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UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Education Advisory Board 2445 M Street NW ● Washington, DC 20037

Telephone: 202-266-6400 ● Facsimile: 202-266-5700 ● www.educationadvisoryboard.com

2012

August

Custom Research Brief Research Associate Erin McDougal Research Manager Sarah Moore

Compensation and Benefits Packages for Graduate Assistants at Public Universities

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Education Advisory Board

2445 M Street NW ● Washington, DC 20037


© 2012 The Advisory Board Company

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Table of Contents

I. Research Methodology ...................................................................................................... 4

Project Challenge ............................................................................................................. 4

Project Sources ................................................................................................................. 4

Research Parameters ....................................................................................................... 5

Definition of Terms .......................................................................................................... 5

II. Executive Overview .......................................................................................................... 6

Key Observations ............................................................................................................. 6

III. Overview of Compensation and Benefits Packages for Graduate Assistants

across Contact Institutions ................................................................................................... 7

IV. Graduate Assistant Compensation .............................................................................. 8

Compensation Types ....................................................................................................... 8

Compensation Levels ...................................................................................................... 8

Departmental Differences across Contact Institutions ............................................... 9

National Differences in Compensation ....................................................................... 10

V. Graduate Assistant Benefits ......................................................................................... 11

Health Insurance ............................................................................................................ 11

Tuition Benefits .............................................................................................................. 11

Additional Fees .............................................................................................................. 12

Additional Benefits ........................................................................................................ 12

VI. Considerations for the Transition to Graduate Assistant Unionization ............. 13

Before Unionization ....................................................................................................... 13

During Unionization ..................................................................................................... 13

After Unionization ......................................................................................................... 14

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I. Research Methodology

Leadership at a member institution approached the Council with the following questions:

Are graduate assistants designated as employees at other public institutions?

How much are graduate assistants compensated at other public institutions? Are graduate

assistants compensated through stipends, salaries, or hourly wages?

What benefits do graduate assistants receive, for example health benefits, family benefits,

maternity leave, sick leave, annual leave, retirement contributions, etc.?

Do graduate assistants receive tuition benefits, such as waived, reimbursement, etc.?

Do compensation, benefits, and tuition reimbursement vary based on employment status,

type of graduate assistant, discipline, degree, or experience?

How do graduate assistant compensation, benefits, and tuition reimbursement packages

differ between unionized and non-unionized institutions?

The Council consulted the following sources for this report:

Advisory Board’s internal and online research libraries

(www.educationadvisoryboard.com)

Institutional websites

Jaschik, Scott. “Organized labor and higher education line up on opposite sides of grad

union issue.” Inside Higher Ed. 24 July 2012.

(http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/07/24/organized-labor-and-higher-education-

line-opposite-sides-grad-union-issue)

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (http://nces.ed.gov/)

Oklahoma State University: Office of Institutional Research and Information

Management. “2011-2012 Graduate Assistant Stipend Survey.”

(http://www.cas.usf.edu/business-services/data/2011-2012GASt.pdf)

Project Challenge

Project Sources

http://www.educationadvisoryboard.com/

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/07/24/organized-labor-and-higher-education-line-opposite-sides-grad-union-issue


http://nces.ed.gov/

http://www.cas.usf.edu/business-services/data/2011-2012GASt.pdf

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The Council consulted secondary sources and interviewed graduate school deans at public, land-grant universities.

A Guide to Institutions Profiled in this Brief

Institution Location Approximate Enrollment

(Total/Undergraduate) Classification Type

University A Mountain

West 30,200/22,800

Research Universities (very high research

activity) Public

University B Midwest 23,900/19,400 Research Universities

(high research activity) Public

University C Midwest 47,800/36,600 Research Universities

(very high research activity)

Public

University D Mountain

West 18,600/14,800

Research Universities (high research activity)

Public

University E Pacific West

23,800/19,600 Research Universities


Public

University F Midwest 40,800/32,000 Research Universities


Public

University G Pacific West



Public

University H Pacific West



Public

University I Pacific West



Public

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA): Teaching assistants support undergraduate student

education, which may include grading papers, leading discussion or laboratory sections,

or supervising a classroom. Some contact institutions offer different types of GTA

positions, such as Teaching Excluded and Associate In, who may maintain less or more

responsibilities than traditional teaching assistants.

