Required Element Description/Notes

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Graduate Assistant Appointment Letter Checklist

Per the Collective Bargaining Agreement between Florida State University and the United Faculty of

Florida – Florida State University – Graduate Assistants United, signed appointment letters are required

for every graduate assistant appointment and re-appointment. Article 2 in the CBA requires the following:

• Appointments may not exceed one calendar year. Graduate assistants may be appointed for an

academic year, for a semester, and/or for a summer term.

• Where practicable, graduate assistants who are appointed in both the fall and spring semesters

should have an academic year appointment or should have appointment dates that are continuous

between both semesters. Departments should prioritize issuing such appointments before

appointing graduate assistants for an individual semester.

• Programs cannot use appointment dates to avoid granting benefits to eligible graduate assistants.

Appointments on a semester basis must have a minimum appointment period of a least five (5)

business days prior to the start of classes through the last day of finals (as outlined in the

academic calendar).

• If unforeseen or exceptional circumstances arise, a limited appointment may be for less than the

minimum appointment period outlined above. In this case, the department shall provide an

explanation to the Office of Human Resources, who will review and approve the appointment.

• For graduate assistant assignments that require advanced preparation before the start of

appointments, such as course development, planning or preparation, required training (including

PIE), or pre-semester meetings, programs shall establish the start date of the appointment to

provide a reasonable length of time to accomplish this work. Additionally, for assignments that

require grading duties, departments shall continue the appointment period through the grade

submission deadline.

• Notice of Appointments: Programs must issue signed appointment letters in a timely manner

according to the schedule below:

A. Fall/Spring Appointments- At least 30 days before the first day of classes.

B. Summer Appointments- At least 21 days before the start of the applicable summer term.

Note: If a department does not provide a signed letter by the above deadlines, the department

shall notify the employee(s) as to why the deadline was not practicable, as well as provide an

estimate based on available information, as to when appointment letters will be issued. If a

department fails to issue this notice by the above deadlines, an employee may request that they

do so; departments shall have five (5) days to comply with such request.

Minimum Elements to include in Appointment Letter:

Required Element Description/Notes

If combining student admission letters and

appointment letter, use Initial Offer Letter template

Offer letter templates are provided by the

Graduate School

Date Issued

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Updated 01/16/2024

Required Element Description/Notes

Classification title and class code

Must include general description of duties

associated with class code

Employing Unit

Applicable department, college, area, center,

etc.

Length of Appointment

Use specific dates. Dates should cover any

required training such as PIE, SPEAK test, etc.

Statement that no department or University

representative may make a binding agreement to

reappoint the employee for longer than the term of

the contract

Research grants, advisor’s verbal promises, and

department agreements are not binding

Conditions of employment

Such as: Required background checks,

departmental policies, etc.

Note: Departments may not restrict or limit

outside employment unless it is considered a

conflict of interest as defined in Article 7

Name of employment supervisor

*Effective January 2024* Statement reading:

“This assistantship is contingent upon you

providing Florida State University required

documentation of employability and upon approval

to work following successful completion of all

university and statutorily required

screenings. Additionally, this

assistantship/appointment is subject to the

Constitution and laws of the State of Florida and

the United States, the regulations of the University

and the Florida Board of Governors, and the

Collective Bargaining Agreement between Florida

State University and the United Faculty of Florida –

Florida State University – Graduate Assistants

United (UFF-FSU-GAU).”

Statement that appointment is contingent upon the

employee providing documentation of

employability

For teaching assistants, include a statement

regarding the required

certifications/qualifications for teaching status

Percent of full-time equivalent (FTE) assigned

Combined FTEs from all appointments cannot

exceed 0.75 FTE

Stipend amount based on appointment

Specific stipend amount

Statement reading:

“All graduate assistants at FSU work under a

contract negotiated by United Faculty of Florida-

Florida State University-Graduate Assistants United

(UFF-FSU-GAU) and Florida State University.

UFF-FSU-GAU is the labor union certified as the

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Updated 01/16/2024

Required Element Description/Notes

exclusive bargaining agent for graduate assistants at

FSU. For more information about UFF-FSU-GAU,

visit http://www.fsugau.org or email

[email protected].”

