UNIVERSITY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Policy for Graduate Assistanships and Tuition Scholarships

Introduction

Both the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Tennessee Conference of Graduate Schools (TCGS) maintain the position that the goal of the graduate assistantship/tuition scholarship should be to enhance the ability of the student to complete her or his graduate degree. Enhancement of the ability to complete the degree should not be interpreted such that the financial support provided by the assistantship/scholarship is the only part of the assistantship/scholarship that helps the student to achieve the goal of completing the graduate degree. The philosophy adopted by the Tennessee Conference of Graduate Schools is presented succinctly as follows:

“Programs of graduate study are designed to transform the individual from student to professional scholar. When a graduate assistantship (or tuition scholarship) is well conceived and executed, it should serve as an ideal instrument to help facilitate the desired transformation. The primary goal of an assistantship (or scholarship), then, is to facilitate progress toward the graduate degree. Rather than interfere or conflict with the student's educational objective, the assistantship (or scholarship) is to aid in the prompt and successful completion of the degree program. While the student makes progress toward an advanced degree, he or she also receives work experience in a profession under the supervision of a faculty mentor.” (C.W. Minkel & Mary P. Richards, 1987, A Model Policy for Graduate Assistantship Administration. Tennessee Conference of Graduate Schools, Publication No. 4, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Graphic Arts Service, p.2.)

When at all possible, work assignments made to graduate assistants and service obligations for graduate tuition scholars should reinforce their educational goals. For example, research assignments to graduate research assistants should provide experience that will be helpful in formulation of thesis or dissertation problems and teaching assistantships should help prepare the student to function independently in the classroom. The best use of the graduate assistantship provides professional growth of the student as well as benefits to the University.

Courses have been designated to document these professional growth experiences on the graduate student transcript. XXXX 5019 (Supervised Experience in Teaching) and XXXX 5029 (Supervised Experience in Research) are available in nearly all academic units, and XXXX 5039 (Supervised Experience in Administration) is available in many units. Students receiving graduate assistantships or tuition scholarships should consult with their supervisor and enroll in the appropriate course for each term that they are receiving support.