Graduate Research Assistant (GRA): Research assistants typically work with faculty

members on scholarly research projects. However, some contact institutions offer

assistantships that solely include laboratory administrative tasks, such as cleaning

dishware.

Graduate Support Assistant (GSA): Support assistants, sometimes simply titled graduate

assistants, provide administrative services to various departments across campus.

Research Parameters

Definition of Terms

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II. Executive Overview

Only the graduate teaching assistants at four contact institutions are unionized according to

the specific roles and responsibilities of their assistantships; state laws in two states define

graduate research assistants as primarily students of the university, not employees, due to

the academic nature of their research. However, contacts at both the University G and

University E predict that their respective state legislatures will allow graduate research

assistants to unionize in the near future.

Across profiled institutions, graduate schools determine a minimum compensation level for

graduate assistants, which may vary based on type of assistantship (graduate teaching

assistants typically receive less) and degree or experience of student (master’s students

receive less than doctoral students). Most contact institutions with unionized graduate

teaching assistants pay higher compensation than contact institutions without unionized

graduate assistants. However, non-unionized graduate assistants at University D and

University F receive higher compensation than the unionized graduate teaching assistants at

University C.

At all contact institutions, graduate assistant compensation varies based on discipline due

to the availability of grant funding and the difference in competition across fields; contacts

explain that humanities and social sciences graduate assistants typically receive lower

compensation than STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) graduate

assistants. According to national survey data, graduate assistants in various STEM fields

typically receive compensations ranging from $16,106 to $19,578 annually per 0.5 FTE, while

graduate assistants in various humanities and social sciences fields typically receive

compensations ranging from $9,538 to $14,722 annually per 0.5 FTE.

All contact institutions offer graduate assistants a student health insurance package and

require graduate assistants to pay the entire premium, a portion of the premium, or zero

premium; health insurance costs and included benefits reportedly do not differ based on

the type of graduate assistantship. Most contact institutions with unionized graduate

assistants offer free health insurance to teaching and research assistants. Only University I

offers free health insurance to non-unionized graduate assistants. Across contact institutions,

graduate assistants pay premium costs that range from $0 to $1,739 per academic year.

All contact institutions with unionized graduate assistants offer complete tuition and

student fee waivers to graduate teaching and research assistants, except one institution

which only offers tuition waivers to teaching assistants. In contrast, all graduate assistants at

University F must pay $252 per semester in tuition and graduate assistants at University D

must pay in-state tuition. Most contact institutions, including two unionized institutions, do

not offer additional benefits to graduate assistants because most faculty members willingly

accommodate the vacation and sick leave requests.

Contacts explain that graduate school administrators must balance the complete graduate

assistant compensation package among stipends, health insurance, and tuition benefits. For

example, although University B offers the lowest minimum compensation, the university

offers a tuition waiver for graduate teaching assistants. In contrast, University D offers high

stipend rates, but graduate assistants must pay in-state tuition costs. In addition, one contact

reports that administrators must also factor cost of living into graduate assistant compensation

packages.

As more public and private universities face graduate assistant unionization, contacts

suggest the following strategies to ease the transition: prioritize graduate assistants within

the campus community, inform constituents of future changes and impacts of unionization,

and engage the union to create a collaborative and positive bargaining environment.

Key Observations

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III. Overview of Compensation and Benefits Packages for Graduate Assistants across Contact Institutions

The following table summarizes graduate assistant compensation and benefits packages across contact institutions; this table only summarizes information reported by

contacts or described on institutional websites and may not be exhaustive for every institution.

