Any questions regarding salary/payroll should be directed to Jeanine Maiden (maiden@umn.edu) or Halle Garcia (halle@umn.edu )
If you have a graduate assistantship, please see your offer letter for specific details.
For information regarding employment matters, please see the GLU-UE collective bargaining agreement (CBA) at https://z.umn.edu/GA_CBA
In order to be placed on payroll you need to have a valid I-9. This will be completed with the departments Human Resource contact, Halle Garcia (halle@umn.edu) during your individual orientation. If you do not have an orientation scheduled, contact Halle Garcia (halle@umn.edu).
You need to have this completed by the start date in your offer letter, or you will not be in I-9 compliance and cannot be paid until you are in compliance. This also affects your tuition benefit and insurance (costs to you).
For RA/TA appointments, additional increases are determined by your tier level. There are 3 tier levels for ECE PhD students.
Base rate/Tier 1: $31.69 for Fall 2025.
You move to the 2nd tier when you pass your Preliminary Written Exam.
You move to the 3rd tier when you pass your Preliminary Oral Exam.
Your tier will be updated after the milestone you completed is recorded in your academic record. Please check your academic record after you have passed a milestone to see that it has been recorded. If it is not recorded, please contact the GPC. The additonal increase will not be applied until the semester following the passing of the milestone.
Each semester there is a date by which you must reach a tier in order for you to be eligible for an additional increase the next semester. Additional increases occur only at the beginning of a semester, not immediately after you have passed the milestone. The dates listed are the deadlines to have your exam done and the Pass submission completed by the reviewers. It is best to schedule your exam at least a week before the deadline to make sure everything is complete. All paperwork must be submitted by each deadline date.
To be eligible for a tier in the Fall you need to reach the next tier level by July 15.
To be eligible for a tier in the Spring you need to reach the next tier level by December 1.
To be eligible for a tier in the Summer you need to reach the next tier level by April 15.
When you move to the next tier you will receive an increase in your hourly rate.
Email Jeanine Maiden (maiden@umn.edu) the date of your last day of work. Jeanine will update your appointment and will notify the Graduate Assistantship office that your appointment is ending early due to graduation.