Appendix B: Psychology Department Hiring Procedures for TAs

When evaluating applicants, the Chair and Associate Chair of the Department will consider, in consultation with instructing faculty:

• Whether a contractual commitment to the applicant already exists
• The applicant’s progress in the graduate program, including grades in courses and timely fulfillment of the master’s and preliminary examination requirements.
• The applicant’s ability to effectively teach a course for which there is a departmental need.
• Where prior experience exists, a record of satisfactory performance of teaching assistant duties
• Excellent English speaking ability and comprehensibility.

To be considered, an applicant must be in good standing in the graduate program; this applies to persons on contracts as well as to other applicants. A graduate student with “guaranteed support” will be employed as stipulated in the original letter of appointment unless the graduate record or prior performance as a teaching assistant proves unfavorable. When applicants for a position are equally well qualified, consideration will be given to whether an applicant has available alternative sources of funding. Strong preference is given to continuing students over new entrants. The Department will consider graduate students from other departments only when there are no qualified applicants from the Psychology Department. Appointments will vary between 25 and 50 percent of a semester salary.

International students on F-1 and J-1 Visas are at risk concerning their immigration status if they are employed for more than 20 hours per week during the academic year. This means the sum of an individual international student’s TA, PA, and student hourly help appointments may not exceed 20 hours of work or 50% time per week. Please keep this in mind if you are an international student.

Please note the following non-trivial but frequently overlooked aspects of this position:

• If you are a non-native speaker of English and applying for your first teaching assistant position, you are required to take a SPEAK test before further consideration. SPEAK tests are offered throughout the year by the University’s Program in English as a Second Language.
• If you are a first-time TA, you will need to participate in both L&S and departmental training sessions that generally occur in the week before classes start.
• If you are teaching a “Comm B” class for the first time, you will need to attend an additional orientation.
• Your appointment includes the week before classes in which such trainings and other preparatory meetings may be held (i.e., you are paid to be here to participate in orientations and work with instructors preparing for classes). If you cannot be on campus for these mandatory training sessions and/or preparation, DO NOT APPLY.
• Similarly, your appointment is until the end of the semester (not the last day of classes) and so you must be available to complete work for this class on campus.
• You will need to be able to attend the lectures associated with your course. This is part of the job.

Applicants should obtain an application form from Melanie Jones in Room 426 and should return it to her by the deadline. Applications are usually available October 15 and due November 1 for Spring semester, available March 25 and due April 15 for Fall semester.* Graduate assistant job openings are posted on the Student Job Center. For further information, contact Melanie Jones, mjones@wisc.edu.

*The timing of the announcement may be slightly delayed in some cases due to factors outside our control.