Summary of Compensation and Benefits for Graduate Assistants at Contact Institutions

Compensation and Benefits

University A University B University C University D University E University F University G University H University I

Location City: Midsize Town: Remote Rural: Fringe Suburb: Midsize

City: Small Suburb: Midsize

Suburb: Small City: Large Town: Distant

Status Not Unionized Not Unionized GTA Unionized Not Unionized GTA Unionized Not Unionized GTA Unionized GTA Unionized Not Unionized

Graduate Assistantships

Teaching, Research, and Support


Teaching, Teaching Excluded, and Research


Teaching and Research

Teaching, Lecturer, Research, and Support

Teaching, Research, and Associate In (AI)

Teaching, Research, and Associate In (AI)


Designation Employees Employees Employees Employees GTA Employees Employees Employees Employees Employees

Typical FTE 0.25 to 0.5 FTE 0.15 to 0.5 FTE 0.25 to 0.75 FTE

0.25 to 0.5 FTE 0.2 to 0.49 FTE 0.25 to 0.5 FTE 0.40 to 0.75 FTE

0.40 to 0.75 FTE

0.25 to 0.75 FTE

Minimum Compensation

*

$12,699 $7,500 (MA/S) $8,500 (PhD)

$11,304 (GTA) $11,520 (other)

$16,100 (MA/S) $16,500 (PhD)

$13,500 (GTA) $15,939 (GRA)

$14,484 (Lect.) $13,190 (other) $25,000 (max.)

$17,309 (GTA) $18,136 (AI) GRA

**

$17,309 (GTA) $18,136 (AI) GRA

**

$12,865 (MA/S) $13,653 (PhD)

Health Insurance

Premium***

$1,739 $312 $0 $375 $564 $415 $0 $0 $0

Additional Benefits

None None None None None Sick leave; Parental Leave

Sick leave; Maternity Leave

Sick leave; Maternity Leave

Maternity Leave

Tuition* GTA full waiver GTA full waiver Full waiver No waiver GTA full waiver $252/semester Full waiver Full waiver Full waiver

* Based on half-time compensation (.5 FTE) for a nine to ten month academic year ** GRAs paid on a ten step scale: Min = $16,698 (MA/S) and $21,558 (PhD); Max = $19,956 (MA/S) and $32,730 (PhD) *** Most recent available annual costs for graduate assistants

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IV. Graduate Assistant Compensation

Define Graduate Assistant Compensation as a Salary if Employed by the Institution

Although all contact institutions designate graduate assistants as employees of the university,

most contacts informally refer to their compensation as stipends or salaries interchangeably.

However, contacts at University F emphasize the importance of using the term salary because

as employees of the institution, graduate assistants must work a predetermined number of

hours each week and pay taxes on their compensation; contacts explain that fellowships

should be compensated through stipends as they lack a defined work requirement.

Most Contact Institutions Allow Graduate Assistants to Increase Overall Workload and Compensation through Hourly Wages

Most contact institutions allow graduate assistants to earn hourly compensation for additional

work hours each week; however, no contact institutions allows graduate assistants to receive

compensation solely through hourly wages because they would lose eligibility for health and

tuition benefits. At University B, graduate assistants may work an additional ten hours per

week on an hourly basis to conduct administrative tasks for another department. At

University I, graduate assistants may work an additional five hours per week on an hourly

basis, but must meet the following criteria to work more than five:

provide a reasonable explanation for the additional workload,

enhance their professional development through the additional duties,

continue to achieve satisfactory academic progress, and

their department must continue to provide their assistantship if the additional duties

interfere with timely degree completion.

Most Contact Institutions Establish a Minimum Compensation Level for Graduate Assistants

Across contact institutions, graduate schools determine a minimum compensation amount for

graduate assistants and individual departments may offer salaries above that amount at their

discretion. The following graphic outlines the four common approaches for minimum (or

maximum) compensation levels:

Minimum Compensation Levels for Graduate Assistants

Recommended Minimum: The Graduate School at University I recommends a

minimum compensation for master’s and doctoral graduate assistants.

Fixed Minimums: Three contact institutions determine a minimum compensation that

is consistent for every graduate assistant, different based on degree, or different based

on type of assistantship.

