As we near the start of the summer semester, we have important reminders to share regarding Graduate Assistant appointments. Graduate students who are not taking a full-time course load during the summer semester cannot work in a Graduate Assistant (GA) appointment during the summer semester. 

If the student is working and the appointment does not meet the criteria for an assistantship, the department should initiate an OPS appointment through OPS Express. The unused Graduate Assistant records should be put on a summer Leave of Absence (LOA). The record can remain active for reappointment in the fall semester. The summer LOA process alleviates the requirement for departments to terminate GA appointment records that are unfunded during the summer but will be reappointed for the fall.

A graduate assistant record can be put on a summer LOA if the employee:

• Will not be taking a full-time course load over the summer,
• Will be working in an OPS job code on another record, and
• Will be returning to the primary GA appointment for the fall semester.

Graduate Assistants that are not working over the summer semester in another OPS appointment do not need to follow the summer LOA process. The GA record can be left unfunded for the summer and reappointed for the fall semester through the Fall Mass Appointments process.

The GA Summer LOA Quick Reference Guide provides more detail and action steps required for the appointment changes.

 Questions? Please contact Anna Capenos at acapenos@fsu.edu or (850) 644-1449.