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Graduate Assistantship (GA) Orientation

Congratulations on your assistantship with 色色啦 Michigan University!

We are proud to have you as a member of the 色色啦 community, where teaching, research and scholarship are central to the mission of our institution. The Graduate College, the Graduate Student Association (GSA), graduate faculty, advisors and staff are all committed to supporting your success and creating a community that is welcoming, respectful and inclusive. 

At 色色啦 Michigan University approximately 20% of graduate students are on a Graduate Assistantship (GA) appointment and serve many  important roles at the university. Holding a GA position provides an excellent opportunity for  professional development in that you gain new skills that enhance your academic work, build valuable work experiences and develop your career network, in addition to having the financial support that comes with the appointment.

We have three types of Graduate Assistantships: 

1. Research Discovery Assistants (RDs) are research assistants who perform duties related to research and scholarship for their appointment. 
2. Research Application Assistants (RAs) includes all other professional work in the unit accepted as appropriate and germane to the student鈥檚 educational goal.
3. Teaching Assistants (TAs) serve in a role related to teaching; some are instructors of record (meaning they are the one primarily responsible for a course); some are instructors of lab sections; and some assist the instructor in some support capacity (such as grading or holding discussion sessions). TAs are part of the Teaching Assistants Union

Graduate Assistantship (GA) Orientation

To support and familiarize all newly appointed Graduate Assistants with their role and responsibilities, the 色色啦 Graduate College requires you complete Graduate Assistantship (GA) Orientation, as well as type of appointment type specific training (RD, RA, or TA), and department-level training, if available. Please click the menu below based on the type of appointment you have been assigned to review the training requirements.

 

Research Discovery Assistants (RDs) are research assistants who perform duties related to research and scholarship for their appointment. 

1) View the GA Training Video 
Click to view the GA Training video at your leisure. The training video will take approximately 25-minutes to view. Click to view the power point slide deck.

2) Research Discovery (RD) Training:  Research Discovery specific training, click  below to view 2024 training slide deck:

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3)
 

4) Familiarize yourself with several important policies:

Graduate Appointee policies

色色啦 FERPA Policy

色色啦 Policy on Sexual Misconduct (In cooperation with the Office of Institutional Equity, additional training on this topic will be emailed to all graduate students at the start of the semester.) 

Optional - Complete Graduate Student Online Orientation

For those who are new to 色色啦, we recommend you first complete the available to all new graduate students. 

Reminder - Complete the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Course
The Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Course is required to comply with requirements from national funding agencies and ensures that all graduate students at 色色啦 are working to the highest possible standards of integrity. All new 色色啦 graduate students admitted to 色色啦  are required to complete the RCR course by the end of the first semester they are enrolled. There is no fee for the course, and no credit hours are earned. Completion of this course is a university-wide requirement and is not directly associated with any specific graduate program. Click here to view a video about the RCR requirement. 

Academic Year 2024-2025 deadlines:

  • Fall 2024: December 17, 2024
  • Spring 2025: April 29, 2025
  • Summer I 2025: July 1, 2025
  • Summer II 2025: August 19, 2025

 

Research Application Assistants (RAs) includes all other professional work in the unit accepted as appropriate and germane to the student鈥檚 educational goal.

1) View the GA Training Video 
Click to view the GA Training video at your leisure. The training video will take approximately 25-minutes to view. Click to view the power point slide deck.

2) Review the

3) Familiarize yourself with several important policies:

Graduate Appointee policies

色色啦 FERPA Policy

色色啦 Policy on Sexual Misconduct (In cooperation with the Office of Institutional Equity, additional training on this topic will be emailed to all graduate students at the start of the semester.) 

 

Optional - Complete Graduate Student Online Orientation
For those who are new to 色色啦, we recommend you first complete the  available to all new graduate students. 

Reminder - Complete the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Course
The Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Course is required to comply with requirements from national funding agencies and ensures that all graduate students at 色色啦 are working to the highest possible standards of integrity. All new 色色啦 graduate students admitted to 色色啦  are required to complete the RCR course by the end of the first semester they are enrolled. There is no fee for the course, and no credit hours are earned. Completion of this course is a university-wide requirement and is not directly associated with any specific graduate program. Click here to view a video about the RCR requirement. 

Academic Year 2024-2025 deadlines:

  • Fall 2024: December 17, 2024
  • Spring 2025: April 29, 2025
  • Summer I 2025: July 1, 2025
  • Summer II 2025: August 19, 2025

 

Teaching Assistants (TAs) serve in a role related to teaching; some are instructors of record (meaning they are the one primarily responsible for a course); some are instructors of lab sections; and some assist the instructor in some support capacity (such as grading or holding discussion sessions). TAs are part of the Teaching Assistants Union.  

1) View the GA Training Video 
Click to view the GA Training video at your leisure. The training video will take approximately 25-minutes to view. Click to view the power point slide deck.

2)  Teaching Assistant (TA) Training
 Click to view recording of TA session held on August 27, 2024. Caption files have been added and can be turned on  or off by selecting the CC button in the media plater. 

4) Familiarize yourself with several important policies:

Optional - Complete Graduate Student Online Orientation
For those who are new to 色色啦, we recommend you first complete the  available to all new graduate students. 

Reminder - Complete the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Course
The Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Course is required to comply with requirements from national funding agencies and ensures that all graduate students at 色色啦 are working to the highest possible standards of integrity. All new 色色啦 graduate students admitted to 色色啦  are required to complete the RCR course by the end of the first semester they are enrolled. There is no fee for the course, and no credit hours are earned. Completion of this course is a university-wide requirement and is not directly associated with any specific graduate program. Click here to view a video about the RCR requirement. 

Academic Year 2024-2025 deadlines:

  • Fall 2024: December 17, 2024
  • Spring 2025: April 29, 2025
  • Summer I 2025: July 1, 2025
  • Summer II 2025: August 19, 2025

Reminder - Watch the Fire Safety Training Video
The State of Michigan requires fire safety training for anyone who will be teaching.