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APPENDIX F-1: Information for Teaching Assistants
Department of Materials Science and Engineering Autumn 2003 Teaching assistants are adjunct faculty members who assist course instructors in some of the duties associated with teaching a class. The contribution of the TA’s to instruction is critical to the success of the Department’s program. Specific duties are assigned by the course instructor; the TA should contact the faculty member at least one week before the first day of instruction to begin planning the course. 1. General requirements and procedures • Hold office hours: 4th floor of Roberts. • Attend lectures. • Plan your labs and quiz sections in advance. Work with Bob Smith to coordinate your supply needs and lab space requirements. The technical staff can assist you if you plan ahead and tell them what is needed. • Maintain weekly contact with the course instructor. • Meet with instructor before the quarter starts to review grading responsibilities and policies. • Students are to pay for their own photocopies. If you have a lot, take them to a copy center such as the Engineering Library Copy Center. • Use the standard Department lab write-up format (both a long form and a short form). Students receive instruction in the use of this format during their first quarter in the Department, please use the standard format and not something else. (A copy of this is in the Policies and Procedures Manual) • You may be asked to perform assignments in addition to your regular TA duties, such as preparing posters, leading tours, speaking to student groups, filling in for others or preparing seminar coffee. • TA’s are paid for 20 hours a week; if your duties average more than 20 hours a week, please discuss this with Dr. Bordia. • Other general policies and specific information may be found in the Graduate Student Policies and Procedures Manual.
2. Payroll periods • Autumn quarter payroll is September 16 through December 15. Autumn classes begin on September 30 and finals end on December 19.
3. Special considerations for laboratory TA’s • You must be trained to use any mechanical equipment to be used in the class, and you must have gone through a Department lab safety training session (see B. Smith, K. Soderlund or Dr. Bordia for this training). • You must train all students to use any mechanical equipment that they might need or want to use (note that the technical staff can help in this training--ask for help). • You must train all students in lab specific safety measures (all MSE majors should have received general lab training during their first quarter in the Department). This must include the location and use of the lab safety manual and other safety equipment in each lab room used by the class. Site specific training forms must be on file in the office for each student for each lab used during the quarter. Safety glasses are required in all labs except computing labs. • If your students need to use a lab after regular hours (after 5:00 PM) there are 4 important rules, and you are responsible to make sure they are met: Students must have been trained to use the equipment. There must be at least 2 persons working together. You must be available in the same building; the only exception is that you can be working in one of the Department’s other buildings if you can give them a contact phone number (i.e., the 4th floor phone #). If you cannot be available, the students must not be allowed to use the lab after hours. • You need to be sure your students keep all labs clean--this is for safety as well as a general courtesy to those who follow. If your labs are not clean, and the students have left, you will be required to clean them.
4. Final Report You will need to write a brief report at the end of the quarter. This report, which should go to Dr. Bordia and to the course instructor, may include • Suggestions for improvement of the course, quiz section and/or lab • Particular problems that you had relative to Department personnel or equipment in carrying out your duties. • Positive interactions with department personnel in carrying out your duties.
9/23/02 |