Standards of Conduct, Discipline, and Separation for Graduate Assistants
As employees, Graduate Assistants (GAs) hired at Texas Woman’s University are expected to follow TWU's Ethics Policy for Employees. All TWU employees are expected to be in compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations and statutes. In general, the rules of conduct of the University are reasonable, common-sense rules that the University considers necessary to ensure the mutual welfare of the University and its employees. Should questions arise, an employee should discuss them with his or her supervisor.
As students, GAs hired at Texas Woman’s University are also bound by TWU's Student Code of Conduct as presented in the Student Handbook. Violations of the Code of Conduct are handled through the Office of Student Life without regard to the condition of employment of the student.
In accordance with university policy, academic unit administrators may provide standards of conduct and discipline procedures as deemed appropriate by the individual academic units, according to the descriptions of specific jobs. A GA may be dismissed by the administrator of the employing academic unit during the term of the assistant’s appointment under the procedures established in this policy statement:
- For any reason, such as acts of misconduct, insubordination, poor work performance, or job abandonment.
- For failure to follow or implement adequately communicated reasonable instructions to his or her supervisor when such instructions are within the proper scope of the supervisor’s duties.
- For failure to make satisfactory progress toward degree objectives or failure to meet any one of the eligibility requirements.
A violation of the standards established in this procedure will result in disciplinary or corrective action ranging from an oral reprimand to termination of employment.
TWU encourages the use of corrective action designed to give the GA a reasonable opportunity to improve in the area of deficiency and understand what is expected. If improvement is not achieved or maintained, this may lead to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. Corrective action may include informal counseling, oral warnings, a letter of corrective action, and termination, but not all steps have to be followed, depending on the GA's efforts to correct the problem or violation of major rules of conduct.
Corrective actions should receive the approval of the component leader.
Appeals of corrective action or termination should be made to the component leader. Any further appeal should utilize the established academic appeals process.
Graduate Assistant Reappointment
Graduate Assistantships are not guaranteed semester after semester. Reappointment to an assistantship is contingent upon the student's performance, departmental research and teaching needs, and available funds. The number of years a student may hold a graduate assistantship depends on the level of the student's degree program. For a student at the master's level, the maximum number of years will be three. For a student at the doctoral level, the maximum number of years will be six. Only under extenuating circumstances and with a rationale and support from the head of the student's component leader, may an extension of an appointment be granted (not to exceed one year). Ensuring academic success is of the highest importance. Students admitted provisionally who end up on academic probation and students lacking progress (thesis or dissertation) will lose their graduate assistantship.
