Graduate Assistantships Policy

The State University of New York College at Plattsburgh offers its qualified graduate students a limited number of assistantships. The types of graduate assistantships offered in various departments and offices at SUNY Plattsburgh include: residence director, administrative assistant and research/teaching assistant.

A residence director is responsible for all managerial and programmatic aspects of operating a residence hall and supervises a staff of undergraduate resident assistants. Administrative assistants provide programmatic and administrative support to various administrative and academic offices throughout campus. Research/teaching assistants 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.

Not all graduate assistantships are available every year. Graduate assistantships offer a stipend and a tuition scholarship. (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 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) and the State of New York. 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.

Graduate assistants must be matriculated at the start of the appointment period. Graduate assistants must take a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester. A graduate assistant who withdraws from any or all courses may jeopardize the stipend and tuition scholarship, which affects tuition liability. Maintenance of good academic standing shall be a requirement for continuation and/or reappointment. A graduate assistant who accepts other employment, inside or outside of the college, without the approval of the employing department head/dean may jeopardize his/her assistantship.

Graduate assistants, whether awarded full or partial tuition scholarships, must either apply for a Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) grant, or submit a completed TAP ineligibility certificate each academic year. Details about TAP eligibility and application process are available in the financial aid office. The tuition scholarship will be reduced by the TAP award amount or any other tuition-specific grant. Students who have not submitted a TAP award certificate or filed an explanation of their ineligibility for TAP by October 15 of each academic year in which a tuition scholarship has been granted, may forfeit the tuition scholarship and be liable for tuition charges. All other fees charged are the student’s responsibility.

Tuition scholarships are limited to instate rates when funds are coming from the GA/TA/RA/Fellow Tuition Scholarship fund.