STUDENT ASSISTANTSHIP POSITIONS + OPPORTUNITIES

The standard wages* range per hour for undergraduate, graduate, and PhD students:

Position Wages – SIAs

• Undergraduate SIA: $16/hr.

• Graduate and PhD SIA: $18/hr.

Position Wages – SRAs

• Undergraduate or Graduate SRA: Standard at $16/hr.; Advanced at $18/hr. (Depends on funding source and Scope of Work, see above).

• Graduate SRA (Advanced Scope of Work, with external funding from outside of SARC): Range from $16/hr. to $20/hr.

• PhD SRA**: Period Activity Payment

Position Wages – SSAs

• Undergraduate or Graduate SSA: Range from $14/hr. to $18/hr. (Depends on Dean's Office funding approval and Scope of Work, see above).

* To be reviewed on a yearly basis to determine alignment with market standards.

** PhD research assistants may be hired at an hourly rate with approval from the PhD committee and the Dean’s Office.

Note: Faculty who intend to set remunerations higher than the standard wages listed above are required to justify the increase and identify the source of funding in writing to their Department Chair and the Office of the Dean (Associate Dean of Academics, John Comazzi) for approval.

Higher hourly wage is permissible in the following instance:

• Grant-funded SRA position
  SRAs working with faculty specifically within the context of funded research may receive a higher hourly wage than the typical SARC SRA position wage. The higher wage may be justified due to specific skill sets, experiences, or expertise the student can apply to the scope of work to fulfill the expectations set by the grant PI.

ELIGIBILITY

Standard eligibility requirements apply to all student assistantship positions and are described below. Eligibility requirements that are unique to each position are shared as part of the “call for applications” announcement and position description.

Eligibility – SIAs, SRAs, and SSAs
To be eligible for an SIA, SRA, or SSA position (for federal work-study or wage pay) at the A-School, a student must be an effective University of Virginia student and meets the following qualifications:

• The student is enrolled full-time in a University of Virginia degree program; students in their last semester of enrollment prior to graduation who need fewer than 12 credits to graduate are eligible to work in a student wage capacity

• The student is in Academic Good Standing (Graduate and Undergraduate descriptions found below)

• The student has not completed all the required credits towards their degree*

• The student is making satisfactory progress toward completing all their degree requirements in a timely manner; this includes approved extensions

• In cases where an admitted graduate student has been guaranteed an SIA, SRA, or SSA position for their first semester of enrollment, the criteria listed above would go into effect for the start of the student’s second semester of enrollment.

• Eligibility requirements that are unique to each position are shared as part of the “Call for Applications” announcement and position description.

* Please consult the Wage Authorization for information regarding circumstances under which spring graduates may continue to work through the summer after their graduation. 

Undergraduate Academic Good Standing (Source: Undergraduate Record 2023-2024)
Undergraduate students, in the School of Architecture, are in academic good standing at the end of a semester if, in that semester, they meet the following criteria:

• Complete at least 12 credits of coursework.

• Maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA.

• Have no more than one grade below C- (or NC for CR/NC).

Graduate Academic Good Standing (Source: Graduate Record 2023-2024)
Graduate students, in the School of Architecture, are in academic good standing at the end of a semester unless, during said semester, the following grading outcomes apply:

• A student receives a single grade of C+ or below for a degree-required course resulting in academic probation

• A second grade of C+ or below for a degree-required course during one semester or the entirety of a student’s degree program will result in an enforced withdrawal from the program. Students who have been forced to withdraw must reapply to their program and admission is not guaranteed.

Note: Students will not receive credit toward the completion of their degree for a grade of C+ or below in any course.

