General Information
A graduate assistant receiving resident tuition remission must be either a full-time Graduate Assistant Teaching (GAT) or a full-time Graduate Assistant Research (GAR). Tuition does not include out-of-state tuition, student fees or other fees. It is expected that a graduate student receiving resident tuition remission under this program will be employed in a full- time Graduate Assistant position that enhances/enriches the student’s discipline in specific ways; enhances the academic quality of the student’s graduate program; engages the student in research that results in publications, presentation, or other forms of scholarly activity in the student’s academic discipline; or collaboratively engages the student in the pursuit of funded research/grants with faculty in the student’s academic department.

Information about the Tuition Remission Program
Graduate Assistants receiving tuition remission will have their account credited for the appropriate amount for a maximum of 6 semester hours of graduate coursework. It is important to note that in some instances the university-provided tuition payment for resident tuition may not be credited to a student’s account before the payment deadline. This action may occur in those instances where information is not provided in a timely manner by the employing department. In these cases, the student is responsible for paying tuition before the deadline, and his/her account will be credited for the university-provided payment at a later date.

• Payment amount is based on resident, designated graduate tuition and is only available fall, spring and/or summer semesters. Fees are not included and only 6 graduate hours of enrollment (no undergraduate credits) at A&M-Commerce will be paid.
• GATs/GARs registered at other System components or through Federation programs are not eligible for tuition remission.
• All eligible GATs/GARs must be on the payroll no later than the 12th class day for fall/spring and 4th class day for summer. There will be a verification audit after the 12th class day fall/spring and 4th class day in summer. There are no exceptions to this rule.

Graduate Assistant Teaching (GAT)
A GAT under the supervision of a faculty member must be either an instructor of record for undergraduate courses or be assigned to activities such as: assisting with courses or teaching labs; grading assignments and exams or assisting professors with large lectures and/or online courses.  These duties must be attached to a specific course(s) in order for a student to be hired as a GAT.

Tuition Payment Guidelines for GATs

• GATs must be involved in teaching at least two undergraduate courses/sections or equivalent. Additionally, preference will be given to GATs shown as instructors of record (possessing at least 18 graduate hours in the discipline being taught).
• GATs must be teaching courses that are in their discipline or major or related to their field.
• GATs must be appointed fully as a GAT and not in combination with a Graduate Assistant Non-teaching (GANT).
• GATs must be registered for a minimum of 6 graduate hours of credit during the semester receiving a tuition remission and only 6 semester graduate hours of credit will be eligible for tuition remission.

Accountability for GAT positions
Data about the number of students served and nature of the involvement in courses or labs should be reported. When appropriate, course evaluations should be conducted. Continued funding will be linked to reasonable numbers in these areas, which is dictated by the discipline.


Graduate Assistant Research (GAR)
GARs should be actively engaged in research under the supervision of a faculty mentor and are paid from external funding or designated university funds.

Tuition Payment Guidelines for GARs

• GARs must be appointed fully as a GAR and not in combination with a Graduate Assistant Non-teaching (GANT).
• GARs must be registered for a minimum of 6 hours of graduate course work during the semester of receiving a tuition remission and only 6 semester graduate hours of credit will be eligible for tuition remission.
• GARs must be engaged in a research project that is under the direct supervision of a faculty mentor.

Accountability for GAR Positions
Scholarly activity is by nature extended in time. Projects must be envisioned and designed; data must be gathered for the research; once gathered, data must be analyzed; articles (and conference presentations or grant submissions) must be written and refined; and, prior to final publication manuscripts may need additional revision. As such, it is not uncommon for the entire process to extend one year or more. Given that, accountability for GARs cannot simply be linked to just presentations made, publications submitted or appearing, or grant submissions made or funded – although – any of those would be ideal (and preferred).