Orientation for Teaching Assistants
Welcome to the School of Biological Sciences! For those of you teaching at the School for the first time, please read the following information with care. Do not hesitate to contact Susan Cook if you have any questions or concerns.
TA Office Hours
Each TA is required to hold office hours as well as the scheduled discussion or laboratory sessions. Office hours should be scheduled for three hours a week, preferably not all on the same day. Office hours should be posted outside your office door. Many graduate students are assigned office space in their research area. Office space has grown limited in recent semesters: please ask your supervising professor if there is any office space for you to use. If you cannot find office space, please contact us.
Campus Mailbox
Please let us know where your campus mailbox is located. We expect you to check your mailbox regularly. Mail can be forwarded to another department if you let us know.
Student Injuries
Should one of the students in your class get injured in class, your first priority is treatment of the student. Do not attempt treatment under any circumstances! If the student is mobile have them escorted to the Student Health Center on 100 West Dean Keaton Street (West 26th Street) in the Student Services Building. The telephone number is 475-6877 (475-nurse) for Nurse counseling. If there is any doubt about the severity of the injury, call the UT Police at 471-4441 for transport of the student to the proper treatment facility.
Attendance
It is your responsibility to obtain permission from your instructor in advance when you are not able to be present in the classroom. You are expected to be available until final grades are assigned and grade sheets submitted. You are also responsible for providing alternative arrangements acceptable to your faculty supervisor. The school will not arrange or pay for personnel to cover duties and tasks that you are being paid to perform. However, if conditions beyond your control prevent performance of your job duties and you are unable to complete your semester assignment – contact Susan Cook immediately.
Teaching Assistant Duties
Teaching Assistants may only be assigned duties which are adjunct to regular classroom instruction. All duties performed by teaching assistants shall be under the supervision and direction of a designated member of the faculty. Such duties may include student practice sessions, assistance in the laboratories, recitation sessions, review sessions and similar activities. In addition, teaching assistants may be assigned to hold office hours, hold student conferences, grade student work, and to perform similar common academic duties. Teaching Assistants may not be assigned regular classroom instructional duties nor may they serve as instructor of record of any instructional activity.
Evaluation of Teaching
All TA’s and instructional staff will be evaluated by students through the Measurement and Evaluation Office. The office will contact you at the end of the semester and your cooperation is expected. The instructor you assist will also be asked to provide a written evaluation at the end of the semester that will be placed in your graduate file. Faculty evaluations are confidential and will be viewed only by the student upon request, appropriate administrative staff, staff in Biology, and the student’s major department.
Classroom Support
- The School provides you with the required textbook for your course.
See Sam Ross (ESB 1) for copies
of the text used in the class you are supporting if you have not already. Please
return any copies you sign out at the end of the semester.
- We will copy materials for your class. You should allow a minimum
of 24 hours for copying. There will continue to be copy services in the section
offices and in ESB 1. Class copy codes will be issued for each class to use for
the ESB 1 copiers. Any copying done in the ESB office can be done during regular
office hours (8am-5pm, Monday through Friday)
- ScanMark-sense or Scantron answer sheets are available for your
exams. Mark-sense answer sheets must be taken to Measurement and Evaluation for
grading. We have a Scantron machine in the School housed in ESB 1 for the half size
sheets. School staff will be happy to explain the process for using either form.
- If you need to set up a special review session, or need a different
room for an exam. Sam Ross or another staff member can make arrangements. Please
try to give us a few days notice if you need this service.
- All materials that you are unable to return to the student must be kept by either
you or the instructor for one long semester. Currently the Instructional Office
does not have storage space for student work.
- The Registrar’s office makes class rosters available via the web.
Please see instructions for required authorization and procedures for downloading
class information. Class
rosters
- The School office is open between 8am-5pm, Monday - Friday. If the office is closed
for any reason during that time, access to the copiers is available through the
kitchen/break room area. Special arrangements for the use of the copiers or the
scan-tron may sometimes also be arranged but please give advance notice.
Discussion Time Changes
Changing discussion times is discouraged, however, we do realize that changes of this type are occasionally the only option. Please remember that scheduling changes must be agreeable to all of the students enrolled in that discussion section and a written notice be posted in the old room before moving to the new one. Notify Susan Cook directly, if you change any rooms or times that are printed in the official Course Schedule. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need another room as the result of a scheduling change in discussion room meeting times.
Classroom Clean-up
General housekeeping courtesies apply when using classrooms. Take time to erase chalkboards as you leave. Try to leave the space as your would like it to look when you enter it. Teaching Assistants with office space in PAI 1.23 should inform those to whom they give the telephone number in that area to call only when you are available to answer the phone. Other TA’s are under no obligation to serve as receptionist. Please see Paul Ward for information regarding Painter 1.23.
Graduate School Requirements
The Graduate School requires the following:
- You be registered for a minimum of 9 hours during the long semester you hold a TA/AI/RA appointment.
- You are in good academic standing with no more than one incomplete. You must be making satisfactory progress towards your degree.