Fixed Minimum and Maximum: The Graduate School at University F establishes the

same minimum and maximum compensation amount for graduate teaching, research,

and support assistants.

Multiple Levels of Fixed Minimums: Two contact institutions determine a minimum

compensation that varies based on graduate assistant experience. For example, at

University D, first year masters students and doctoral students without a master’s

degree receive the lowest compensation tier, while doctoral students who advance to

candidacy receive the highest compensation tier.

Compensation Types

Compensation Levels

$15,141

According to a recent survey, the average graduate assistant stipend for 0.5 FTE across 42 institutions is $15,141. This amount varies slightly based on the type of assistantship.

S

o

u

r

v

e

Average Stipend

Least

Rigid

Most

Rigid

Source: 2011-2012 Graduate Assistant Stipend Survey (http://www.cas.usf.edu/business-services/data/2011-2012GASt.pdf)




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STEM Graduate Assistants Typically Receive Higher Compensation

At all contact institutions, graduate assistant compensation varies based on discipline due to

the availability of grant funding and the competitive nature of some fields; contacts explain

that humanities and social sciences graduate assistants typically receive lower compensation

than STEM graduate assistants. Contacts at University E report that during the 2011-2012

academic year, half-time graduate teaching assistant compensation ranged from $13,500 to

$21,252 for non-STEM and $14,913 to $31,446 for STEM assistants. The graphic below provides

examples of typical graduate assistant compensations at one contact institution:

Select Examples of Graduate Assistant Compensations at University B

Graduate Research Assistant Compensation Levels at University G and University H

The graduate teaching assistants at both University G and University H, and all campuses of their state system, have been unionized under the same collective bargaining unit for over ten years. Therefore, every graduate teaching assistant in the entire system receives the same annual salary of $17,309 for 0.5 FTE. In addition, every graduate research assistant receives the same compensation level for 0.5 FTE, according to the following ten tiers:

Step I ($16,698): Bachelor’s degree, with less than one year of graduate study and without extensive appropriate work experience

Step II ($17,994): One year or more of graduate study or extensive appropriate work experience, but without a master’s degree

Step III ($19,956): Completed master’s program but not yet advanced to candidacy for a doctoral degree

Step IV ($21,558): Advanced to candidacy for doctoral degree

Step V ($22,992): Advanced to candidacy for doctoral degree but not yet completed dissertation research

Step VI-X ($24,060-$32,730): Completed dissertation research but not yet filed appropriate documentation of completion of requirements for the degree

According to contacts, departments must establish a typical range of compensation levels for their graduate assistants to ensure consistency across disciplines. If a department wants to offer their graduate assistants a higher minimum level of compensation (i.e., step II instead of step I), the department must petition the graduate school for approval.

Departmental Differences

across Contact Institutions

Lowest Compensation

Rate

Highest Compensation

Rate

$12,037 Political Science

$15,000 History

$16,782 Sociology

$20,004 Grain

Science

$17,173 Psychology

$19,307 Agronomy

$17,845 Biology

$25,652 Clinical Science

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$0

$5

$10

$15

$20

$25

Tho

usa

nd

s

Average Research and Teaching Assistant Stipends by Discipline across 42 Participating Institutions

Teaching Assistant Research Assistant

The following graph outlines average research and teaching assistant stipends for select disciplines during the 2011-2012 academic year

across 42 institutions, as outlined in the 2012 Graduate Assistant Stipend Survey published by Oklahoma State University. The graph

demonstrates that graduate assistants in various STEM fields typically receive the highest research assistant compensations, ranging from

$16,106 to $19,578 per 0.5 FTE. In contrast, graduate assistants in various humanities and social sciences fields typically receive lower

research assistant compensations, ranging from $9,538 to $14,722 per 0.5 FTE.

