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Graduate Assistant Cost Share (GACS)

Michigan Tech’s Graduate School is able to provide cost share for proposals. The guidelines for obtaining and using the Graduate Assistant Cost Share (GACS) support provided by the Graduate School follow.

General Guidelines

GACS support will only be made available to support graduate students pursuing the highest degree awarded by a particular program. For example, if a graduate program offers a PhD degree in addition to an MS degree, GACS support will only be made available to support students pursuing the PhD degree.

Once Michigan Tech’s commitment of graduate student support is disclosed in a proposal budget as cost share, Michigan Tech becomes contractually obligated at that level of support if the project is awarded. PIs and academic unit leaders must understand that the dollars committed by the Graduate School for graduate student support must be used to support graduate students. If a PI is unable to use GACS funding to support graduate students, the contractual obligation for cost share will have to be met using other funds (e.g., departmental or incentive account funds).

PIs who encounter difficulties in using GACS support should contact the Graduate School to renegotiate their cost-share agreement in a timely manner. PIs who fail to use graduate student funds in an appropriate way will not be eligible to receive GACS support in the future.

Guidelines for Central Administration of GACS Support

Whenever GACS support is committed at the proposal stage, Research and Sponsored Programs personnel will forward a copy of the cover sheet and cost-share commitment form or the appropriate budget justification page to the Graduate School to the attention of the Administrative Associate (currently Bonnie Gagnon). Research and Sponsored Programs and Accounting personnel will be responsible for entering the cost-share commitments into the Banner system. Index numbers for the GACS account will be determined by the Graduate School Administrative Associate. The Graduate School Administrative Associate will reconcile GACS accounts on a quarterly basis or more often if necessary.

GACS support will be held in a cost-share account that will be separate from the account containing the external sponsor’s dollars.

Contact Person

Research and Sponsored Programs personnel can answer routine questions about budgets and assist PIs in the preparation of budgets that will include GACS support. The Graduate School Administrative Associate (currently Bonnie Gagnon) will be the primary Graduate School contact person for the GACS program.

Commitment Guidelines

When cost share is mandatory

• GACS support will be available.
• The Graduate School will provide up to a maximum of 50% of the total required cost-share. For example, if the total cost of a project will be $50k and a 1:1 match is required from Michigan Tech ($25k), the Graduate School will commit up to a maximum of $12.5k in cost share (50% of the total required cost share).
• GACS support can be used for tuition or stipend plus fringes. External funding must be secured from the sponsor to provide the remainder of the student support.
• Cost-share support will be capped at the equivalent of the cost of 9 credits per student (for a maximum of 2 students) per semester for academic year (two semesters) tuition at the time the proposal is submitted. No incremental increases for multiple year budgets will be included.

When cost share is not mandatory (Voluntary Committed)

• GACS support will be available for Assistant Professors. The Graduate School will provide partial funding for one graduate student per budget year on proposals submitted by an Assistant Professor serving as lead PI.
• GACS support can be used for tuition or stipend plus fringes. External funding must be secured from the sponsor to provide the remainder of the support for the student.
• Cost-share support will be capped at the equivalent of the cost of 9 credits of academic year tuition (two semesters) at the time the proposal is submitted. No incremental increases for multiple year budgets will be included.
• Documentation of the dollar amount of the GACS commitment will be disclosed in the budget justification section of NSF proposals (not on Line M). This is in accordance with NSF guidelines (see the NSF Grant Proposal Guide http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg
• Section II.C.2.g.xii, and NSF Important Notice #128 http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/issuances/in128.pdf.

Support for large proposals

GACS support may be available for large proposals(>$500k/year) that are interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, or contribute significantly to the University’s mission. These proposals will be considered on an individual basis by the Dean of the Graduate School.