Policies

Policies and Procedures

The University of Texas at Austin

Department of Spanish and Portuguese

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING THE SELECTION AND RETENTION OF TEACHING ASSISTANTS (TAs) AND ASSISTANT INSTRUCTORS (AIs)

 

Lack of compliance with the above rules will result in a breach of your contract with the Department and will jeopardize the possibility for being assigned to teach classes during both the regular academic year and in the summer.

Policies and Procedures

The University of Texas at Austin

Department of Spanish and Portuguese

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING THE SELECTION AND RETENTION OF TEACHING ASSISTANTS (TAs) AND ASSISTANT INSTRUCTORS (AIs)

 

1. UNIVERSITY-WIDE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Teaching Assistants (TA), Assistant Instructors (AI), and Graduate Research Assistants are governed by the Handbook of Operating Procedures (http://www.utexas.edu/policies/hoppm/12.C.02.html)

1.  For TAs: Part 12. Students. Section C.  Student Academic Employees, Policy Number 12.C.1 (Date Issued: July 13, 2006)

2.  For AIs: Part 12. Students. Section C.  Student Academic Employees, Policy Number 12.C.2 (Date Issued: July 13, 2006)

3.  For Graduate Research Assistants: Part 12. Students. Section C.  Student Academic Employees, Policy Number 12.C.3 (Date Issued: July 13, 2006)

Apart from the university-wide policies, the Handbook of Operating Procedures establishes that TAs and AIs are also to abide by specific departmental rules which are set forth in the present document:

1. Teaching Assistants/Assistant instructors are subject to the Rules and Regulations of The University of Texas System Board of Regents, the University, the Graduate School, the college/school, and department in which they hold employment. In the performance of their duties they must abide by and adhere to the academic and instructional criteria and policies established by the department in which they render service. [Paragraph G1/J1 from Policy number 12.C.1/2]

In addition, international students must have English language certification and must attend the International TA/AI Orientation if appointed as a TA or AI with student contact. (Please consult the following website for more detailed information: https://global.utexas.edu/english-language-center/resources/international-teaching-assistants)

II.  SELECTION AND APPOINTMENT

1. The initial selection of all TAs and AIs is made on the recommendation of the Graduate Admissions and Financial Aid Committee (GAFA).
2. The selection of TAs and AIs is based on merit factors such as GRE scores, academic records, letters of recommendation and the assessment of teaching proficiency and experience.
3. First preference is given to qualified students in our own department; secondarily, to students in departments or programs in the College of Liberal Arts.
4. A person who has been conditionally admitted to the Graduate School normally is not eligible for employment as a TA or AI, although the department may appeal to the Graduate School to make an exception based on special circumstances. In cases where conditional admittance prevents employment, the candidate is encouraged to come to this department as a student so further consideration of his or her employment application may be given.
5. Initial applications for employment are part of the admissions process and are due by January 1.  Employment offers are made with admission. Notification of employment is usually given in March.  Additional offers, based on departmental need, may be made at the beginning of the fall semester.
6. A student hired as an AI is expected to teach one course section per semester.

The present policy further affirms the following rules established in the Handbook of Operating Procedures (the paragraphs copied below make reference to the AI and TA documents):

1. Paragraph E1a-b/F2: The period of appointment shall not exceed one academic year and shall terminate at the expiration of the stated period of appointment without notification of nonrenewal.
2. Paragraph E1b/E1d: All appointments and reappointments of TAs and AIs are subject to the approval of the dean of the college or school, and the Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies.
3. Paragraph E3/K2: The total combined period of service as a teaching assistant, graduate research assistant, academic assistant, assistant (graduate), and assistant instructor shall not exceed twelve long-session academic semesters.
4. Paragraph E3: AI appointments shall not exceed twenty hours per week during the first two long-session semesters of graduate study at the University and thirty hours per week during subsequent long-session semesters. Exceptions may be permitted only upon approval of the Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies. Please note that international students are only permitted to work 20 hours per week and are not allowed to work off campus.