An estimate of current tuition and fees per semester

Updated information can be obtained from

Student Business Services

In-state matriculation waiver and out-of-state fee

waiver, if any

If attached to the offer letter, this information

can be provided in a Graduate Student Fact

sheet. Reference the examples for both

domestic and international students attached to

this checklist. Contact The Graduate School for

the current version of these documents

Statement that health insurance coverage is

mandatory, statement that FSU sponsored health

insurance is available, and a statement of the costs

associate with an FSU sponsored policy

Updated information can be obtained from

Health and Wellness Center or The Graduate

School

Statement the Graduate Assistant Tuition Plan is

available for all qualifying GA’s and direction to

the appropriate link

Information is located on the Student Business

Services website under Payment Plans

https://studentbusiness.fsu.edu/how-

pay/payment-plans/graduate-assistant-tuition-

plan

Information about where to access the University’s

non-discrimination and harassment policies

Located on HR’s EEO website

https://hr.fsu.edu/sections/equity-diversity-

inclusion/equal-employment-opportunity-eeo

For questions regarding the above requirements, please contact Faculty Relations at (850) 645-1952.

Faculty Relations 01/24

Graduate Assistants - Letter of Appointment Template

Name

Address

City-State, Zip

Date

Dear <__>,

The <Department/College of > at Florida State University is pleased to recommend you for acceptance to

the graduate program in <Major> for <Term,Year>. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate

you and hope that you will accept this offer and join us in <Term Year> pending a final decision from the

Office of Graduate Admissions. Once a decision has been made, you will receive an email notifying you that

your application status has changed, and you can log into your Application Status page to see the final

decision on your application. If you do not hear from the Office of Admissions within two weeks, contact

<Name/Title> in our department at <email, phone>.

< Name> will be your <Temporary Advisor and Program Contact>. <S/he> may be reached through

<email> or <phone>. Please feel free to contact <him/her> if you have any questions about the graduate

program. For any other questions, please feel free to contact <Name>, the department’s <Office Assistant

or Other Appropriate Contact>. S/he can be reached either by <email> or <phone>.

The <Department/College of > at Florida State University is pleased to inform you that you have been selected

for a departmental assistantship with the following class title and code:< class title and code> for the <X>

(academic year, calendar year, or semester), and your employment supervisor will be <supervisor>. You will be

responsible for < general description of duties >. The assistantship carries with it a stipend amount of <stipend

amount>, as well as a tuition waiver up to < X> credit hours for the <X> fall and spring semester and <X>

credit hours for the summer semester (specify if out-of-state fee waiver will be covered). The departmental

assistantship offer is for an average of <X> hours per week, < FTE %>, beginning <M/D/Y and ending

M/D/Y>, and will be under the < employment unit>.

This assistantship is contingent upon you providing Florida State University required documentation of

employability and upon approval to work following successful completion of all university and statutorily

required screenings. Additionally, this assistantship/appointment is subject to the Constitution and laws of the

State of Florida and the United States, the regulations of the University and the Florida Board of Governors,

and the Collective Bargaining Agreement between Florida State University and the United Faculty of Florida –

Florida State University – Graduate Assistants United (UFF-FSU-GAU). No Department or University

Representative may make a binding agreement to reappoint you for longer than the term of the contract (for

teaching assistants, you must include a statement that teaching assistants are required to meet certification and

qualification requirements to obtain teaching status). Continuation of funding is contingent upon academic

progress in the program and fulfilling the obligations of the assistantship. All graduate assistants at FSU work

under a contract negotiated by the UFF-FSU-GAU and Florida State University Board of Trustees. UFF-FSU-

GAU is the labor union certified as the exclusive bargaining agent for graduate assistants at FSU. To find out

more information about the UFF-FSU-GAU, or join their action newsletter, visit http://www.fsugau.org or

email [email protected]g. Florida State University is an equal opportunity employer. Prior to the start of your

Faculty Relations 01/24

appointment, you should become especially familiar with the University policies on non-discrimination, non-

retaliation, and sexual harassment (https://www.hr.fsu.edu/sections/equity-diversity-inclusion/equal-

employmentopportunity-eeo).

