Graduate Assistantships

Assistantship appointments are generally half-time, requiring service of approximately 20 hours per week. Students with half-time teaching or research assistantships receive tuition to cover the mandatory course load of 9 to 12 credits per semester. Appointments automatically end at the conclusion of each semester and carry no guarantee of renewal. Assistantships are contingent on satisfactory performance of assigned duties.

Assistants should not travel the week before the semester begins, the last week of classes, or the week after the semester ends, as these periods are essential for preparation and grading. In exceptional cases, a supervisor may approve early departure or late arrival, but this should never be assumed. Requests for exceptions must be made in advance, approved by the supervisor, and documented through the Graduate Programs Office. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in a review and loss of funding for the following semester.

Students may lose funding if they fail to meet the responsibilities of the position. In these rare situations, a position may be terminated in the middle of a semester, per Fox Graduate School Policy GCAC-804.

An RA’s supervisor is typically the student’s faculty adviser, who helps determine supporting coursework and other preparation needed for the assistantship. When the research supervisor is also the faculty adviser, it may be challenging to separate assistantship duties from dissertation progress. These concerns should be addressed through discussions with the adviser.

The combination of research responsibilities and coursework or dissertation credits should reflect a manageable workload. While the University does not require RAs to track weekly hours, supervisors may request this information.

Research Assistantship Responsibilities

RAs may be expected to:

• Design and implement software

• Design and conduct human-subject experiments, including IRB applications

• Collect and process data

• Conduct literature searches in University Libraries or online

• Interact with sponsors and vendors

• Prepare reports and presentation materials

• Attend meetings and seminars

• Contribute to conference and journal manuscripts

• Assist in preparing research funding proposals

Supervisor Responsibilities

Supervisors will:

• Define the specific tasks for the RA position

• Oversee and evaluate the RA’s work, dependability, and readiness for greater responsibility

• Assess progress toward leading data analysis, supervising undergraduate assistants, authoring manuscripts, and delivering presentations

Travel Policy

RAs must be present during the timeframe specified in their signed offer form and should not plan travel the week before the semester begins, the last week of classes, or the week after the semester ends. In exceptional cases, supervisors may approve early departure or late arrival, but this should never be assumed. Requests must be made in advance, approved by the supervisor, and documented through the Graduate Programs Office.

Failure to follow these guidelines will result in the loss of RA funding for the following semester.

A Teaching Assistant is assigned to support specific courses for a semester, not to assist a faculty member directly. The college funds these positions. If a TA is assigned to a course taught by someone other than their adviser, that faculty member serves as the TA’s supervisor for teaching-related duties. TAs are typically selected based on specialized skills or prior experience.

TA Guidelines

The primary purpose of Teaching Assistant positions in the College of IST is to support the college’s instructional mission. A secondary purpose is to provide funding for Ph.D. students in good academic standing whose advisers cannot currently support them with a Research Assistant position. However, TA positions are not intended to be the primary or sole source of financial support for Ph.D. students. Additionally, it is generally in the best interest of both students and the college for the Ph.D. program to be completed within five years of matriculation.

Under current guidelines, Ph.D. students who meet the following criteria are eligible for Teaching Assistant positions:

• Are within 5 years of entry into the Ph.D. program.
• Have received no more than 5 semesters of TA funding.
• Are in good academic standing.

Responsibilities

TAs may be required to:

• Grade homework, projects, and exams
• Prepare assignments and solutions for distribution
• Maintain office hours and hold lab or review sessions
• Assist in preparing, photocopying, and administering exams
• Set up demonstrations
• Process grade data and, in some cases, assign grades

Supervisor and TA Meetings

TAs must meet with their supervisors no later than the week before the semester begins to plan teaching support. Regular meetings will be scheduled throughout the semester as determined by the supervisor. Before the semester starts, TAs should contact their supervisors to confirm availability for these meetings. During initial meetings, TAs will receive the course syllabus, textbook (if applicable), instructional materials, and details of their responsibilities. Discussions should cover course objectives, teaching strategies, and grading criteria.

Before the first week of the semester, the TA and supervisor must complete a Responsibility Agreement Form to ensure all expectations are clear. At mid-semester and semester’s end, both the supervisor and students in the course will complete electronic evaluations of the TA’s performance.

Absence Policy

If a TA is unable to fulfill their duties due to illness, personal emergencies, or professional commitments, they must inform their supervisor as soon as possible and coordinate coverage for their responsibilities.

English Proficiency Requirement

All TAs must pass the American English Oral Communicative Proficiency Testing (AEOCPT) to qualify for a teaching assistantship.

Required Course for New TAs

All first-time TAs must enroll in IST 602 (Supervised Experience in College Teaching) during their first semester. This course, offered in fall and spring, helps new TAs develop effective teaching skills and provides a forum for discussing classroom challenges.

TA positions are tentative and competitive, and funding is not guaranteed.

The Ph.D. in Informatics encourages qualified students to gain primary teaching experience during their studies, particularly those planning for academic careers. To support this, the college offers a Graduate Teaching Fellow program, allowing advanced Ph.D. students to teach a course independently.

Eligibility and Structure

• Generally available to students who have completed the comprehensive exam or have prior teaching experience.

• Selection depends on course availability and student qualifications.

• Each Teaching Fellow is assigned a teaching mentor to provide oversight and guidance.

This program provides valuable hands-on teaching experience while ensuring instructional quality through faculty mentorship.