Appeals Process
An appeals process can be implemented to allow for the consideration of a student case where extenuating circumstances have introduced challenges for a student to maintain academic good standing. In such cases, a review panel, comprised of the Associate Dean of Academics, Director of Advising, and the Hiring Manager, will convene to deliberate on the merits of the student applicant’s appeal. The review panel will carefully consider the extenuating circumstances which may have introduced difficulties and interfered with maintaining academic good standing of a student applying to a position. This process will be highly confidential and expedited so as not to interfere with the typical application cycle and, in any way, adversely affect a student’s candidacy for said positions. A student seeking to appeal must contact the Associate Dean of Academics or the Director of Advising to initiate the process.

EXPECTATIONS OF STUDENT ASSISTANTS

All students hired to fulfill responsibilities as part of a Student Assistantships are expected to carry out these responsibilities in accordance to the position description and through direct communication with the faculty or staff hiring manager.

All students hired to fulfill responsibilities as part of a Student Assistantships are expected to carry out these responsibilities in accordance with the position description and through direct communication with the faculty or staff hiring manager.

Expectations of SIAs
SIAs are expected to commit to a high level of instructional support and effectual course assistance to the hiring manager (faculty member teaching the course). In addition, an SIA must maintain academic good standing and making continual progress toward completing all their degree requirements in a timely manner. SIAs are expected to contribute to the A-School collective teaching mission and work with the hiring manager to provide a contributory service toward the education of students. In addition to the overall guidance above, SIAs are expected to:

• Participate in a Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) teaching methods workshop for SIAs. Please refer to the “SIA Teaching Methods Workshop Requirement” for the complete description below.

• Maintain a working schedule and time commitment

• Based on the communicated expectations of the position with the hiring manager, SIAs must maintain a regular working schedule and the time commitment for the position. SIAs are expected to communicate individual instances of schedule adjustments (as needed) to their hiring manager with advanced notice, except for emergencies.

• Effective contribution to course pedagogy

• Based on the communicated expectations of the position with the hiring manager, SIAs should maintain consistency and quality in their approach to course pedagogy and content delivery.

• Enter and submit timecards in Workday regularly and timely (refer to the UVA Finance webpage for the current year’s payroll calendar and time entry deadlines)

• SIAs are expected to familiarize themselves with Workday in order to accurately enter their time, view their pay slips, etc. (NetBadge required, see: https://hr.virginia.edu/workday-training)

• SIAs are expected to submit their hours of work in Workday in a timely and honest manner

• Maintain regular and open communication with hiring manager

• SIAs should maintain regular and open communication with their hiring manager and share concerns about workload, scheduling, inability to carry out responsibilities, etc. in order to assist in resolving work-related issues.*

*For work-related issues that are not resolvable through open communication with the hiring manager, or in circumstances where direct communication is not viable or effective, SIAs are asked to communicate concerns directly with the Office of the Dean’s Associate Dean of Academics, John Comazzi.

SIA Teaching Methods Workshop Requirement
Acceptance of an awarded SARC SIA position requires participation in a Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) teaching methods workshop for SIAs. The CTE “Teaching as a Graduate Student” (TAGS), open to undergraduate, graduate and PhD SARC SIAs, is broken into 2 parts – an online, on-demand, self-paced set of modules, which are required to be completed, and an in-person or synchronous meeting (on a date to be announced) which is highly recommended. All SIAs will need to register for the workshop through the CTE website. 

If you choose to accept an SIA position, you will be required to complete the asynchronous preparatory modules (3-4 hrs.) and it is highly recommended that you participate in the final in-person/online session (1-2 hrs.) with the CTE.

Expectations of SRAs
SRAs are retained to work on internal and externally funded research projects by semester, academic year (including summer session), or multiple years. A student hired to work as an SRA must be enrolled full time (minimum 12 credits), unless in the final semester, and be qualified to effectively assist the hiring manager with research tasks. An SRA appointment may be for one term only, unless specified differently by the hiring manager and approved by the Office of the Dean. In addition to the overall guidance above, SRAs are expected to:

• Maintain a working schedule and time commitment

• Based on the communicated expectations of the position with the hiring manager, SRAs must maintain a regular working schedule and the time commitment for the position. SRAs are expected to communicate individual instances of schedule adjustments (as needed) to their hiring manager with advanced notice, with the exception of emergencies.

