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Subject to the University’s policies on the maximum time for which a student may be supported, a department’s first obligation for support must be to continuing graduate students in accordance with the conditions stated in the initial letter of offer and subject to the existence of adequate funding. These students must be making satisfactory academic progress, be in good academic standing, and have satisfactorily carried out their academic and assistantship responsibilities as teaching and graduate assistants. The same principles apply to graduate research assistants, recognizing also that reappointment is subject to available external funding and to applicable Research Foundation policies. Offers of continued appointment and support are to be made in writing.
Support may be terminated if a student’s academic progress or performance of assistantship responsibilities is unsatisfactory. Support should not be terminated in the middle of an academic year unless student status is withdrawn, the student fails to meet the assigned responsibilities of the assistantship, or all degree requirements have been completed. In the event that external funds with which a graduate research assistant is supported terminated before the end of the period of appointment, departments should make their best efforts to identify alternative support sufficient to allow the student to complete the academic year.
It is the joint responsibility of each graduate student and his/her department or program director to expedite the progress of the student through his/her graduate career. That progress should not be delayed to meet instructional or professional needs of departments beyond those responsibilities assigned to the student.
Unless expected amounts, levels and terms of continuing support are specified in the initial letter of offer, amounts and levels beyond the first year are not to decrease below the original offer unless the reduction is requested by the student or is mutually agreed upon by the student and the department. Any such reductions below the institutional minimum will be accompanied by a corresponding reduction in the student’s academic and assistantship obligations.
Financial support may be increased beyond the minimum level offered provided the increase does not derive from decreases in the amount of support already committed to other students below the institutional minimum. Any conditions, restrictions or limitations on increases above the University minimum are to be stated explicitly in the letter of offer or renewal.
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