Welcome to the

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Welcome to the Online Orientation for New
Graduate Assistants
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• Congratulations!
• Now that you have received a graduate
  assistantship and/or tuition scholarship, there
  are several topics that must be reviewed. In this
  orientation we will cover the following topics
• The Graduate Assistant Handbook
• Eligibility
• Required forms
• Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
• Fee Remission
• Parking
• Plagiarism
• And more!

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The Graduate Assistant Handbook
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• The Graduate Assistant Handbook is your primary
  reference guide if you have questions regarding
  your assistantship.
• Some of the important topics available are
• Types of Graduate Assistantships
• Terms and Benefits
• Rights and Responsibilities
• Sexual Harassment/Non-Discrimination
• Grievance Procedures
• Please review the handbook and bookmark the
  following link for your personal use
• Graduate Assistant Handbook

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Eligibility for Graduate Assistantship
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To be eligible for graduate assistantship

• You must be fully admitted to a graduate degree
  program.
• You must be enrolled as a full-time student
  during each semester you are working as a
  graduate assistant.
• 9 credits in Fall/Spring semester
• 6 credits in combined Summer sessions
• Maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA and
  progressing towards degree completion.
• Maximum works hours on campus may not exceed 20
  per week.

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Eligibility Requirements, continued

• You are required to perform your graduate
  assistantship duties satisfactorily.
• Maintain the standards of academic conduct.
• Honor the terms of your contract agreement.
• Teaching Assistants must meet oral proficiency
  requirements International students must provide
  an acceptable TSE or equivalent score, and
  Domestic students must be assessed by
  departmental procedures.

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Required I-9 Form for the Graduate School

• The Polsky Building, Room 469
• Akron, Ohio 44324-2101
• 330-972-5858

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Required I-9 Form for the Graduate School

• Graduate Assistants are required to complete the
  I-9 Form for the Graduate School.
• Graduate Fellowships are not required to complete
  the I-9 Form for the Graduate School.
• Please be advised that you will not be paid until
  the Graduate School has received the I-9 form.
• If you have worked for UA Student Employment, you
  are still required to submit the I-9 form to the
  Graduate School.
• Do not send the I-9 form to the Payroll Office.

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The I-9 Form
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Required Forms for the Payroll Office

• Location Administrative Services Building (ASB)
  Room 112 185 East Mill Street, Akron, Ohio 44325
  Mailing address 302 Buchtel Common, Akron,
  Ohio 44325-6210
• 330-972-7205

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The Payroll Office requires the following forms

• W-4 Form
• Direct Deposit Form
• Form SSA-1945
• SERS Exemption Form or SERS Membership Record
  Form
• Please review the Student New Hire Instruction
  Sheet
• Please complete the Payroll Self-Service Tutorial

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Retirement Plan

• As a State of Ohio institution, we do not pay
  Social Security instead, we contribute to a
  state retirement system.
• As a student employee, you must choose whether or
  not you will participate in the School Employees
  Retirement System (SERS).
• Your contribution is 10 of your earnings and the
  University will supplement this with a
  contribution equal to 14.

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SERS Membership or Exemption

• You must complete either the Exemption or the
  Membership Record form and submit it to the
  Payroll Office.
• If you choose to complete the Membership Record,
  state law makes parents possible beneficiaries
  therefore, your parents birth dates are required
  (note deceased if applicable).
• Visit the SERS website for more information.

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STRS Information for Teaching Assistants

• If you are an active member in State Teachers
  Retirement System of Ohio (STRS) and you are not
  on a leave of absence from a teaching position
  covered by STRS Ohio, you may apply for exemption
  from contributions to STRS Ohio.
• STRS Ohio Exemption form for Student Employees
• If you are an active member in State Teachers
  Retirement System of Ohio (STRS) and on a leave
  of absence from a teaching position covered by
  STRS Ohio, or wish to contribute to STRS Ohio,
  you must complete a New Hire Notification for
  College and University Employees form.
• STRS Ohio New Hire Notification

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All Payroll forms must be submitted to the
Payroll Office

• Location Administrative Services Building (ASB)
  Room 112 185 East Mill Street, Akron, Ohio 44325
  
• Mailing address 302 Buchtel Common, Akron, Ohio
  44325-6210
• 330-972-7205
• Any questions involving payroll forms or the
  bi-weekly payroll schedule can be found on the
  Payroll Office website.

