Hiring A Graduate Assistant
A Graduate Assistant is a registered SJU graduate student who will be receiving payment by your department AND receiving a tuition benefit from the department. If the student is not receiving tuition benefit and/or is not a registered graduate student, the student should be hired as a Student Worker (see related articles on the right).
Please note, students cannot hold any other employment at SJU while they are working as a GA.
- Submit a GA request to hire through PeopleAdmin.
- This is only a request and is not a guarantee that you will be permitted to hire. Students are only allowed to begin work if the request is approved and an official letter is sent from the Office of Human Resources.
- Credits per semester are required to be identified in the request. These credits are not transferable from one semester to another so please keep in mind that when communicating with your student on their registration. See Position Description on the right of this article.
- Note: A job description is required for these position types.
- GA submissions can be for one semester/term or Fall-Spring of the same academic year. Summer GAships must be submitted separately each year.
- If approved, HR will send a letter stating the terms of the assistantship. It is imperative that the student not begin until this letter is received. The supervisor will be copied on the letter.
- If the student has never worked for SJU before, onboarding is sent to them electronically to be completed via Workday no later than their start date listed in the letter.
- Note: onboarding includes Section 1&2 of the I-9 form. See the "I-9 Form for New Employees" article linked on the right side of this page for more information.
Hiring Timeline Recommendations
In order to process your GA's letter in a timely manner and give the Office of Financial Aid the information they need about upcoming Graduate Assistants, please submit the information for each individual GA in PeopleAdmin by the following dates:
- Fall - by August 15th
- Spring - by January 15th
- Summer* - by May 15th
- Must be submitted separately each spring (even if a GA is continuing on in the same position)
Spring Termination of GA Positions
Each May, the Office of Human Resources will end all GA positions as of the end of the spring semester (last day of final exams). Summer GA positions and candidates should be submitted separately by May 15th and will receive a new letter for the summer term.
Communications will be sent to all GA supervisors and GAs each spring to remind them of when these positions will end. Supervisors and GAs must submit and finalize all time worked prior to the end date communicated each spring.