Graduate Summer Work Alternative Program (GSWAP)

Human Resources, in partnership with The Graduate School, is implementing a new Graduate Assistant Work Alternative Program (GSWAP) for eligible Graduate Assistants working over the summer without enrollment. GSWAP allows for flexibility in workload and enrollment during the summer term only. Contingent upon a student’s home academic department/unit approval in the summer term only AND if there is no course availability applicable to a graduate student’s Program of Study.

The T099 exempt job code will be used for Graduate Assistants enrolled in the prior Spring semester and planning to enroll in the following Fall semester. The work must be appropriate for the degree and be vetted by the Graduate School.

Enrolling Graduate Assistants in GSWAP

The department representative references the following eligibility requirements:

• The student does not have enrollment in any summer term
• It is not the student’s first semester in the program
• The student was enrolled in the Spring semester
• The graduate student is not admitted to candidacy if in a doctoral program

Three Paths for Summer Work

No Enrollment > If other criteria are met, submit for GSWAP approval, no GA benefits.

FT Enrollment > Appoint in GA job code, tuition waiver applies.

PT Enrollment and performing degree-related work > Appoint in GA job code at less than 0.25 FTE. Employees should not be working more than 9 hours. A tuition waiver is not applicable.

Please note, students appointed in GA job codes with an appointment of 0.25 or greater, must be enrolled full-time.

If the work is similar to the Spring and appropriate for the degree, employees should not be appointed in a nonexempt job code for the summer. The rate of pay is expected to remain comparable. 

GSWAP Form

The department representative completes the Graduate Summer Work Alternative Program (GSWAP) Form.

• All fields are filled out, and any applicable signatures are obtained (DocuSign permissible).
• Once the GSWAP form is completed and all signatures are obtained, the representative will email the form to Ashley Jarvis in the Graduate School.

• Once the Graduate School has reviewed and approved the GSWAP form, the finalized form will be emailed to the representative.

The department representative will complete an ePAF changing the Graduate Assistant’s employment record job code to the new T099 Graduate Summer Work Alt code.

• Attach the completed GSWAP form from the Graduate School to the ePAF.
• For an international employee, also attach a screenshot of the approved RAMP EC showing the Visa Applicant Information tab to include the job code and dates in the position.

Appointing Graduate Assistants for Fall

The Graduate Assistant Work Alternative Program (GSWAP) is for the Summer semester only. All Graduate Assistants enrolled in the program must be moved to their Fall GA roles based on their offer letters before the beginning of the Fall semester.

• Department representatives can utilize either the ePAF system or the Fall Graduate Assistant Mass Reappointment process

RAMP Considerations

• An active RAMP EC with dates that have not lapsed is required for international employees in all Colleges, the Libraries, and the Research Division.
• If RAMP is current, upload to the ePAF, the approved GSWAP form, and a screenshot of the Visa Information Tab showing the current dates.
• Upload the screenshot of the approved RAMP EC to include the Visa Information Tab when reappointing for the Fall semester via ePAF.
• If the GA job code for Fall will be different from Spring, an approved amendment will be required before the ePAF is approved.
• HR will push back ePAFs to the department level if the action does not match the current RAMP EC job code and dates in position.
• Check the RAMP status now and initiate a new EC if the dates are not active.
• Work should not continue without RAMP compliance.
• Allow ample time for RISE to process RAMP amendments.
• Refer to the Research Integrity, Security, and Ethics (RISE) website for current information and guidance.

Questions? Please contact the Employee Data Management team at hr-edm@fsu.edu, Ashley Jarvis in the Graduate School at a.jarvis@fsu.edu, or the RISE team at rise-exportcontrol@fsu.edu.