2021-2022 Rates available for Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants, and Teaching-Excluded Graduate Assistants

The following minimum pay ranges/rates will be raised by the following percent, effective 08/16/2021:
Graduate Teaching Assistants – 5%. Graduate Research Assistants – 5%. Graduate Teaching-Excluded Assistants – 5%

For Graduate Assistants:

Departments should apply a two percent (2%) raise to all returning TAs, RAs and TEs who meet the following requirements:

  • All graduate assistants who hold an TA/RA/TE appointment for Fall 2021 effective 8/16/2021: and
  • Have previously held an TA/RA/TE appointment in Fall 2019 and/or Fall 2020 in same unit as the 8/16/2021 appointment.
  • Apply the 2% raise to the most recent, highest applicable wage.

Departments are responsible for processing the 2% raise for eligible TA/RA/TEs. To help determine eligibility, utilize the Business Intelligence (BI) Report – Graduate Assistant Listing-HRP060-A. Find this report through the BI tab in the HR/Payroll system: Public Folders > HR-Payroll Folder > University HR-Payroll Reports > OMPA –Organizational Management/Personnel Administration.

Apply the raise via the appointment form or a pay change request. If you haven't submitted appointments for fall semester yet, apply the 2% increase when submitting the appointment. Pay change requests do not require a new offer letter as long as you enter the comment “2021 mandated raise”.

If your department already has forms in process, process a pay change after the appointment(s) has been approved by MSU HR or request MSU HR reject the form(s). Make all requests to have forms rejected back to your department to the Graduate Appointment Processing Team at HR.GraduateAssistants@campusad.msu.edu.

If MSU HR has already approved forms, submit a pay rate change.

Offer letters signed by TA/RA/TE (regardless of status in the HR/Payroll system):

If your department has a signed offer letter from the TA/RA/TE, send them a communication specifying the change in stipend due to the 2% raise. The TA/RA/TE is not required to sign this notice. Pay change requests do not require a new offer letter as long as you enter the comment “2021 mandated raise”.

Please note that for any graduate assistant’s stipend that does not meet the minimum stipend range, MSU HR will automatically adjust the stipend to the new minimum rate.