Source: 2011-2012 Graduate Assistant Stipend Survey

(http://www.cas.usf.edu/business-services/data/2011-2012GASt.pdf)

National Differences in

Compensation

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V. Graduate Assistant Benefits

Most Contact Institutions Pay a Portion of or Entire Student Health Insurance Premiums

All contact institutions offer graduate assistants access to a student health insurance package

and require graduate assistants to pay the entire premium, a portion of the premium, or none

of the premium. Contact institutions require graduate assistants to meet eligibility

requirements, which typically include 0.25 to 0.5 FTE employment and a minimum number of

enrolled credit hours. Graduate assistants may select to cover their spouse and/or dependents

on the plan at an additional cost. Health insurance costs and included benefits reportedly do

not differ based on the type of graduate assistantship.

Student Health Insurance Annual Premium Levels

Collaborate with Graduate Assistants to Determine Health Benefits

Contacts at University F suggest that graduate school administrators collaborate with

graduate assistant leaders to determine appropriate health coverage each academic year. For

example, the graduate assistants at University F wanted contraceptive coverage in their health

plan; the administration outlined the potential increase in annual premiums and the graduate

assistants agreed to the price increase in order to receive the desired additional benefit.

Most Contact Institutions Offer Full Tuition Waivers to All Graduate Assistants or Only Graduate Teaching Assistants

Four contact institutions offer full tuition waivers to all graduate assistants for a defined

number of credit hours and FTE level. Three contact institutions offer full tuition waivers to

graduate teaching assistants, while graduate research assistants must receive tuition support

from a faculty member’s grant or pay in-state tuition. In contrast, all graduate assistants at

University F must pay $252 per semester in tuition and graduate assistants at University D

must pay in-state tuition.

Health Insurance

Tuition Benefits

All graduate assistants at University A pay the entire annual premium for student health insurance, but the university provides an annual health contribution of $650.

At four contact institutions, graduate assistants pay only a portion of the annual premium for student health insurance, ranging from 15 to 30 percent.

No

Premium Covered by the

Institution

Entire

Premium Covered by the

Institution

At four contact institutions, graduate assistants pay no annual premium for student health insurance.

All profiled institutions, including those with unionized graduate assistants, offer a special student health insurance plan to graduate assistants, not the general university employee health insurance plan.

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Most Unionized Graduate Assistants Do Not Pay Additional Fees

Across profiled institutions, most unionized graduate assistants do not pay additional student

fees, such as course, technology, matriculation, transit, building, or registration fees. Contacts

explain that unions typically bargain away student fees right as the union is first established.

Most Contact Institutions Do Not Offer Additional Benefits to Graduate Assistants

Contacts explain that graduate assistants work according to the academic calendar and receive

unofficial leave when class is not in session. Multiple contacts believe that official annual and

sick leave policies are unnecessary because most faculty members willingly accommodate the

needs of their graduate assistants. However, contacts at University E report that graduate

school administrators are negotiating additional benefits with the graduate student union and

plan to implement leave policies for every type of assistantship in the future.

Contact institutions offer the following additional benefits to their graduate assistants:

University F: Two weeks sick leave, three days family illness leave, three days

bereavement leave, and paid parental leave (120 days for fathers and 240 days for child-

bearing mothers)

University G and University H: Three days family illness leave, three days bereavement

leave, and four weeks maternity leave

University I: Paid maternity leave for four consecutive weeks

Additional Benefits

Balance Graduate Assistant Compensation between Stipends and Benefits

Contacts explain that graduate school administrators must balance the complete graduate assistant compensation package across stipends, health insurance, and tuition benefits. If institutions offer lower than average stipends, then administrators can increase the competitiveness of the package by providing free health insurance or a full tuition waiver. In addition, one contact reports that administrators must also factor cost of living into the graduate assistant stipend. A recent survey outlines the increase in the national average graduate assistant compensation after account for the amount of waived in-state tuition:

Source: 2011-2012 Graduate Assistant Stipend Survey (http://www.cas.usf.edu/business-services/data/2011-2012GASt.pdf)

Additional Fees

$15,141

$20,439

Average Compensation

Average Compensation

Adjusted for Waived Tuition

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VI. Considerations for the Transition to Graduate Assistant Unionization