• Effective contribution to research objectives

• Based on the communicated expectations of the position with the hiring manager, SRAs should maintain consistency and quality in their approach to research and content delivery

• Enter and submit timecards in Workday regularly (refer to the UVA Finance webpage for the current year’s payroll calendar and time entry deadlines) SRAs are expected to familiarize themselves with Workday in order to accurately enter their time, view their pay slips, etc. (NetBadge required, see: https://hr.virginia.edu/workday-training)

• SRAs are expected to submit their hours of work in Workday in a timely and honest manner

• Maintain regular and open communication with hiring manager

• SRAs should maintain regular and open communication with their hiring manager and share concerns about workload, scheduling, inability to carry out responsibilities, etc. in order to assist in resolving work-related issues.*

*For work-related issues that are not resolvable through open communication with the hiring manager, or in circumstances where direct communication is not viable or effective, SRAs are asked to communicate concerns directly with the Office of the Dean’s Associate Dean of Research, Andrew Mondschein.

Expectations of SSAs
SSAs are hired by SARC staff by semester, academic year (including summer session), or multiple years. A student appointed to an SSA position must be enrolled full time (minimum 12 credits), unless in the final semester, and be qualified to effectively assist the hiring manager with administrative tasks. In addition to the overall guidance above, SSAs are expected to:

• Maintain a working schedule and time commitment

• Based on the communicated expectations of the position with the hiring manager, SSAs must maintain a regular working schedule and the time commitment for the position. SSAs are expected to communicate individual instances of schedule adjustments (as needed) to their hiring manager with advanced notice, except for emergencies.

• Effective contribution to administrative objectives

• Based on the communicated expectations of the position with the hiring manager, SSAs should maintain consistency and quality in their approach to administrative tasks and content delivery

• Enter and submit timecards in Workday regularly and timely (refer to the UVA Finance webpage for the current year’s payroll calendar and time entry deadlines) SSAs are expected to familiarize themselves with Workday in order to accurately enter their time, view their pay slips, etc. (see: https://hr.virginia.edu/workday-training)

• SSAs are expected to submit their hours of work in Workday in a timely and honest manner

• Maintain regular and open communication with hiring manager

• SSAs should maintain regular and open communication with their hiring managers and share concerns about workload, scheduling, inability to carry out responsibilities, etc. in order to assist in resolving work-related issues.*

*For work-related issues that are not resolvable through open communication with the hiring manager, or in circumstances where direct communication is not viable or effective, SSAs are asked to communicate concerns directly with the Office of the Dean’s Chief of Staff, Jaime Satterlee.

EXPECTATIONS OF FACULTY AND STAFF (HIRING MANAGERS)

All hiring managers (faculty and/or staff) are expected to carry out manager responsibilities in accordance with the position description and through direct communication with hired student assistants. Hiring managers of all types of student workers are expected to:

• Be familiar with, and abide by, University policies which govern student employment; specifically hiring managers should review the Wage Authorization at least annually at the beginning of each academic year.

• Ensure that student workers do not begin work before their assignments have been entered and approved in Workday.

  • Note: The student hiring process is administered and coordinated centrally by Kathy Woodson, Special Assistant, with support from the Department Assistants.

  • Hiring managers must have finalized and provided the relevant position information for each student worker they wish to hire before the student may begin working; this information should be provided at least one week in advance of the students’ start date, whenever possible, and no later than four days before their start date.

  • Hiring managers will receive a Workday notification when the student workers’ assignments are complete and when they may begin entering their time in Workday.

• Allocate and set the weekly workload for student workers depending on course/project requirements; total hours worked per week for students should be between 5-10 hrs./week (for a 12–15-week typical semester) and should not exceed 20 hrs./week. The 20 hrs./week limit includes ALL positions held by a student worker.

