Graduate assistants (research, teaching, service) can be hired by HSC faculty to perform services outside of their dissertation research. Such services as biostatistics, programming, and design of evaluation tools can fall into this category. These employment relationships are outside of the any specific Memoranda of Understanding that we have with graduate programs and that involve the training of students in their dissertation research.
Faculty desiring to hire a graduate student for specific tasks, must adhere to the following:
- The student is governed by all the policies for graduate assistants at WVU. These include receiving a full tuition waiver, health insurance, and a limit to 20 hrs. a week of service. Please see complete information at: https://graduateeducation.wvu.edu/graduate-assistants/policies/benefits
- Letter of appointment to the student, which are drafted by the assistantship supervisor, should follow the template available at the link above. Copies of these letters should be forwarded to the Office of Research and Graduate Education in order to have a record of students working at the HSC.
- Letter of appointment MUST be countersigned by the faculty members department chair, center/institute director (if applicable), and by the EBO for their financial unit. The letter should be copied to the student’s graduate program director.
- The hiring department or appropriate business office will:
a. Submit new hire or change of appointment information to WVU Shared Services
b. Initiate criminal history/background check through HSC Human Resources (for new students)
c. Facilitate payroll processing if needed
d. Submit tuition waiver each academic term to the student’s college of enrollment
5. The student is expected to follow all HSC policies on the responsible and safe conduct of the research, teaching or service activity for which they are being hired.
This policy is to ensure that funds are available to support the student for the entire time the student is in the assistantship and that the administration is aware of the student for communicating HSC specific information relevant to the conduct of their work.