III. SUMMER APPOINTMENTS

Summer teaching is based on programmatic needs in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Normally, the number of courses and sections offered during the summer is smaller than the number of AIs who would like to teach in the summer. Summer appointments will be based on a combination of merit (as a graduate student and a TA/AI) and seniority as described below:

1. AI evaluation scores qualify a student to teach in the summer.  Students who do not attend the fall orientation sessions will be placed at the bottom of the priority list to teach in the summer regardless of their overall performance evaluations, unless his/her absence is due to a documented emergency such as hospitalization.
2. Once the AI qualifies for summer teaching, priority should be given according to the following groups:

 Group 1 (1st Priority):

• Students who have not taught during the summer
• 2nd and 3rd year PhD students

Group 2 (2nd Priority):

• 4th year PhD students

Group 3 (3rd Priority):

• 5th PhD students
• 1st year PhD students who have taught two semesters
• Students from other departments

 

1. In case any summer course is cancelled after being assigned to a graduate student, these will be re-assigned so that priority rules can still be observed.  Students in priority groups 2 or 3 should be allowed to teach during the summer only if students who applied in priority group 1 have been re-assigned a course.  This premise will be followed, unless the student from priority group 1 voluntarily declines the re-assignment during that summer. This system allows students to work at least one summer in their guaranteed 10 semesters of teaching with the possibility of a 2nd summer based on merit.
2. Summer AIs and TAs must take three hours of coursework in order for them to teach.  It is not necessary for the AI/TA to enroll in coursework the same session that he/she teaches.  If the AI or TA is teaching in the first session and intends to enroll in the second, he/she must show proof of registration and payment before appointment can be made.
3. Graduate students who are on leave during the spring semester (i.e. not registered for courses) or not in residence in the Austin area (even if registered for courses), excepting students away on grant, will not be eligible to resume teaching in summer term.
4. The Graduate School allows carrying one incomplete from the previous semester.
    Students with an incomplete more than one semester old are not eligible to teach, during summer or otherwise.
5. Lack of academic progress may result in the student not receiving an assignment. This is especially important for summer teaching positions. Thesis or dissertation students must demonstrate through their Progress Report forms that they are making adequate progress to justify continuing or summer employment. These forms should state a tentative date of completion.
6. Teaching performance is based on the evaluation procedure described in section (V) below. In addition, AIs who will be considered for summer employment must demonstrate the ability to teach with minimal supervision.
7. AIs with significant problems in their teaching record or other professional experience will not be considered for summer teaching.  That includes AIs under probation, but excludes AIs who were under probation and were able to overcome their shortcomings.

IV. RESPONSIBILITIES

The Handbook of Operating Procedures establishes that:

Although they are not members of the faculty, TAs/AIs will be expected to conform to the same standard of conduct in the performance of their academic duties as are members of the faculty and shall respect the rights and opinions of students and uphold the academic standards of the University. [Paragraph G4/J4]

In addition, in the performance of their duties TAs/AIs must abide by and adhere to the academic and instructional criteria and policies established by the department in which they render service.