• Monitor and approve student worker timecards in Workday regularly and timely.

• Refer to the UVA Finance webpage for the current year’s payroll calendar and time entry and approval deadlines.

• Refer to the Manager Workday Training website for training resources on time/leave approvals, and other manager Workday functions.

• Know where to access Workday training resources for employee time entries, corrections, etc. and share the same with their student workers.

• Refer to the Employee Workday Training website

• Address discrepancies with student workers’ time entries (compared to allocated/scheduled weekly hours) in a timely way.

Modes of open communication
Hiring managers should establish open methods of communication that allow for effective and regular feedback from their student workers.

For work-related issues that are not resolvable through open communication with a hired SIA, SRA, or SSA, or in circumstances where direct communication is not viable or effective, hiring managers are asked to communicate concerns directly with:

— SIA: Associate Dean of Academics, John Comazzi
— SRA: Associate Dean of Research, Andrew Mondschein
— SSA: Chief of Staff, Jaime Satterlee

Expectations of Hiring Managers of SIAs
In addition to the above general manager expectations, managers for SIAs are expected to set and clearly communicate to the SIAs the following:

• Overall expectations for teaching and course support

• i.e., weekly meeting schedule, office/studio hours, and scope of preparatory work for the course, etc.

• Requirement to complete the “SIA Teaching Methods Workshop” during the specified time offered per term

• Pedagogical approach and curricular structure for the course

• i.e., course objectives and approach to delivering course content

• Weekly time commitment to the course

• The weekly time commitment must include class contact time, if required by the hiring manager, and all preparatory work associated with the position outside of class time.

• The weekly total time should aim to not exceed a total of 10 hrs./week for a typical 12 to 15- week semester. It is required that no SIA position exceed 20 hrs./week for any week that a position is held; this Includes ALL wage positions held by a student worker.

Expectations of Hiring Managers of SRAs + SSAs
In addition to the above general manager expectations, managers for SRAs and SSAs are expected to set and clearly communicate to the SRAs and SSAs the following:

• Overall expectations for research and/or administrative support

• i.e., weekly meeting schedule, lab hours, contact hours, and scope of preparatory work for the project/position, etc.

• Methodological approach, structure for the project/task, and definition of outcomes and goals

• i.e., objectives and approach to delivering content and fulfilling tasks related to the position

• Weekly time commitment to the project

• The weekly time commitment must include contact time, if required, and all preparatory or independent or collaborative work associated with the position.

• The weekly total time should not exceed a total of 20 hrs./week; this Includes ALL wage positions held by a student worker.

• Modes of open communication

• Hiring managers should establish open methods of communication that allow for effective and regular feedback from SRAs and/or SSAs.

All hiring managers (faculty and/or staff) are expected to carry out hiring processes that are focused on consistency and equity across the School of Architecture to ensure assistantship opportunities are available to all students and all applications are reviewed fairly and in a timely manner. A step-by-step guide provides hiring managers with instructions for how to hire and appoint student assistants that are administered through the School of Architecture. This guide can be found in the School's Student Assistantships: Appointment Policy + Procedures document (Section 1.6). 

A summarized outline of these instructions are described below:

Hiring SIAs
SIAs are designated by Department Chairs, in collaboration with the Office of the Dean, and in coordination with Program Directors, based on course enrollments, course assistance needs, and School/Department budgets. The hiring of SIAs follows a specific timeline (see Application Timelines section below) each year to ensure all eligible students are provided with a full list of opportunities at the same time, and all applications following a standardized process for submission and review. 

• Departments coordinate the full list of courses to be assigned one or more SIAs and share their proposal with the Office of the Dean for review of budget. Meetings will be coordinated as needed to ensure standards across departments. 

• Once the courses have been assigned one or more SIAs, any courses that have new requirements for the SIA position (from a pervious academic year) or require new descriptions will require the submission of that description to respective Department or Program Assistants. 

