All appointments for assistantships must be processed at least annually through the Graduate School. Selection of assistantship recipients, notification of the appointment, duration, and the stipend amount are the responsibilities of the department or unit making the offer. The appointing unit must use the approved graduate assistantship hiring proposal in Spartan Talent. The hiring proposal must include a clear description of the expectations of the assistantship, the anticipated beginning and ending dates (not more than 12 months per appointment letter), stipend amount, average hours of service per week, the work schedule (where appropriate), and the conditions for reappointment, if any.

In addition, the graduate assistant must be apprised of the financial penalties related to academic fees that may be incurred if the assistantship starts after the beginning of the semester or is terminated before the end of the semester or session. Units making the appointment may include an attachment to the standard hiring proposal where it is necessary to specify duties and other requirements and terms of the appointment but may not alter the language of the standard hiring proposal.

Where students are to be continued (reappointed) for the next fiscal/academic year, each contract should be revised to reflect expectations for the coming year starting each July 1 (or in the case of appointments of less than 12 months, the start of the contract).