As part of its continued effort to strengthen support for graduate education, the University is implementing a new policy to provide modified assignments for graduate assistants who are experiencing significant personal circumstances.
The Provost’s Office, the Office for Graduate Education and Life (OGEL) and the WVU Medical Management Unit have partnered to create a "modification of duties" policy for graduate assistants, similar to the policy for full-time faculty.
To support graduate students navigating the balance between their studies, work and personal life, WVU is instituting a new policy for graduate assistants who experience a medical emergency, childbirth or adoption, or personal trauma, such as a death in their immediate family.
This new policy provides graduate assistants the ability to take up to a six-week leave of absence from their assistantship responsibilities while receiving 100% of their stipend and maintaining their tuition waiver and health insurance associated with their graduate assistantship. The paid leave may be up to eight weeks in the event of a cesarean birth (C-section).
“Our graduate assistants play a vital role in the success of our research, teaching and service mission at WVU,” Associate Provost for Graduate Academic Affairs Richard Thomas said. “The more we can do to support them and recognize both their contributions and their need for a healthy work-life balance, the stronger we will be as an institution. Having this formal policy in place is just another step we are taking to help ensure the long-term success, health and well-being of our graduate students.”
Acknowledging the department’s need to ensure that work continues, the new policy directs the department to find a paid substitute for the graduate assistant when the leave exceeds two weeks. For periods that are two weeks or shorter, units are asked to continue to be flexible and cover these brief absences with available staff. The complete policy is available on the OGEL website.
The new modification of duties policy follows other recent initiatives in support of graduate student success, including the expansion of mental health services and raising the minimum graduate assistant stipends.
Questions about graduate student resources can be directed to the Office of Graduate Education and Life at 304-293-7173 or GradEd@mail.wvu.edu.