• Content for SIAs are compiled by Department Administration and reviewed by the Office of the Dean.

• The Office of the Dean issues all department Calls for SIA according to the timeline outlined (see Application Timelines section below) through email and on this website.

• Following the application deadline, hiring managers must review all applicants, interview said applicants as necessary, and determine the appointment of the position based on the merits of the applicant's qualifications. The review of applicants and final decisions will be made by the hiring manager in consultation with their Department Chair and/or Program Directors. For SIA positions only, hiring managers should communicate the name(s) of their hire(s) to their respective Department Assistants, who will work with the School's Special Assistant (Kathy Woodson) to complete the appointment process in WorkDay.

Hiring SRAs
All new SRA positions must be submitted for approval by the Office of the Dean (Associate Dean of Research, Andrew Mondschein).

• Hiring managers complete and submit an online SRA/SSA Request Form (see Forms section below) for review and approval to the Office of the Dean's Associate Dean of Research Andrew Mondschein. Once approved, the Office of the Dean issues all SRA opportunities on a weekly basis via email and on this website throughout the academic year (refer to Application Timelines below for more details).

• Following the application deadline, hiring managers must review all applicants, interview said applicants as necessary, and determine the appointment of the position based on the merits of the applicant's qualifications. The position must be posted for a minimum of one business week, prior to review and appointment. The review of applicants and final decisions will be made by the hiring manager.

• Following the selection of a SRA, the hiring manager works in coordination with the selected student to fill out the Student Work Hire Form (see Forms section below). This completed form must be submitted to the the School’s Special Assistant (Kathy Woodson) by the hiring manager (not the student hire) — at least 4 business days prior to the position start date — to complete the appointment in Workday.

Hiring SSAs
All new SSA positions must be submitted for approval by the Office of the Dean (Chief of Staff Jaime Satterlee) or approved delegate.

• Hiring managers complete and submit an online SRA/SSA Request Form (see Forms section below) to the Office of the Dean's Chief of Staff Jaime Satterlee for approval and review. Once approved, the Office of the Dean issues all SSA opportunities on a weekly basis via email and on this website throughout the academic year (refer to Application Timelines below for more details).

• Following the application deadline, hiring managers must review all applicants, interview said applicants as necessary, and determine the appointment of the position based on the merits of the applicant's qualifications. The position must be posted for a minimum of one business week, prior to review and appointment. The review of applicants and final decisions will be made by the hiring manager.

• Following the selection of a SSA, the hiring manager works in coordination with the selected student to fill out the Student Work Hire Form (see Forms section below). This completed form must be submitted to the School’s Special Assistant (Kathy Woodson) by the hiring manager (not the student hire) — at least 4 business days prior to the position start date — to complete the appointment in WorkDay.

Exemption from Advertising and Interviewing for the Hiring of SRAs or SSAs (Continuation of Work)
In the cases where an SRA or SSA is continuing work (within one calendar year) in the same capacity, scope of work, and supported by the same funding source/grant, an exemption may be requested. For details, refer to the School's Student Assistantships: Appointment Policy + Procedures document (Section 1.6).

IMPORTANT CRITICAL REVIEWS DURING THE HIRING PROCESS:

• During the hiring process, the Hiring Manager should ensure that the student is, in fact, academically eligible to hold the position (see Eligibility section) in consultation with the Registrar, Sharon McDonald.

• The Hiring Manager should ensure and review if the student is accepting the position for Federal Work Study (FWS) or Wage Pay.

There are two categories of forms to complete for Student Assistantships:

1. SRA / SSA REQUEST FORM

This form is used by hiring managers to describe a position and provide information for its advertisement. The hiring manager should complete the form below to ensure consistency in advertising information for all opportunities, and submit the forms to the appropriate individuals listed below for review and approval.

