Frequently Asked Questions
Admission Into The CSAL Program
CSAL Graduate Assistantships
Position Postings
About CSAL Visitation Days
Student Eligibility to Attend CSAL Visitation Days
Preparing for CSAL Visitation Days
Reviewing CSAL Graduate Assistantship Applications
CSAL Graduate Assistantship Interviews
Following CSAL Visitation Days
In Reference to Accepted Graduate Assistants
Admission Into The CSAL Program
Q. How does one apply for admission into the CSAL program?
A. Admission into the College Student Affairs Leadership (CSAL) program is administered by the GVSU College of Education and Community Innovation in conjunction with the Admissions Office. Applicants must first complete the Graduate Program Application, which is located under the “Apply” tab on the GVSU Admissions website (www.gvsu.edu/admissions). Individuals that have not previously applied to Grand Valley are subject to a $30 nonrefundable application fee.
Official copies of transcripts from all previously attended institutions of higher education are required. Transcripts must be sent directly from those institutions to the GVSU Admissions Office. Official transcripts from Grand Valley are not required.
General eligibility requirements for federal aid require a valid Social Security Number. In order to assist financial aid processing, applicants should be sure to complete this field on the application. In addition to the online application, applicants must be sure to upload three letters of recommendation. A printable a recommendation form is located on the Admissions website (https://www.gvsu.edu/admissions/graduate-letters-of-recommendation-42.htm) .
Once admitted into the College Student Affairs Leadership (CSAL) program, students will be invited to complete the CSAL Graduate Assistantship Application, which will allow them to compete for CSAL graduate assistantships. Please note that the process of applying for admission into the College Student Affairs Leadership (CSAL) program is separate from the process of applying for CSAL graduate assistantships. Both processes must be completed in order to be eligible for CSAL graduate assistantships.
Q. Does one have to pass the GRE in order to be eligible for the College Student Affairs Leadership (CSAL) program?
A. No, the GRE is not required for admission into the College Student Affairs Leadership (CSAL) program unless the applicant's cumulative GPA is less than 3.0.
Q. Will applicants be interviewed when applying for admission to the College of Education and Community Innovation?
A. No, interviews are not required for admission into the College of Education and Community Innovation. However, they are required when applying for graduate assistantships.
Q. When and how will an applicant know that he/she has been admitted into the College Student Affairs Leadership (CSAL) program?
A. Admission into the College Student Affairs Leadership (CSAL) program is administered by the College of Education and Community Innovation in conjunction with the University’s Admissions Office. All required documents must be on file in the Admissions Office before one is considered eligible for admission (see above). Students will receive notice of their admittance into the CSAL program via e-mail and U.S. mail. For specific details surrounding the timeframe for notices, please contact the College of Education ([email protected]).
CSAL Graduate Assistantships
Q. What is a graduate assistantship?
A. As stated on the GVSU Graduate School website (www.gvsu.edu/gs), a graduate assistantship is a work opportunity that programs and units at Grand Valley State University offer to graduate students. The benefits of a graduate assistantship include:
- 10- or 20-hour per week work on campus or in the field.
- Opportunities to conduct research, assist with instruction, or provide service to university constituents.
- Tuition assistance in the form of a tuition waiver.
- A bi-weekly stipend over a semester or academic year.
- Paid student parking during the term of their assistantship.
- Experience within their field of study.
- An opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge in a professional setting.
Note: Grand Valley does not charge a higher tuition rate based on residency. Tuition is based on the program in which each chooses to enroll. Visit the financial aid office webpage for tuition and fees.
Q. What is the difference between CSAL graduate assistantships and other graduate assistantships?
A. CSAL graduate assistantships are based on positions that are specifically recruiting students that have been admitted into the College Student Affairs Leadership (CSAL) program. CSAL graduate assistants and their supervisors agree to perform their duties as outlined in the CSAL Manual. GVSU offers other graduate assistantships that may be open to CSAL students. These positions can be found on the Graduate School website (www.gvsu.edu/gs) and are not a part of CSAL Visitation Days.
Q. Does one have to apply for a graduate assistantship in order to take part in the CSAL program?
A. No, students do not have to apply for CSAL graduate assistantships in order to enroll in the CSAL program. Students may enroll in courses at their own expense or through the use of alternative funding sources.
Q. Are non-CSAL students allowed to compete for CSAL graduate assistantships?
A. No, only current CSAL students are eligible to compete for CSAL graduate assistantships.
Q. How do Graduate Assistants receive their stipends?
A. Graduate assistants are paid via bi-weekly paychecks. For information surrounding pay periods and pay dates, please visit the Student Employment website (www.gvsu.edu/studentjobs).
