MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE FOR PARTNERSHIPS TO ELIMINATE HEALTH DISPARITIES

On behalf of the Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities (IPEHD), we would like to welcome you to Graduate School. We are delighted that you decided to pursue your graduate studies in Public Health at the University of South Carolina in the Arnold School. As a graduate assistant, you play a key role in the mission of IPEHD as well as the university. As a Graduate Assistant (GA), you support the quest for new pathways to knowledge investigated by our faculty as well as innovative programs implemented by our programmatic team. In these functions and in your own work, you represent the future of public health.

It is my job as director of IPEHD to help the university support you, and this website is designed to provide you with basic information regarding our policies and procedures. In addition, you will also find answers to some of our most commonly asked questions. Please read all of the information carefully, and if you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

Again, congratulations and welcome,

Saundra H. Glover, MBA, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Health Disparities and Social Justice Professor and Director of the Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities
Arnold School of Public Health
University of South Carolina
Columbia SC 29210
 

Institute for Partnership to Eliminate Health Disparities
Guidance for Graduate Assistant

Policies and Procedures for Graduate Students

1. Students are eligible to work during the following pay periods in each year:
   Fall Semester: August 16 - December 15
   Spring Semester: January 16 - May 15
   Summer Term: May 16 - August 15
   
   
2. Graduate Assistants will be provided a work plan at the beginning of each semester. The work plan will be revised as needed.
   
   
3. Graduate Assistants are required to submit a written work schedule to the graduate assistant supervisor (Dr. Williams) by the end of the first full week of each semester.
    
4. Graduate Assistants are required to adhere to the agreed upon work schedule. If for some reason the graduate assistant is unable to work at a specific time, their supervisor should be notified, in advance and the work hours should be completed by the end of the following week.
   
   
5. Graduate Assistants will report to their immediate supervisor for job duties, performance updates, and scheduling and other work-related business issues. Progress reports and monitoring of job performance (written reports and 1:1 conferences) will be arranged with the supervisor. Dr. Williams or her designee will outline job expectations and work assignments. The habitual failure to complete assigned work hours and assignments will result in termination.
   
   
6. IPEHD Staff meetings are held as needed. Graduate assistants are not required to attend staff meetings; however, graduate assistants are responsible for submitting a written progress report regarding the status of any assignments for that period. The report should include any questions that the student might have that should be addressed so that they can proceed with completing assignments.
   
   
7. Please review the USC’s Graduate Assistantship Policy ACAF4.00.
   

Graduate Assistant Pay and Tuition Supplements
Students will be paid according to the USC’s recommended pay scale for graduate assistants. IPEHD does not automatically award tuition supplements to graduate assistants. Tuition supplements may be provided during the fall and spring semesters, only if tuition supplement funds are available and budgets permit. No tuition supplements are provided during the summer term and our current federal funding mechanisms (NIH and DoD) do not allow the payment of tuition supplements).

Graduate Assistant Supervisor(s) contact information:

Dr. Edith Williams, Deputy Director for Research and Sustainability
willi425@mailbox.sc.edu; 803-251-2225, 803-351-1624

Dr. Saundra H. Glover, Director
sglover@mailbox.sc.edu; (803) 251-2297 or 803-391-6646

Andrea Williams, Associate Director
washing9@mailbox.sc.edu; 803-251-6303 or (803) 622-9114

Helpful Links:

USC Graduate School Graduate and Teaching Assistantship Information
http://gradschool.sc.edu/current/gata.asp

USC Research and Graduate Education
http://gradschool.sc.edu/mission.htm

Arnold School of Public Health
http://www.sph.sc.edu/ 

Arnold School of Public Health Future Student
http://www.sph.sc.edu/futurestudents/