SRA / SSA REQUEST FORM - TO BE COMPLETED BY HIRING MANAGER

Complete the online form for review and approval by Associate Dean of Research to initiate the posting of the SRA position; see Application Timelines below.

Complete the online form for review and approval by the Chief of Staff or approved delegate to initiate the posting of the SSA position; see Application Timelines below.

2. STUDENT WORK HIRE FORM

Upon appointment, hiring managers can access the following online form necessary for completing the hiring process. The same form can be used for both Federal Work Study and Wage Hire students. 
 

STUDENT WORK HIRE FORM

Note—For SRA and SSA Positions:
The completed online "Student Work Hire Form" (see link above) should be filled out by the Hiring Manager to be received by Kathy Woodson, Special Assistant, at krm5m@virginia.edu. Kathy will assist student hires and managers in completing the hiring process in UVA's Workday system. The completion of the hire form should occur at least four business days prior to the position start date.

Note—For SIA Positions:
For SIA Positions (paid through department funds), Hiring Managers should communicate their hiring appointments to their Department/Program Assistants, in coordination with the Timelines outlined below. Department/Program Assistants (Adela Su/Leslie Hellerman for Architecture; Dana Perlson for Landscape Architecture and Urban + Environmental Planning; and Shelley Miller for Architectural History, Urban Design, Historic Preservation and Real Estate Design and Development) will coordinate with Kathy Woodson, Special Assistant, to complete the hiring process in UVA's WorkDay system for SIA positions.

All hiring managers (faculty and/or staff) are expected to carry out hiring processes that adhere to the following timelines:

Hiring of SIAs — Academic Year

Note—due to unavoidable delays in teaching assignments, some spring courses will follow a fall semester application timeline:

Hiring of SIAs — Summer Courses

Hiring of SRAs and SSAs
The SRA and SSA application process is contingent on internal and external funding opportunities; as such, the application timeline varies from the SIA timeline above. To provide students with streamlined communication for SRA and SSA opportunities throughout the year, an email, and updates to this website will be shared advertising any new opportunities on a weekly basis. Posting of new SRA and SSA positions will follow this timeline:

• Weekly deadline to submit new SRA or SSA positions (online SRA / SSA Request Form - See Forms section above) by hiring managers is Wednesdays at 9am. Submit the online SRA requests to be reviewed and approved by Associate Dean of Research (Andrew Mondschein); Submit the online SSA requests to be reviewed and approved by Chief of Staff (Jaime Satterlee) or approved delegate.

• Approval of new position by the Dean’s Office communicated to hiring managers and Executive Director of Communications (Sneha Patel) by Thursdays at 12noon.

• Communications Office to collate, post and announce new opportunities each week, scheduled for release on Friday mornings.

• All SRA and SSA positions will be advertised for a minimum of one week to allow for the receipt of applications. Hiring managers can not appoint a student to a position prior to the application deadline and review all all applications. If necessary, applications will be accepted following the deadline, until the position is filled.

GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTS (GTAs) + GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTS (GRAs) — Opportunities for PhD Candidates

The funding strategy for PhD students is to provide them with an incremental and guided increase in professional responsibilities that align with those in a doctoral program. Primary responsibilities of paid PhD students fall in two categories:

1. Teaching skills are important to develop to prepare future faculty. Therefore, students may serve as Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) in the third year of study. Additionally, students may hone their teaching skills by serving as a Lead Instructor in the second semester of the third year of study.

2. Research skills are critical to supporting students’ quest to generate new knowledge in the field. As such, students may serve as Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs) in the second year of study.

Note: In addition to the GTA/GRA positions provided in the acceptance agreement, PhD students are eligible to apply for SIA/SRA positions in the first three years in exceptional cases and only if scope and type of work aligns with the PhD student’s research and teaching foci. Please refer to the approval process described in full in the PhD Student Handbook. After the first three years and contingent on a successful prospectus defense, PhD candidates will have greater flexibility to pursue SIA/SRA opportunities following the typical approval process.