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Sexual Harassment Other Forms of Discrimination
Prevention Training
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Sexual Harassment Other Forms of Discrimination
Prevention Training

• "Sexual Harassment Other Forms of
  Discrimination Prevention Training" is mandatory
  requirement for all UA employees and Graduate
  Assistants, to be completed in the first semester
  of appointment.
• This training discusses topics relating to sexual
  harassment and other forms of discrimination.
  Discussion will include relevant federal and
  state laws, as well as UA rules and policies.
  Important contact information is also provided.
• Email eeocompliance_at_uakron.edu and provide your
  UANet ID to be enrolled in the online course.

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Fee Remission
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The University of Akron Fee Remission Policy for
Graduate Assistants

• The University of Akron shall provide a
  scholarship during each semester or summer
  session of award period for
• graduate instructional fees
• non-resident surcharge general fee and
• partial payment of parking permit for student
  campus lots
• Scholarships are not provided for
• Graduate Scholarships will not be awarded, nor
  will any fee remission be applied, after the 14th
  day of any semester or session.

• audit or undergraduate courses
• administrative fees
• facilities fees
• technology fees
• drop/add fees
• library fees
• additional cost of professional fess for joint
  graduate/law students
• professional fees for any student that is not
  admitted to a joint/law program
• miscellaneous fees
• late registration fees
• tuition/fees at any other institution.

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Plagiarism
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The University of Akrons Policy on Plagiarism

• Academic honesty is fundamental to the activities
  and principles of any university. All members of
  an academic community must be confident that each
  person's work has been responsible and honorably
  acquired, developed and presented. The assumption
  that your work is a fair representation of your
  actual ability, knowledge and skills form the
  basis of institutional quality and the quality of
  its graduates.
• For more information please view The University
  of Akron's policy on Plagiarism and Academic
  Integrity.

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The UA Institutional Review Board
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Institutional Review Board All students and
faculty engaged in research are subject to the
oversight and guidelines of the Universitys
Institutional Review Board (IRB)

• The IRB is a part of the Office of Research
  Services Sponsored Programs.
• All individuals conducting research involving
  human subjects must be certified. All researchers
  must take and pass the core modules in the
  Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative
  (CITI) curriculum.
• A CITI Tutorial is available for Researchers
  Submitting a Protocol to the IRB and for Students
  taking the CITI Training to satisfy course
  requirements. After completing the tutorials,
  researches must complete the CITI course online.
• Guidelines and samples for obtaining informed
  consent, as well as ethical principles and
  Federal laws are also available online.

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Parking
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Parking Reimbursement

• Your graduate assistantship entitles you to
  partial payment of a parking permit. You must
  request your Graduate Assistant Parking Permit
  online
• Log into MyAkron
• Access Parking
• Select Graduate Assistant and request permit.
• Your department will be sent an approval notice.
  Once they have approved the payment, your student
  account will be credited.
• Questions regarding parking should be directed to
  the Parking Office 330-972-7213 or
  parking_at_uakron.edu.

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General University Information and Services
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Useful Links for General University Information
and Services

• Campus Map
• Campus Shuttle
• Career Center
• Counseling Center
• Clinic for Individual Family Counseling
• Library Services
• Parking Services
• Off-Campus Services
• Schedule of Classes
• Registrar
• Student Health Services
• UA Athletics
• UA Bookstore
• UANet Support Wiki
• Zip Card Information

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Thank you for completing the Online Orientation
for New Graduate Assistants!

• If you have additional questions regarding your
  assistantship, please contact Graduate School
  Financial Aid
• 330-972-5858