A. General departmental policies applicable to both AIs and TAs 

1. All AI and TA need to register for their courses and to have their tuition fees paid before starting to teach. You will be considered for a teaching assignment only if you have registered and paid your fees. Please do not leave town for the summer without registering for your fall classes.
2. AIs and TAs are expected to check UT email often at least 3 weeks before orientation. This is an important period during which suupervisors and staff share important information (syllabi, invitation to Canvas organizations, training materials, etc).
3. During the semester, AIs and TAs are expected to check UT email and Canvas at least once every 24 hours on business days so as not to miss any important announcements or information.  Please note that UT email (rather than personal email, WhatsApp, etc.) is our official form of communication.
4. AIs and TAs must familiarize themselves with the basic features of Canvas (e.g., creating modules, posting files, gradebook, announcements) as soon as possible, and no later than the second week of their first semester of employment. Information can be found here: https://canvas.utexas.edu.
5. All AIs and TAs must attend the general orientation sessions prior to the beginning of the fall semester (in August), and must implement the teaching approach of the Language Program in their courses.
6. New students can be TAs only for one year. If new students were TAs their first year, they will have to be AIs in our department at least one year before accepting any position in other units. (Exception: students who come without an MA or do not have 30 hours of graduate credit). It is required to take ILA 398T Supervised Teaching in Spanish and Portuguese in the first or second year in the program in order to finish their requirements. This course begins during 398T Pre-Service Session a week before classes start.
7. Students who will be TAs, AIs, or GRAs in other units will have to tell the Graduate Coordinator by June 30, if they accept the position in the fall, by December 15, if they accept the position in the Spring and by May 10, if it is a position for the summer. Exceptions will be considered in cases revised by the Chair.
8. If suggested by the Program Director or Course Supervisor, an AI/TA may be required to observe a different section of the same course being taught by the AI/proctored by the TA in order to become more familiarized with the program expectations. The number of visits will be limited to a reasonable amount as to provide the AI/TA with the appropriate level of knowledge to be successful as an AI/TA.
9. AIs and TAs are not to switch sections without prior consent of the Graduate Coordinator.
10. As required by the UT System Board of Regents, all AIs/TAs must undergo general compliance training (https:utdirect.utexas.edu/cts).
11. Adding and dropping students from courses:
    1. Course drops: The office of the Registrar requires that after the 12th class day all course drops must be acknowledged by the instructor of record. This acknowledgement is not permission to drop the class. The permission comes from the Dean's office.
    2. Course additions: AIs and TAs are not authorized to add students to classes. Students must use the wait list system to add lower-division classes. Should a student request the instructor's assistance to be added to a class, the instructor of record must advise them of the wait list process and suggest that they get on the wait list. If a student has questions about that process, they should contact their college advisors or, if absolutely necessary, the advisors in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.
12. Teaching materials, textbooks and students' work:
    1. Books and other teaching materials will be checked out at the beginning of each semester.
    2. All class work, quizzes, exams, etc. not returned to the student must be kept for two years.  If you will be leaving the university, please turn in these materials to your supervisor.
13. TAs/AIs may use the photocopier on the 5th floor to prepare class materials only. Please plan in advance when using the duplicating equipment. There is heavy usage of the equipment and there are times the equipment may be down for repair or in use.  AI's/TA's are restricted from using photocopiers on any other floor in Benedict.
14. Any AI/TA planning to carry out a research study, survey or any other type of data-gathering project in any of the courses offered by the Language Program must request written permission to do so from the respective Course Supervisor. The request must be received at least two weeks in advance of the collection of data. The request should provide information about the instrument to be used, the number of students involved, the class time needed to conduct the project and a copy of the IRB approval to conduct the study.
15. AIs and TAs must submit a Request for Travel Authorization (RTA) form a minimum of two weeks in advance for any university / work-related travel.
16. AIs and TAs must attend required meetings and professional development sessions, as indicated by their Course Supervisor or the Program Director.
17. Course Evaluation System (CES):
    1. Course Evaluation Surveys will be administered for all classes during the last two weeks of class.  They are automatically made available to students on Canvas.
    2. Remind students to complete these surveys, since a higher response rate provides more useful data.
    3. When the evaluations become available to you, please check your course and instructor ratings. If either your overall course or instructor ratings are below a 3.5 (on a scale of 1-5), please contact your supervisor to follow up with the procedure to assess teaching performance established in section V (B) below.

B. AI-specific Responsibilities:

1. ILA 398T (Supervised Teaching) seminar:
   1. ILA398T is divided into two parts: (1) 15 hours of pre-service sessions, and (2) regular weekly classes during the semester.  The purpose of this course format is to ensure that AIs receive sufficient training before beginning to teach as “instructors of record”.  These pre-service sessions are held the week before classes begin and are mandatory.  They are also worth 30% of the ILA398T course grade.
   2. Waivers for ILA 398T, the teaching methodology class for incoming graduate students will be granted by a committee consisting of the GSC Chair, the Director of the Spanish Language Program, the Director of the Portuguese Language Program and one lower-division Course Supervisor.  Waivers will be granted to students who have at least one year of college-level Spanish or Portuguese language (L2) teaching experience and who have taken a teaching methods course that is similar in focus to our ILA 398T seminar.  Incoming students who wish to apply for a waiver will submit a request form, including a copy of the syllabus from their teaching methods course.  In cases where a decision is unclear, the committee may ask the student to meet virtually for a brief interview.
   3. We will make sure that students who are granted a 398T waiver understand that they need to be proactive in their development as instructors during their first semester teaching in our department.  They need to have a clear understanding of our approach to language teaching, as well as all policies and procedures.  It will be extremely important for new instructors with a waiver to communicate regularly with colleagues and to reach out immediately to their Course Supervisor if any issues arise.  They will also be expected to observe the class of 2 colleagues who teach the same course within the first month of class.
2. Attendance and Absences:

