Graduate Assistant Salaries
June, 2004

Effective August 16, 2004 the minimum salary that must be paid to a graduate assistant is being increased to $7,164 for a nine-month appointment ($3,582 for either the spring or fall semesters).  This is an increase of $250 per nine-month appointment or 3.62% over the present minimum amount.  Any graduate assistant whose salary is below the nine-month appointment amount of $7,164 must be provided with an increase to raise the salary to that new minimum level.

For graduate assistantships supported by centrally allocated funds, the amount needed to fund the increase will be transferred to the unit.  The amount transferred will be based on the number of anticipated graduate assistants positions funded from centrally allocated funds for the August Cycle II pay period.  For graduate assistantships supported by external funds, funds from auxiliary units, and non-centrally allocated funds, each unit will be responsible for generating the amount needed per graduate assistant funded by those sources. 

A pool consisting of $250 for each graduate assistant funded from centrally allocated funds will be developed for each unit.  After all salaries are at the new minimum, the remaining funds in the pool may be used to increase the salaries of other graduate assistants.  No funds may be used to create new graduate assistant positions or to fund activities other than the salaries of graduate assistants.

Once all graduate assistant salaries have been raised to the new minimum level, the remaining funds could be used for the following purposes:

•     To increase the salaries of doctoral level graduate assistants.  Maintaining its Four-Year I Status was identified in the University's S.B. 547 Plan as an important University priority.  It continues to be important to maintain WVU’s current Doctoral-Research Extensive status.   That status determines the level of faculty salaries among other things.  Increasing the stipends of doctoral students will further accomplishment of this goal.  Increasing the stipends of doctoral students may require that deans or other administrators reallocate funds from one program that does not have doctoral students to another that does.  Such reallocation within the pool is permissible.

•     To increase the stipends of graduate assistants who provide significant instructional support.  In some instances, these graduate assistants may be masters level students.  Again, reallocation from some programs to others may be appropriate to accomplish this goal.

      Both the first and second points are consistent with the Academic Budget Principles that have been shared widely on campus.  A copy of those principles may be obtained by calling 293-7119 if you cannot locate a copy.

•     To provide across the board increases of $250 per graduate assistant.  While permissible, across the board increases would generally not represent a strategic use of this resource.

Given that this increase in the minimum graduate assistant salary amount is occurring at a time other than the start of the Federal fiscal year, it is recognized that in some instances it will not be possible to obtain funds to increase the salaries of graduate assistants supported by external sources.  Before determining that such increases are not possible, it will be important to examine all possible sources of funding including reallocation from one area to another in a grant (providing appropriate authority is granted by the funding agency) or the temporary use of funds available within the unit, such as Dean's Overhead Accounts, until grant funding can be requested when the grant is renewed.  If, after reviewing all possible sources of funding, it is still determined that providing an increase is not possible, a written justification for an exception to the required increase must be submitted.  That justification should indicate the name and social security number of the student who will not receive any increase and identify the sources that were considered for funding an increase.  The justification should be forwarded to Associate Provost Russ Dean for review.

Except for reaching the minimum annual salary level of $7,164 increases in graduate assistant salaries supported by research grants or contracts are not required.  Units are permitted to increase the stipend amount of students above the new minimum.  Such increases, however, may not exceed 15% of the existing stipend amount.

Information about the processing of salary increases will be provided by the Planning Office and Human Resources within the next week or so.

Enclosure
DB
Office of the Provost
June, 2004