In recent years, an increasing number of graduate assistants are unionizing at both public and

private institutions, instigating a national debate about whether graduate assistants should be

seen primarily as students or employees. While state laws govern the unionization rights of

graduate assistants at public institutions, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

determines the unionization eligibility of graduate assistants at private institutions. As the

NLRB reconsiders the issue, multiple contacts expect more public and private universities to

face graduate assistant unionization in the future.1

Prioritize Graduate Assistants within the Campus Community

Contacts suggest the following strategies to appease graduate assistants and avoid

unionization by prioritizing graduate assistants within the campus community:

Maintain Open Communication between Graduate Assistants and Senior University

Leaders: Contacts emphasize the importance of creating easy and accessible

communication channels between graduate assistants and senior university leaders,

including the president, provost, graduate school dean, and department chairs.

Incorporate Graduate Assistants in Strategic Plans: The Office of the Provost’s strategic

plan at University B includes increased graduate assistant compensation and benefits

packages as a future goal. Incorporating graduate assistantships into strategic plans

demonstrates that graduate assistants are a priority to the administration.

Understand Graduate Assistant Priorities: Contacts explain that administrators should

understand current graduate assistant needs in order better provide desired

compensation, benefits packages, and student services. Multiple contacts report that

graduate assistants desire more professional development opportunities, including travel

funds to present their research at conferences.

Recognize Outstanding Graduate Assistants: Administrators at University D offer an

Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award of $2,000 to graduate teaching assistants, as well

as a $4,000 Merit Enhancement Award for both teaching and research assistants.

Inform Constituents of Future Changes and Impacts of Unionization

During the transition to graduate assistant unionization, contacts suggest the following steps

to ensure that all campus constituents remain informed and prepared for any possible changes

or impacts:

Communicate Roles and Responsibilities: Graduate school deans and other relevant staff

should communicate with department chairs and faculty via email and during in-person

meetings to adequately explain their respective roles in the process of unionization.

Contacts explain that faculty should be well informed of any changes in policies and

procedures in order to avoid graduate assistant grievances.

Understand State Labor Relation Laws: Contacts at University C suggest that the

graduate school dean meet with human resources or general counsel staff in order to fully

1 Scott Jaschik, “Organized labor and higher education line up on opposite sides of grad union issue,” Inside Higher Ed, 24 July 2012, http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/07/24/organized-labor-and-higher-education-line-opposite-sides-grad-union-issue.

Before Unionization

During Unionization


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understand all state labor relation laws that apply to unionized graduate assistants.

Contacts explain that complete comprehension of current laws will help institutions avoid

future grievances.

Conduct Media Relations Training: Contacts at one institution suggest that

administrators partner with university relations to offer media relations training to faculty

and staff to prepare them for interactions with the media.

Engage the Union to Create a Collaborative Environment

Contacts suggest the following strategies to create and maintain a collaborative and friendly

environment between the graduate school administration and graduate assistant union:

Maintain Communication between Graduate Assistants and Senior University Leaders:

Contacts emphasize the importance of maintaining effective communication between

graduate assistants and senior leaders to create a collaborative environment for

bargaining. Contacts at University E suggest that graduate schools deans meet with the

graduate student union, university president, and director of human resources each term

to discuss concerns and maintain a positive relationship.

Keep the Best Interest of the Graduate Assistants in Mind: After unionization, the

graduate school dean should support graduate assistants, continuously keeping their

interests in mind during bargaining. Contacts explain that graduate school administrators

must treat graduate assistants with the same level of respect as regular university

employees. In particular, graduate school deans should establish uniform policies and

practices for all types of graduate assistantships, even if only one type is unionized.

After Unionization

Retain Academic Authority under Unionization

At institutions with unionized graduate assistants, contacts recommend that graduate school deans ensure that the university retains authority over all academic components of the graduate program in the union contract. Contacts explain that administrators must protect their oversight for the academic content of courses, appointment of graduate assistants, and graduate assistant evaluation based on performance and research quality.

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