1. It is required that AIs do not seek substitutes for the first week of class.  Substitution during the first week of class must be justified only on the basis of extenuating circumstances and must be authorized by the Program Director.
2. During the semester AIs must hold class during the regularly scheduled time as published in the official course schedule.
3. AIs cannot cancel classes. In case of absence, the AI must notify the course supervisor and find an instructor to cover his/her class.
4. In case of emergencies and if AIs have notified their supervisors and attempted to find a substitute, then as a last resort, AIs should email their students and also call the main office so students can be notified that the class is cancelled. Please allow as much time as possible for staff to get to your class. If the AI is to be absent for more than 10% of his/her classes, he/she must find one qualified AI who is willing to substitute them and grade assignments until the instructor of record is able to return.            

1. Syllabus:
   1. AIs are to follow the schedule outlined in the official calendar on the course syllabus. Please do not deviate from it. Do not forget to fill in your name, office hours, and email address in the provided syllabus. Then post it on Canvas prior to the first class meeting.
   2. AIs must inform students of all pertinent departmental/course information.
   3. AIs are expected to Follow the class schedule as outlined in the class syllabus.Given that the Language Program's objectives require instructors to maximize the use of class time to focus students on the active use of the second language, it is neither effective nor efficient to change the syllabus/schedule to accommodate visitors in class. Therefore, instructors in the Language Program cannot authorize requests for the use of class time for any type of activity that is not already part of the program of studies. Rare exceptions to this policy can be handled on an individual basis through a written request to be sent to the Course Supervisor. The request needs to be submitted at least two weeks in advance, and it should provide a strong justification for the need to change the course schedule.
   4. AIs must submit a written request to their Course Supervisor to accommodate observations of their classes by anyone other than administrators of the Language Program or other AIs/TAs in the Language Program (as outlined in paragraph A3 above). The request needs to be submitted at least two weeks in advance, and it should provide a justification for the need for the class observation (e.g., teacher trainee in Uteach) and the number of times it will occur.
2. Office hours:

1. AIs teaching Portuguese are required to designate three office hours per week to be held on the 4th or 5th floors of Benedict Hall all semester through final exams. AIs teaching Spanish are required to designate two office hours per week to be held on the 4th or 5th floors of Benedict Hall all semester through final exams, and one additional scheduled hour per week in the Help Center. 
2. Please inform students of your office hours on the first day of class, as well as writing them in the syllabus.
3. If you are unable to attend office hours please communicate the absence to your students in advance.

1. Coordination with Course Supervisor:
   1. Supervisors will design and provide AIs with all exams and major assessments. Please review exams prepared by the supervisor.
   2. Provide supervisor with class data (such as exam grades) when requested to do so.
   3. Turn in materials requested by the supervisor (e.g. final grades, student work) at the end of the semester.
   4. Consult with supervisor regarding any significant challenges or issues such as student behavior concerns, potential cases of academic dishonesty, and excessive absences and/or missed work.
   5. Forward all student “requests for grade averaging” forms to your supervisor immediatrely after receiving them.         
   6. Portuguese AIs are expected to review and update (if necessary) the exams and submit for approval to their supervisor. Portuguese AIs are also expected to assist with the updating of the course calendar.
2.  Assessments and Grading:
   1. AIs must follow the grading procedures described in their syllabus and by their Course Supervisor. In particular, AIs are not allowed to increase or decrease the computation of grades and grade averages based on criteria other than the components already outlined in the syllabus (i.e., the relative weights assigned to each component as part of the overall grade).
   2. AIs are responsible for using the Course Supervisors' suggested evaluation criteria (e.g. standardized rubrics) for holistic grading sections of any assessment to ensure there is no grade inflation. Course Supervisors will contact AIs in writing in cases in which the distribution of scores of any given section differs significantly with reference to the scores assigned by the Course Supervisor.
   3. AIs must administer and promptly grade all course assessments.  Most assessments should be graded within one week, though longer essay assignments may take two.
   4. Student grades are to be posted regularly on Canvas.
   5. The Registrar’s Office will inform you of deadlines for turning in grades. THESE DEADLINES MUST BE RESPECTED. For security reasons, final grades can only be posted electronically via CLIPS. If you are not sure how to post your grades electronically, please talk to your Course Supervisor.
3. Accommodations for students with disabilities (D&A office):

