivalent
of Law School tuition. Medical Fellows must work 100% time for the
full semester to receive the equivalent of the Graduate School’s
tuition band level.
Prorated Tuition Benefits
=========================
Graduate assistants appointed for less than 50% time or for less than
the full semester payroll period will not receive the maximum tuition
benefits. Their benefits are prorated according to the total number of
hours worked over the 19.5 week payroll semester. Maximum benefits
require appointments of at least 390 hours per semester (20 hours x
19.5 weeks). Appointments for fewer than 97.5 hours per semester
(equivalent to a 12.5% appointment for the full term) do not qualify
for any tuition benefit.
======================================================================
The tuition benefit percentage can be calculated by dividing total
semester hours of employment by 390. A full-semester 25% appointment
(195 hours) receives half of the Graduate School tuition band level.
Full term appointments between 25% and 50% receive prorated tuition
benefits, the percentage equivalent to double their appointment
percentage (e.g., a 40% appointment receiving 80% tuition benefit).
====================================================================
Appointments Beginning After or Ending Before the Official Semester
Appointment Dates
===================================================================
Appointments that begin after or end before the official semester
appointment dates will be prorated according to total hours worked for
the semester payroll period. The student will have the unearned
portion of tuition benefits billed to them, at non-resident rates if
applicable. If the shortened appointment falls below the 97.5-hour
eligibility threshold (equivalent to a 12.5% time appointment for the
full semester period), 100% of the tuition will be billed to the
student, at non-resident rates.
Appointments Ending Due to Graduation
If an appointment ends early because of graduation, the student will
receive the full tuition benefit awarded for that final term of
employment as a graduate assistant. The benefit will not be prorated
and charged back to the student.
Summer Tuition Benefits
Nine-month academic year assistantships carry no summer tuition
benefit. Summer benefits are earned only from hours of assistantship
employment during the 13-week summer period between spring and fall
semesters. In order to provide comparable maximum benefits to those
earned during an academic year semester, summer benefits accrue at a
50% faster rate; maximum benefits (typically, the Graduate School’s
tuition band level) are earned for 260 hours of summer employment
(i.e. 20 hours x 13 weeks) and lesser hours are prorated according to
that 260 hour norm. The minimum summer appointment threshold for
tuition benefits is 65 hours. Benefits are higher for the 9574 job
class, Summer Session Teaching Assistant, and are calculated
differently. See the GAO website (http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/gae/) for
details.
Extended Waiver of Nonresident Portion of Tuition
Former graduate assistants, their immediate family members, and/or
domestic partners are eligible to receive extended resident rate
reductions if the graduate assistant has held at least two semesters
of qualifying appointments (at least 25% time). This benefit is
extended to graduate assistants who are no longer employed as graduate
assistants for a maximum of four semesters, one term of extended
benefit earned for each term of employment. Extended benefits must be
used within three years of the last term of assistantship appointment.
Provisional Tuition Benefits
A department may place a graduate assistant on a provisional
appointment (flexible hourly) whereby the assistant may receive a
tuition benefit at the beginning of the semester based upon an
estimation of the number of hours the assistant will work per week.
The department shall submit the actual number of hours worked by the
assistant at the end of the semester to Graduate Assistant Employment.
Any hours worked in excess of the estimated number will result in a
tuition benefit credit, if applicable. If fewer hours are worked than
the estimated number, the student will be billed for the unearned
portion of tuition benefits, at non-resident rates if applicable. If
the total number of hours worked per semester falls below the 12.5%
time minimum eligibility requirement (97.5 hours) in order to receive
a tuition benefit, the student will be billed for the entire tuition
benefit received, at non-resident rates if applicable.