Job Description and Interest Form

To be hired as an LA:

• Be familiar with the course (preferably taught by a particular instructor)
• Receive an A or A- in the assigned course
• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher
• Have availability in your schedule during the class meeting time for the assigned course

LAs and their supervising instructors will meet at the beginning of each semester to sign an LA Instructor Agreement. This agreement will outline the responsibilities of both the LA and the Instructor. Mandatory responsibilities for all LAs includes:

• Meet with the instructor in and outside of class, as determined by the instructor
• Communicate effectively with supervising instructor, any additional teaching staff, and enrolled students
• Prepare for specific teaching- and learning-related assignments

Additional responsibilities could include:

• Explain course concepts to individual students or groups
• Help with in-class activities, group projects, specialized software, or virtual labs
• Provide feedback on writing and other assignments
• Grading (assuming a rubric)
• Out-of-class tutoring
• Troubleshoot course technologies
• Other learning-focused responsibilities

All new LAs are required to participate in training in their first semester as an LA, including New LA Orientation and the one-credit training course for LAs, IST 389: Leadership and Technology for Instruction.

New LA Orientation occurs the Sunday immediately before classes begin, usually from 3:00 – 5:00 PM. This virtual meeting offers just-in-time training to get you started in your first week as an LA, as well as tips from experienced LAs.

During the first semester of employment, you will be enrolled in IST 389 for one credit. The course meets once a week for 75 minutes for the first seven weeks of the semester. A college administrative assistant will enroll you in one of the sections after you have been officially hired.

The Fall sections of IST 389 are:

• Wednesdays from 4:00 – 5:15 p.m.
  OR
• Thursdays from 4:35 – 5:50 p.m.

• Start date is Friday before classes begin. (LAs may work with instructors online prior to classes.)
• End date is the last day of Finals Week—or whatever earlier date the instructor sets (make end-of-semester travel plans accordingly).

For Fall 2023, all LAs will have the opportunity to be paid, including first year LAs. Rate of compensation is as follows:

• estimated $13/hour (subject to change, and to be confirmed by August 2023) for all first time LAs
• estimated $14/hour (subject to change, and to be confirmed by August 2023) for all returning LAs

LAs who are hired and assigned to a faculty member must complete the PSU job application in addition to the interest form (link at the top of the page) that indicates interest. The link to the PSU job application will be sent to your PSU email account.

There are two types of interest forms: “general pool” and “matched with verbal agreement from instructor.”

• Matched: Faculty member and student establish mutual verbal agreement that they would like to work together; student submits “matched” interest form
• General Pool: Student submits interest form without being matched; College places qualified student where needed

With either type of interest form, no jobs are guaranteed until Notification of Offer email messages are made to the student (typically two weeks prior to the start of the semester). In general, matched interest forms are more likely to yield an offer.