1. Upon receiving a letter from Disability and Access (D&A) with a list of approved accommodations for a student, AIs should make arrangements to provide such accommodations no later than 10 days after the date of the letter.
2. NOTE: If a student states that they have a disability and will bring you a letter from a doctor or parent, tell them that you can only make accommodations as instructed by Disability and Access, so they should contact D&A.

C. TA-specific Responsibilities:

1. TAs must be well-versed in all pertinent departmental/course information on the syllabus.
2. Office hours:
   1. TAs are required to designate three office hours per week to be held on the 4th or 5th floors of Benedict Hall all semester through final exams.
   2. Please inform students of your office hours on the first day of class, as well as writing them in the syllabus.
   3. If you are unable to attend office hours please communicate the absence to your students in advance.
3. TAs will participate in designing class activities as instructed by their supervisor.
4. TAs will grade course assessments as specified by their supervisor.
5. TAs will teach occasional lessons or partial lessons as indicated by their supervisor.
6. TAs will complete miscellaneaous tasks assigned by their supervisor.  
7. TAs will be sure to consult with their supervisor regarding any significant challenges that arise related to student behavior concerns or potential cases of academic dishonesty.

         

V.  AI/TA TEACHING EVALUATION

1. AI/TA Performance Assessment 

1. The performance of AIs and TAs is assessed and evaluated in a variety of ways that provide a comprehensive picture of their work in the Language Program.
2. The main components of this evaluation are the supervisors' class visit reports, evaluation of administrative/professional performance, and students' CES evaluations.
3. The specific evaluation of AIs and TAs described below will be tracked throughout time while the AIs and TAs work with the Language Program.
4. The evaluation of AIs and TAs will be used for a variety of administrative procedures within the Language Program (e.g., summer hiring priority)

2. AI Evaluation 

1. 1. The most up-to-date AI evaluation form is posted on the Lower-Division Instructors Canvas site.  The evaluation is divided into 2 parts: (1) the class visit and (2) administrative/professional responsibilities. 
   2. AIs will be observed once per year to receive summative and formative feedback. The observation will be conducted by either a Course Supervisor or Program Director during the 3rd - 8th weeks of the semester. 
   3. AIs and TAs are responsible for a number of administrative duties directly associated with the courses they teach/support teaching, as well as ongoing required professional development and will be assessed on the performance of these tasks at the end of each semester.

3. TA Evaluation

1. The most up-to-date TA evaluation form is posted on the Lower-Division Instructors Canvas site.
2. The evaluation is divided into 4 parts: (1) performance in the classroom,  (2) grading tasks, (3) material preparation, and (4) communication. 
3. Your supervisor will use this form twice per semester.  There will be an informal evaluation mid-semester to provide you with useful feedback including suggestions for improvement, followed by an official evaluation report at the end of the semester.

VI.  SALARY SCALE

As of September 1, 2021, the 2021-2022 nine-month salaries for an AI are $20,000, for a TA $19,500. TAs and AIs also receive $4,464 per semester of tuition assistance as part of their compensation, based on continued twenty-hour appointment. Should the percentage of time for the instructional appointment be reduced, the amount of tuition assistance will also decrease. For more up to date information about salaries, please consult the main webpage of the Department.

 

Lack of compliance with the above rules will result in a breach of your contract with the Department and will jeopardize the possibility for being assigned to teach classes during both the regular academic year and in the summer.