West Virginia Agricultural & Forestry Experiment Station

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Guidelines for Levels of Support for Graduate Assistantships
Graduate education is an important mission of the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences and graduate students are important contributors to the success of the research programs in the College. The majority of these students are supported by graduate assistantships. Graduate teaching assistantships (GTAs) and graduate research assistantships (GRAs) are both available in the College. Assistantships can be at the Masters level or Ph.D. level. Funds to support graduate assistantships can come from Central Administration, federal formula funds (Hatch or McIntire-Stennis funds) or state matching funds, or from external funds such as grants or contracts.

Duration of Assistantship

Assistantships are awarded for 9 months for a teaching assistantships and 12 months for a GRA. However, 9-month GRAs can be awarded at the Division Director's discretion where it is deemed appropriate based on the graduate student's research program. Graduate assistantships are not automatically renewable and continuation is based on satisfactory performance and progress each semester towards the graduate degree. For assistantships funded primarily from appropriated state or federal funds, the maximum length of time a student may hold either a GTA or GRA at the Masters level is 24 months and 36 months at the Ph.D. level.

Levels of Support

In the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences, the minimum level of support for assistantships are:

	Degree Level	9 month contract^*	12 month contract*
Teaching Assistant	Master	$7,299 ($811/month)	NA
Research Assistant	Master	NA	$9,732 ($811/month)
	Ph.D.	NA	$11,376 ($948/month)
* Rates current for Fall, 1999.

Supplements to Graduate Student Assistantships

It is recognized that the level of graduate student support offered by the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences in some disciplines may not be competitive with those offered by other institutions. Where these cases can be justified by a Division Director, the Dean's Office, may give permission to supplement the assistantship with funds available in the Division. The funds for the supplement can come from sources such as scholarships, grants, contracts or private funding. Formula funds (Hatch and McIntire-Stennis) will not be used for assistantship supplements. The supplement is awarded on a year to year basis and generally will not exceed $168/month.