Q. If a student accepts a graduate assistantship in Housing and Residence Life, is he/she required to live in campus housing?
A. Yes, graduate assistants that are assigned to Housing and Residence Life are required to live in campus housing.
Q. Is out of state tuition paid for in full?
A. If a student has a 10-month CSAL designated contract, then, yes, all 42 credit hours will be paid for whether they are an in-state or out-of-state student. If a student has a 9-month CSAL designated contract, then all credits will be paid with exception of the 6 credits that are taken during the summer.
Student Eligibility To Attend CSAL Visitation Days
Q. How are students that are invited to attend CSAL Visitation Days selected?
A. Karyn Rabourn ([email protected]) of the College of Education and Community Innovation will receive a list of newly admitted CSAL students from the College of Education and Community Innovation. Beginning in October of the year prior to CSAL Visitation Days, she will forward an e-mail message to each newly admitted student in order to welcome them to the CSAL program. A link to the CSAL Graduate Assistantship Application will be included in the message that is sent to students that have been admitted without conditions. Only students that have been admitted into CSAL program without conditions and that have completed the CSAL Graduate Assistantship Application by the application deadline will be invited to attend CSAL Visitation Days.
Q. Are non-CSAL students allowed to attend CSAL Visitation Days?
A. No, only newly admitted CSAL students are eligible to attend CSAL Visitation Days and compete for CSAL graduate assistantships.
Q. Are second-year CSAL students that do not currently have a graduate assistantships allowed to participate in CSAL Visitation Days or apply for the posted positions?
A. If interested, second year CSAL students may reach out to position supervisors directly. However, the may not participate in CSAL Visitation Days. For additional options, they may also visit the Graduate School’s website (www.gvsu.edu/gs).
Q. May I interview a CSAL student if he/she has not submitted all of the required documentation along with his/her CSAL Graduate Assistantship Application?
A. No, only students that have successfully been admitted into the College of Education and fully completed the CSAL Graduate Assistantship Application are allowed to apply for CSAL graduate assistantships and attend CSAL Visitation Days. All required documents must be on file in GVSU’s Admissions Office and in CMS4.
Q. May I interview a student that was admitted into the CSAL program with conditions in place? Are such students allowed to attend CSAL Visitation Days?
A. No, students admitted conditionally are not permitted to attend CSAL Visitation Days.
Q. If a student attends CSAL Visitation Days, do they have to attend Grand Valley?
A. No, we understand that not every student that attends CSAL Visitation Days, or is admitted into the CSAL program, will enroll in classes at GVSU. We also know that some students that choose to attend GVSU will decide to enroll in other programs. However, we do ask students that choose not to enroll in CSAL courses to extend the courtesy of letting us know that they have chosen to withdraw from the CSAL program. If you learn that a student has decided not to enroll in the CSAL program, please send a brief e-mail message to Karyn Rabourn ([email protected]) of the College of Education.
Preparing For CSAL Visitation Days
Q. As a CSAL Supervisor, what is my role in reference to CSAL Visitation Days?
A. CSAL Supervisors are responsible for interviewing candidates that are interested in their positions and organizing the committees that will carry out those interviews. They are also responsible for working with Assistant Dean Aaron Haight during the selection process.
Q. I am a CSAL Supervisor who is unable to attend CSAL Visitation Days. Is a representative from my department/office able to interview students on my behalf?
A. Yes, CSAL Supervisors that are unable to attend CSAL Visitation Days are welcome to have a representative attend CSAL Visitation Days on their behalf.
Q. How and when will I know which candidates are interested in interviewing for my position(s)?
A. The dynamics surrounding CSAL interviews change often. For example, until a deadline is put in place, a student that signs up to interview with three departments during one week may change his/her mind and decide to interview with three completely different departments during the following week. A representative from the College of Education will ensure that each CSAL supervisor has an accurate list of the candidates scheduled to interview with his/her department by sending a mass e-mail with updated details to CSAL supervisors weekly.
Q. If a student is unable to attend CSAL Visitation Days, am I expected to make other arrangements for an interview?
A. Yes, individuals that are unable to attend CSAL Visitation Days may arrange to interview at another time.
Additional FAQ's
For additional questions and answers surrounding CSAL Graduate Assistantships and CSAL Visitation Days, please feel free to view the FAQ for Prospective Students, which is accessible via the following link: https://www.gvsu.edu/csal/faqs-for-prospective-students-27.htm.