Appointment Priorities & Expectations
Appointment Priorities
The departmental procedure for offering TA positions is outlined in Appendix B. You will typically have the opportunity to indicate preferences for teaching positions, and then a variety of factors, including scheduling, influence ultimate assignments.
The appointment typically starts two weeks prior to the beginning of the semester and continues beyond final exam week. Be sure to check with the instructor regarding expectations and obligations during these pre- and post- semester periods.
A 50% TA appointment involves 360 hours, which averages 20 hours/week.
It is important to realize that this includes the pre- and post-semester periods. It is also important to emphasize that the TA workload will likely vary substantially from week to week. Some weeks (perhaps early in the semester) will have a light workload and few responsibilities, but during grading periods the load might increase substantially beyond the averages provided above.
You are required to complete a Teaching Assistant Workload form (see Appendix C) indicating the total number of hours you are expected to work for your course. The Teaching Assistant Association (TAA) contract is for a fixed number of hours of work – not for the completion of a given set of tasks. The workload form must be signed by both you and your supervising instructor. You and your instructor should retain copies of this and also submit a copy of the signed form for the Department’s records (to Maria Hartwig, email mhartwig2@wisc.edu). You are encouraged to keep a rough log of hours devoted to your TA responsibilities. This is very useful information for you and the course instructor, and can often be used for making any adjustments in workload that might be needed.
Priorities, standards, and deadlines for appointment as a Teaching Assistant (TA) in the Department of Psychology
Priorities
Psychology Ph.D. students in Years 1-5 of the program and in good standing are given first priority for assignment as TAs in the Psychology Department.
Psychology Ph.D. students beyond Year 5 may serve as TAs, but appointment is not guaranteed.
When deciding on TA appointments for students who are not in Years 1-5 of the Psychology Ph.D. program, the Psychology Department considers a combination of factors, including: training in Psychology, expertise in course content, evidence of past excellence in teaching appointments, and instructor preference.
Other TA priorities include Counseling Psychology Ph.D. students and returning TAs in good standing with the Department.
Standards
We expect TAs to act professionally and adhere to all university policies as they perform TA duties in the Department of Psychology.
Professional behavior includes, but is not limited to:
• Participating in required TA trainings.
• Being open to constructive feedback on performance and demonstrating any needed improvement in teaching over time.
• Treating students, instructors, staff, and other TAs with respect.
• Behaving without bias or harassment of any kind — toward students, instructors, staff, or other TAs.
Students who violate these professional standards will not be eligible for re-appointment as a TA in the Department (even if they are in Years 1-5 of the program).
Deadline for Accepting a Department of Psychology TA Position
Students who are offered a TA position are expected to confirm their TA assignment within 5 days of receiving their official TA appointment letter. Students who apply for and accept a TA position, but who ultimately decide they do not need a position, should inform our undergraduate program coordinator of their decision to retract their TA application/assignment as soon as possible.
However, there is a point at which students cannot change their minds about serving as a TA without causing serious problems for our curriculum. This date is August 1 for fall TA-ships; December 14 for spring TA-ships; and 3 weeks prior to the start of the summer term for summer TA-ships.
Students who pull out of their TA assignments on or after the dates listed above (because of a change in funding for the upcoming term) will be low priority for assignment as a TA in the Psychology Department in future semesters.