Building Networked Communities: Supporting graduate student funding and appointments at ASU
Graduate student funding and appointments are more than administrative processes, they are essential to student success. During the second Building Networked Communities (BNC) webinar in summer 2026 for staff and faculty administrators, Katrina Roalson, executive director of Business Services Administration, and Angela Mitchell, director of Student Funding and Business Operations, shared updates to better support graduate students throughout their academic journey.
The session highlighted funding programs, appointment expectations, recent policy updates and resources available through the Graduate College. A consistent message emerged throughout the discussion: effective administrative processes help remove barriers, strengthen student support and contribute to student persistence from recruitment through graduation.
Funding that supports student success
Graduate funding comes in many forms, and understanding how each works helps departments manage resources while communicating clearly with students.
Presenters reviewed the distinction between tuition awards, which are applied directly to student accounts, and tuition remission, the institutional cost associated with eligible Research Assistant (RA) and Teaching Assistant (TA) appointments. They also clarified that tuition benefits at ASU are always supported by an identified funding source, making accurate budgeting and communication essential.
The session also highlighted Graduate College funding opportunities available throughout a student's academic career. The Graduate College offers several types of recruitment awards to help attract talented graduate students. Additional travel awards and research funding support continued academic and professional development throughout a student's program and completion funding helps students overcome financial barriers as they finish their degree.
Ensuring appointments reflect student responsibilities
Graduate appointments were another major focus of the webinar. Departments were encouraged to ensure appointment classifications accurately reflect the work students perform. Research Assistants (RA) should primarily conduct research, Teaching Assistants (TA) should focus on instructional responsibilities and Graduate Services Assistants (GSA) should perform duties aligned with their assigned job descriptions.
Presenters also reminded attendees that ASU does not have an official Graduate Assistant (GA) appointment classification. Instead, departments should use the appropriate RA, TA or GSA designation based on the student's assigned responsibilities.
Clear appointment letters also play an important role in setting expectations. Recruitment letters communicate funding commitments before enrollment, while appointment letters outline semester-specific responsibilities, supervision, pay information and workload. Using Graduate College templates and approved language helps provide students with consistent information while supporting university compliance.
Supporting departments through GPortal Financial
The webinar also highlighted GPortal Financial, the system used to administer specific graduate funding awards.
Departments were encouraged to enter awards as soon as funding commitments are made rather than waiting until the semester begins. Early processing helps Financial Aid package awards accurately and gives students a clearer understanding of their financial support before classes begin.
Presenters also emphasized the importance of maintaining departmental access by ensuring staff responsible for entering and approving awards have the appropriate security roles. Regularly reviewing access can help prevent delays caused by staff turnover.
Helping students navigate common funding questions
Many student funding concerns can be resolved before they become larger issues.
Before escalating questions about delayed funding, departments were encouraged to help students verify that they have completed outstanding MyASU tasks, enrolled in the required number of credit hours for their awards and confirmed whether their courses begin in a later session that may affect financial aid disbursement.
Helping students understand these processes reduces confusion and supports a more positive student experience.
Looking ahead
We ended with several updates for the 2026–27 academic year, including new student health insurance premium rates, revisions to Graduate College Travel Awards, Graduate College support for health insurance premiums for selected fellowship recipients and expanded self-paced GPortal Financial training through Workday Learning.
While many of the topics focused on administrative processes, the broader takeaway was clear: thoughtful funding administration directly supports graduate student success. From accurate appointments and timely award processing to strategic funding opportunities, these efforts help academic units recruit talented students, reduce barriers to degree completion and create a stronger graduate experience across Arizona State University.
To get the link for the full Building Networked Communities webinar, contact [email protected]
