Graduate Assistantship Appointments and Rate-Setting Process

Graduate Assistant Stipend Rate Setting Process

1. After approval by the Provost, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, and the Dean of the Graduate School, the Dean sets minimum rates for 50% TA, PA, RA, PA grader/reader and internal fellowships for the next fiscal year.

2. The Dean of the Graduate School announces these rates and requires programs to submit their rates to the Graduate School for approval by a specified date.

3. Programs must have their rates approved by their school or college prior to reporting them to the Graduate School.

4. Rates must be consistent with Graduate School policies on maximum levels of appointment and concurrent appointments and align with the principles below.

Principles in Stipend Rate Setting

• Minimum rate compliance
  Programs/departments must work with their school/college dean’s office to set rates at or above the campus minimums. Stipend rates must not be reduced from the previous year.

• RA appointments
  RAs must be paid the rate associated with their academic program of enrollment, even if appointed in a different program/department.

• TA/PA/LSA appointments
  These appointments are paid at the rate set by the hiring program/department. For Fund FD0101-funded TA, PA, and LSA positions, the Budget Office will provide a base supplement in FY27 budget allocations to cover the increase to the minimum stipend rate.

• Fellowships and Traineeships
  Students supported by external and internal fellowships or training grants with stipends below the program/department rates must be supplemented by the program/department or faculty advisor to meet the program rate.
  

• Appointment percentage
  Stipend adjustments must be made by changing the dollar amount, not the appointment percentage. Single or combined assistantship appointments in most cases should equal 50%. Exceptions may occur in situations such as:

  • A fellowship supplemented with a small assistantship to meet the program’s stipend level

  • Allowable cases as outlined in the Maximum Levels of Appointments policy.

Multi-Year Funding Offers to PhD and MFA Students

Funding offers to PhD and MFA students must:

• Be in writing and include information about what is within the funding package, including:

  • Stipend rate

  • Tuition and fees coverage

  • Health benefits eligibility

• Include a 4- or 5-year (for PhD students, 3-year for MFA students) funding commitment in writing, contingent on:

  • Satisfactory academic progress

  • Satisfactory graduate assistantship performance

  • Availability of funds

• Abide by the Council of Graduate Schools April 15 resolution, to which UW–Madison is a signatory.

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