To be eligible to compete for an instructor position,
a graduate student must commit to registering for at least 6 hours
of coursework and be qualified to do the teaching, which is outlined
in the position description. Each GSI appointment provides a stipend,
tuition waiver and health benefits during the term of appointment.
If a student has a GSI appointment in the Winter term, and again the
following Fall, s/he is also eligible for carryover benefits during
the Spring/Summer.
Graduate student instructors (GSIs) are hired to help teach discussion sections and laboratories. Most GSI appointments in SNRE are offered to currently enrolled students because they have already taken the courses that they will help teach as GSIs. Prospective students do not apply for GSI positions their first term unless invited to do so. Each GSI appointment is for one term only.
Faculty are asked to rank GSIs in an equitable manner and may consult with their colleagues to provide the best "fit" possible for the course as well as the potential GSIs. Final decisions are made by a GSI oversight committee. Additional information is available in a resource notebook in room 1520 Dana, ask Diana Woodworth.
Application periods:
Fall GSIs-January
Faculty are requested to notify Diana Woodworth of their Fall GSI
preferences by late-February. An oversight committee reviews the
GSI positions and determines the final selections by mid-March.
Students will be notified of their application status by late-March
via a letter in their SNRE mail folders.
Winter GSIs-September
This application period allows students who are new in the Fall
term to have an opportunity to apply. Faculty are requested to notify
Diana Woodworth of their Winter GSI preferences by late-October.
An oversight committee reviews all of the GSI positions and determines
the final selections by mid-November. Students will be notified
of their application status by late-November via a letter in their
SNRE mail folders. Exception: The
Landscape Architecture Winter GSI decisions are made in conjunction
with the Fall process, i.e., by the end of March, so submit applications
for Winter GSIs for LA courses during the Fall application period.
Application process:
1) Notices are posted on the GSI/RA announcement board within room 1520, and above the graduate student mail folders at the beginning of the Fall and Winter terms. E-mail announcements are also sent to the SNRE.MS and SNRE.PhD e-mail groups.
2) Application forms and position descriptions are available in room 1520 Dana.
3) Return completed GSI application materials to room 1520 by the application deadline. Applications for Fall Term positions are normally due the end of January. Applications for Winter Term positions are normally due the end of September
A list of all positions and appointees is posted within room 1520 as well. If
you are wondering about the status of the decision-making process,
contact the instructor. There are always details to work out once
the decision has been made and selected students should see Diana
Woodworth ASAP to make sure the hiring process is smooth.
SNRE typically appoints about 12 GSIs in the Fall and 10 GSIs in the Winter. In addition, about 60 students per term obtain GSI/GSRA appointments in other units. Typically these units include the LSA/SNRE Program in the Environment, Biology, the Biological Station, Chemistry, Math, Romance Languages, CAUP, CAAS, Engineering, and the English Composition Board.
Research Assistantships
To be eligible, a graduate student must register for at least 6 hours of coursework and be qualified to do the research work. Each GSRA position provides a stipend, tuition waiver and GradCare health benefits during the term of the appointment. Most GSRA appointments are for one term only.
GSRAs are hired to work on externally funded research projects. Students must check with individual faculty for these opportunities; they are not posted. Once a student has come to an agreement with a professor, the student needs to get an appointment form from Diana Woodworth. The student fills out part of the form. The professor completes and signs the form, and returns it to Diana for processing. Students should then see Diana ASAP to initiate the hiring process.
For additional information please contact:
Diana Woodworth
School of Natural Resources and Environment
Office of Academic Programs
430 E. University
Ann Arbor MI 48109-1115
Phone: (734) 763-4572
E-mail: dianaw@umich.edu
