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Employment Exception Request Guidelines


Academic Year Appointments Over 50% Time

U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents

The employment of a graduate student over 50% time during the academic year requires the prior written approval by:

  • All hiring departments/programs and/or funding sources involved
  • The student’s graduate academic home department Chair
  • The Dean of Graduate Division
  • Additionally, the endorsement of the student’s academic advisor is required

In general, a request for exception up to a maximum of 75% time will be considered.

IMPORTANT:  Students appointed over 50% may be eligible for core benefits as outlined in Chapter 13.

International Students 

An international student in F-1 or J-1 status is restricted to on-campus employment of a maximum of 50% time (20 hours per week) during the academic year.  During the summer, 100% employment is allowed (depending on the student’s academic department support policy) if the student intends to enroll full time Fall quarter and meets all other eligibility criteria.

No exceptions are permitted to this rule. 

Contact the Global Education Division with questions.

Academic Student Employee (ASE) Exceptions

Associate (teaching a course) or Teaching Assistant (TA) Appointments Less Than Entire Quarter and Change in Percent Time

It is an exception to appoint a Teaching Assistant for less than the entire quarter or to increase the percent time mid-quarter.  The action requires pre-approval by staff in the Graduate Division Financial Support Unit (FSU). The FSU staff will determine if the situation also requires a formal exception letter and consideration by the Dean of Graduate Division.  The action also requires special coordination with the Payroll Office since paychecks are not automatically generated.

TAs have a pay period in the Payroll system (three full months) but a service period of the actual quarter dates.  If a student does not work the entire quarter (begins late or ends early) or changes the percent time mid-quarter, the action requires that you calculate the TA daily rate of pay with FSU staff assistance. 

See Chapter 5: Guide for Teaching Assistants and Calculating a Daily Rate of Pay

Also, be aware that if the student does not work the equivalent of 50% time for half of the quarter, they will become ineligible for the TAHI/TAFE payments and will be billed by the University.  This is another reason why you must contact FSU staff prior to inputting the action into the Payroll system.

Associate (in-lieu-of-TA) Title in Other Than Approved Programs

The Associate (in-lieu-of TA) title has been approved for specific programs including:

  • Department of Cognitive Science
  • Department of Political Science
  • Department of Psychology
  • Department of Sociology
  • Teaching + Learning Commons, Center for Engaged Teaching
  • The Division of Biological Sciences

Any other departmental usage requires the approval of the Dean of the Graduate Division.

Non-Student Tutors and Readers

Please review our chapter on non-student appointments here.

See Chapter 9: Guide for Non-Students

Tutor Title in Other than Approved Programs

Only programs that have received prior approval by the Graduate Division may use the Tutor title code.

Graduate Student Researcher Exceptions

GSR Not Meeting Eligibility Criteria

It is an exception to appoint a Graduate Student Researcher on Tuition/Fee Remission who does not meet all of the five criteria for appointment.  A request for exception must receive pre-approval from the Dean of the Graduate Division.

See Chapter 8: Guide for Graduate Student Researchers

GSRTF on 99100A or Other Funds Not Automatically Accepting T/F Remission Charge

There are some 99100A funds do not allow GSRTF such as American Cancer, American Heart, and March of Dimes; therefore, all GSRTF charges on a general fund (99100A) go through a clearing account managed by the Director, Graduate Student Financial Support.

Prior to hiring a GSR on a 99100A fund, the hiring department must submit a “GSRTF Clearing Account or Recharge Action Form”.  The form is available on the Employment Forms page.

Non-Degree Student in Academic Titles

The appointment of a non-degree graduate student (a student admitted to Non-Degree status) on an academic title requires prior written approval by the student’s graduate department/group Chair and the Dean of Graduate Division.  Exceptions will be considered if all degree students in the department are fully supported and that the non-degree student is not taking away support from a degree student (a student admitted for a Master’s or doctoral degree).



Exception Request Guidelines

Effective Spring 2020, departments requesting an exception to the 50% cap, should submit an Employment Exception Request form and any additional documentation to the Financial Support Unit.  A separate form should be submitted for each student.  The exception request is initiated by the funding source requesting the exception. 

Acceptable Requests

  • The request should indicate all current and proposed title codes and percentages the student will hold during the quarter.
  • A change in title code, percentage of effort, class or course, or dates will require a new approval.
  • Over-50% Employment: The Dean will not approve a GSR position over 49.99%, although he/she may approve a 49.99% GSR in combination with another 25% title such as TA or Reader.

Request Details

Departments must provide student data and all relevant information related to the student’s proposed employment for the quarter(s) requested.

  1. Department Certifications (as applicable)
    1. The student must be in good academic standing (must have a minimum 3.0 GPA)
    2. The additional appointment will not detract from the student making good academic progress
    3. That the additional position is not taking away support from another student without full support
    4. NEW/Effective Winter 2020: If the student falls within the parameters identified in the Graduate Funding Reforms, please also certify that the student is receiving financial support equal to or above the minimum support levels set forth by Graduate Division, effective Winter 2020.
      1. See Graduate Student Funding Policy and this memo from 11/08/19 for details.
    5. The student’s academic advisor supports the proposed request/appointment 
  2. Department Justification
    1. Describe the department’s need and/or justification for the request.  The description should include, but is not limited to:
      1. The unique circumstances of the case
      2. The benefit this request will have on the home department and/or hiring department
  3. Student Qualifications (as applicable)
    1. Describe the student’s qualifications for the request.  The description should include, but is not limited to:
      1. The student’s relevant experience and skills
      2. The student’s expertise in the subject matter
      3. The impact to the population that will be receiving instruction from the student; including the perceived and actual quality of instruction the student will be able to provide (if applicable)
    2. The department should show that the student is truly outstanding – for example, for those proposed appointments over 50%, that include a Teaching Assistant or Associate appointment of any kind, the department should include student teaching evaluations and/or CAPE reports demonstrating that the student has received consistently positive student evaluations.
      1. Where the student teaching evaluations or CAPES scores have scores of less than 75% in the last 2 academic years, departments should provide additional information in the letter addressing the low scores.  For example, the department could describe the concrete approaches they will use to improve the student’s teaching performance.
    3. There must be a current departmental spring evaluation on file with the Graduate Division indicating that the student is making excellent progress.  If the spring evaluation indicates any deficiencies, these should be addressed by the student’s academic department/group in the exception letter.
  4. The request must be signed by the student’s academic Department Chair or Program Director, and all funding sources, and be approved by the student’s academic advisor.

Submit completed and signed forms via the Employment Exception Requests Google Form: https://forms.gle/Y9fC2Ge14J1toSmCA. 

NEW/Effective Spring 2020:  Employment Exception Request Form

Get the Graduate Division Employment Exception Request Form here.  Instructions for completing the form can be found here. You can find this and other Graduate Employment forms here.



Back to Chapter 2

Graduate Student Employment Policy & Procedures

Forward to Chapter 4

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