Please review the departmental assistantship offer below and the academic fee schedule provided for you. Since

the offer is based on 20__-20__ tuition rates, the rates may change. Please refer to the enclosed Fact Sheet

which covers other important information or visit http://studentbusiness.fsu.edu/ for updated tuition, fee

rates and other cost estimates. The Graduate Assistant Tuition Plan is offered year-round to all Graduate

Assistants employed by FSU to defer the due date for tuition and fees until the end of the term. For added

convenience, plan participants can also enroll in payroll deductions. This plan applies to tuition and class fees

only and does not change the due date of any other charges the graduate assistant might owe to FSU. Detailed

information on the plan is available on the Student Business Services website.

FSU requires that all prospective graduate assistants enrolling full-time must show proof of health insurance

before they can register for classes. A University-sponsored health insurance plan is available for purchase from

our health center. A health insurance subsidy is also offered to graduate assistants towards the

university-sponsored health insurance plan. The subsidy is based on your FTE and citizenship –

please see Fact Sheet for details and rates.

Please note that only this written offer is binding. Research grants, advisor’s promises, and departmental

agreements are not binding.

Sincerely,

<X>

_____________________________________ _________________

Appointee Signature/Acceptance Date

Faculty Relations 01/24

Assistantship Offer Estimate Based on Tuition Rates for 20__-20__

FSU FUNDING OFFER

Please review the assistantship offer and academic fee schedule provided for you below. Department funding

is available for ______ years subject to satisfactory academic progress and continued availability of funds.

Students are expected to enroll in _____ credits during the first 12-months and thereafter ____ credits per

year for the remainder of their academic program at FSU (Modify as applicable). Please note that tuition rates

and fees are subject to increase.

Table 1: FSU Funding Offer

Fall 2022

Spring 2023

Summer 2022

Total

Academic Department Funding

* The stipend is provided directly to the student as a bimonthly salary (with taxes and health insurance

premiums withheld); waivers post to the student’s my.FSU account and have no cash value.

Assistantship

Stipend (PhD)

Tuition Waiver

(In-State)

Tuition Waiver

(Out-of-State)

Supplemental

Funding (e.g. LAC

scholarship, one-

time additional

scholarship, etc.)

Additional FSU Funding

* The Graduate School pays an insurance stipend, but students must pay the remaining insurance cost

themselves (see below).

Graduate School

Insurance Subsidy

for .5 FTE.

(For less than .5

FTE insert lower

amounts)

Total FSU

Funding

STUDENT’S FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Although the department provides you with a tuition waiver as listed above, you are responsible for paying

the academic fees each semester you are enrolled, as well as your portion of the health insurance cost. The

estimated academic fee for 2021-2022 is $105.87 per credit hour for out-of-state students. (Change as

necessary for LAC students paying In-State rates). Additionally, a $20.00 facilities use fee is charged each

semester, and a $5.00 university card fee is charged fall and spring semester. Academic fees are subject to

increase. Based on a full-time enrollment of __9__ credit hours each semester, your total estimated academic

fees each semester are as follows. (Modify as applicable).

Faculty Relations 01/24

Table 2: Student’s Financial Responsibility

Fall 2022

Spring 2023

Summer 2022

Total

Paid to FSU

Academic Fee

(Out-of-State)

(Use In-State fees

if student is

receiving LAC

Scholarship)

Facilities Use Fee

(Remove if student

is not expected to

enroll in summer)

University Card

Fee

___

Student’s portion

of estimated health

insurance

(Adjust as

necessary based on

FTE)

*Students are required to maintain

continuous health insurance coverage

during enrollment at FSU. Summer

insurance is automatically included in the

spring/summer insurance payment.

Estimated Out-

of-Pocket Cost to

Student

________________________________ _________________

Appointee Signature/Acceptance Date

Enclosure/s: Fact Sheet, Council of Graduate Schools Resolution