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SUNY Plattsburgh > Admissions > Graduate > Assistantships

Graduate Assistantships and Other Employment Opportunities at SUNY Plattsburgh

SUNY Plattsburgh currently offers over 25 graduate assistantships and other employment opportunities for well-qualified, full-time matriculated graduate students. Graduate assistants typically work 20 hours a week for the academic year (10 months). Graduate assistantships all carry a tuition scholarship (in-state rate) and a stipend, and allow you an opportunity to grow professionally while pursuing your master's or C.A.S. degree. Other employment opportunities may include paid or partially paid tuition and a stipend.

The types of graduate assistantships offered in various departments and offices at SUNY Plattsburgh include:

Residence Hall Directors - Residence hall directors are responsible for all managerial and programmatic aspects of operating a residence hall and supervises a staff of undergraduate resident assistants.

Administrative Assistants - Administrative assistants provide programmatic and administrative support to various administrative and academic offices throughout campus.

Research Assistantships - Research assistantships are associated with academic departments on campus and may involve students in the following kinds of learning experiences: tutoring, supervising laboratories and clinics, conducting research, and assisting faculty with scholarly and pedagogical endeavors.

Assistantships and Other Employment Opportunities for the 2013-2014 Academic Year:  ALL POSITIONS HAVE BEEN FILLED.

The application deadline for graduate assistantships for the 2013-2014 academic year is February 15th. However, this is a soft deadline and applications are accepted after February 15th. Generally, graduate assistantship supervisors start interviewing in mid March or early April. Each graduate assistantship supervisor has his or her own timelines. It is advisable to send a polite email to the supervisors of the assistantships that you are most interested in, letting them know of your availability for an interview.

You should keep checking this site. New assistantships may be added (as funding becomes available) and assistantships that have been filled will be noted. The assistantship process is different from applying to graduate school. An assistantship is a job; you will be a SUNY Plattsburgh employee. Reference letters for an assistantship should speak to your skills and abilities and past employment or internship experiences.

How to Apply

Students interested in a graduate assistantship or other employment opportunity should submit the Graduate Assistantship Application Form to the Graduate Admissions Office by February 15. Applications are accepted after February 15, but late applications cannot be considered for all positions. It is the applicants responsibility to complete the Employment Application on the Human Resource Services website per the directions on the Graduate Assistantship Application Form. Applications are reviewed and interviews are scheduled by the department(s) offering the assistantship(s).

  • Download Application for Graduate Assistantship (PDF file size 299 Kb). This document requires the latest version of Acrobat Reader, which is available as a free download.
  • To receive a copy of this form in the mail, contact the Graduate Admissions Office at graduate@plattsburgh.edu, (518) 564-4723, or toll-free at (800) 723-9515.

Graduate Assistantship Policies

  • Not all graduate assistantships are available every year.
  • Graduate assistantships offer a stipend and a tuition scholarship (in-state rate). Residence Directors also receive housing and partial meal plan.
  • Typically, assistantships are awarded on an academic year basis. However, when circumstances warrant, one semester appointments can be made. All appointments are made using guidelines outlined in the Procedures for Awarding Graduate Assistantships.
  • Students need to reapply annually, and assistantships may be renewed for up to two years after the initial appointment.
  • Graduate assistants, in addition to their status as students, are employees of the State University of New York and are represented by the Graduate Student Employees Union (GSEU).
  • The terms and conditions of their employment are determined through collective bargaining and are enumerated in the agreement between GSEU and the State of New York.

General Requirements for Graduate Assistantships

  • Graduate assistants must be full-time, matriculated students at the start of the appointment period. A graduate student who withdraws or reduces enrollment from full-time to part-time status may jeopardize the stipend and tuition scholarship which affects tuition liability.
  • Graduate assistants who are full-time students take a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester. When the graduate assistantship is directly related to the educational program (e.g., when the assistantship is within the academic department), graduate assistants may take a minimum of 9 credit hours.
  • Other exceptions to the full-time requirement must be approved by the appropriate department head/dean.
  • Graduate assistants may not be employed outside the College without the approval of the employing department head/dean.
  • Maintenance of good academic standing is a requirement for continuation and/or reappointment.
  • Tuition scholarships are limited to in-state equivalency.

Contact Information

For more information about Graduate Assistantships at SUNY Plattsburgh, please contact:

Marguerite Adelman
Director for Graduate Admissions
Phone: (518) 564-GRAD (4723)
Toll-Free: (800) 723-9515
FAX: (518) 564-4722
Email: graduate@plattsburgh.edu