Graduate Assistantships are placements for students engaged in research and/or field development projects that contribute to their academic and professional development. Under the Collective Agreement, full-time OISE graduate students are eligible to be considered for Graduate Assistantships.
All graduate assistants at OISE are members of CUPE3907, and have access to benefits, including a Top-up Health and Dental Plan.
A full Graduate Assistantship (GAs) shall normally cover the period from September to April.
All students who meet the criteria bellow will be included in Group A and will be offered a Graduate Assistantship. Group A students include:
- Students in a Ph.D. program for the first four (4) years of the program;
- Students in the M.A. program (excluding the M.A. in Child Study, and the Masters of Teaching [M.T.]) for the first year in the program;
- Students in the M.A. in School and Clinical Child Psychology for the first two (2) years of the program;
- Students in the School and Clinical Child Psychology at OISE who then go on to pursue the Ph.D. at OISE, for the first three (3) years of the Ph.D. program.
Students who meet the criteria above, but are full-time employees at the University of Toronto or elsewhere, are ineligible to be considered for graduate assistantships. Full time employment is defined as 35 hours per week, or where different, the number of hours specified in an employee’s contract as full time employment.
Group B students includes other full time graduate students not covered by Group A including:
- Students in the Ed.D. program;
- Students in the M.Ed. program.
- Students who are enrolled or will be enrolled full-time in an M.Ed. will be eligible to be considered for assistantships for the first two (2) years of their program. Students who are enrolled full-time in a Masters program with a two (2) year residence requirement will be eligible to be considered for the first three (3) years of their program.
- Students who are enrolled or will be enrolled full-time in a doctoral program will be eligible to be considered for assistantships for the first five (5) years of their program.
A “Flex-time” Ph.D. student shall be eligible for consideration as a member of Group B under section 14:02 for one regular academic session during their program of study. In order to assess eligibility, the student must provide the following information, in writing, accompanying their application:
- Confirmation from their supervisor that they will be pursuing studies on a full-time basis, and
- Confirmation that they will not be working full-time.
** Graduate students holding a combination of scholarships fellowships, OISE-arranged teaching assistantships, OISE-arranged course instructorships, and/or research assistantships greater than or equal to the value of a full graduate assistantship during the academic year (September-August), are not eligible for a graduate assistantship.
If during the application and/or selection process (see more information below) you require accommodation due to a disability, please contact oise.gradfinasst@utoronto.ca.
Hours of Work
A Graduate Assistantship will be one hundred and 120 hours’ over one term, or 240 hours over two terms.T he hours of work referred to in a letter of appointment shall be the total number of hours over the entire period of employment.
The employee and immediate supervisor shall have a mutual responsibility to ensure that the hours of work specified in the offer of employment are neither exceeded nor reduced.
All duties required, expressly or by implication, shall be included in the calculation of hours worked. The immediate supervisor, or Chair if necessary, shall meet with the employee to discuss hours and work assignments as soon as possible and no later than 10 working days after the job has been assigned. It shall be the responsibility of the supervisor to specify in appropriate detail the manner in which assigned duties are to be performed.
Work will not normally be assigned beyond the end of the contract; that is, the end of the relevant term, provided that the GA has been available to undertake the assigned GAship during the course of the term. The GA and the supervisor may reach an agreement to complete work assigned in a different time frame, which will be made in writing, and signed by both the GA and supervisor.
Salary
As of September 1, 2020: $54.12/hour – 2020 Academic Year (September 1, 2020 – August 31, 2021)
All Assistantships shall have an additional four percent (4%) added for vacation pay. Vacation pay shall be calculated, identified separately, and included as part of an employee’s regular monthly salary payment.
Group A Only Fall/Winter Hiring Process
Group A job descriptions will be posted for a minimum period of 10 working days commencing as follows:
- Late May for Graduate Assistants who begin their assistantships in the Fall term;
- Early November for Graduate Assistants who begin their assistantships in the Winter term; and
Each job description will indicate:
- a commitment to accessibility during the application and hiring process,
- whether the work is to be performed in OISE buildings or elsewhere,
- if evening and/or weekend work is required,
- the name of the supervisor, and
- the hiring department.
Graduate assistants may apply for and rank in order of preference up to 5 positions. The online application will include a resume and a rationale for applying to each position.
At the close of the job posting period faculty members will review all applicants to their positions and rank the applicants in order of preference. The GA Online Job Posting system will match faculty and graduate assistants based on their indicated preference. Graduate assistants will indicate their acceptance of these assignments by signing the online Graduate Assistantship Contract.
All successful matches will be notified in writing at the earliest possible date, typically
- On or before the first week of September for positions commencing in the Fall term; and
- On or before the first week of January for positions commencing in the Winter term.
Group B Only – Fall/Winter GA Hiring Process
The Employer shall post at least 45 positions to Group B in the Regular Academic session. Students can check out OISE Student Employment page for upcoming opportunities and deadlines.
Group B job descriptions will be posted for a minimum period of 10 working days commencing as follows:
- Mid July for Graduate Assistants who begin their assistantships in the Fall term;
- Early November for Graduate Assistants who begin their assistantships in the Winter
term; and
Each job description will indicate:
- a commitment to accessibility during the application and hiring process,
- whether the work is to be performed in OISE buildings or elsewhere,
- if evening and/or weekend work is required
- the name of the supervisor, and
- the hiring department.
Graduate Assistants may apply for and rank in order of preference up to 5 positions. The online application will include a resume and a rationale for applying to each position.
At the close of the job posting period faculty members will review all applicants to their positions and rank the applicants in order of preference. The evidence to be considered in judging applications shall be limited to the applicant’s resume, rationale for applying, the student’s academic file and any evaluation, per Article 19, of the student’s performance as a graduate student.
Graduate Assistants will indicate their acceptance of these assignments by signing the online Graduate Assistantship Contract.
All successful matches will be notified in writing at the earliest possible date, typically
- On or before the first week of September for positions commencing in the Fall term; and
- On or before the first week of January for positions commencing in the Winter
term.
Summer GA Hiring Process
Summer GA positions are posted and available to students in Group A and B in the Spring (early March). The Employer is responsible for posting at least 24 appointments for the summer academics session and 50% are reserved for group B students. Students can check out OISE Student Employment page for upcoming opportunities and deadlines.
Leaves of Absence
Under the Collective Agreement, all members of CUPE 3907 are entitled to bereavement leaves, compassionate leaves, sick leaves, and leaves for serious illness/hospitalization. This page provides a basic summary of leaves available to all members.
If you have more questions about Graduate Assistantships, check out our Graduate Assistantship FAQ