A non-teaching assistantship carries support type responsibilities in the department. The work responsibility is usually in some administrative area at the department or college level, or in assisting with laboratory instruction in graduate courses. It is departmental policy that all graduate students acquire some teaching experience as a part of their educational experience. For this reason, graduate assistants are shifted frequently from one type of assistantship to another during their period of study. Assistantship and fellowship stipends follow University guidelines and these change on an annual basis.
Assistants are subject to payroll deductions for income tax and social security tax.
All students who receive a stipend from the University must be registered as students at all times. They must register for nine hours each semester and for three hours each summer term when they are on an assistantship or one-half time hourly wages. Students on fellowships register for nine hours each semester and for three hours each summer term. The spouses of assistantship holders are also exempt. Research associates also qualify for exemption.