Teaching Assistant/Assistant Instructor Hiring Policy

A decision to hire a graduate student as a teaching assistant or assistant instructor is complex, requiring consideration of many factors. Ultimate responsibility for hiring rests with the Chair of the Department, who seeks input and guidance from as many relevant sources as possible. The process by which decisions are made has not been and cannot be reduced to a simple formula or invariant ranking of criteria. This document attempts to explain the procedures that are followed and the criteria that are used in making these hiring decisions.

Fundamentally, there are two basic goals to be met in hiring a TA/AI: First, the instructional needs of the department must be met. Second, we wish to attract good graduate students by offering them support. If these goals come into conflict, as in cases where we desire to attract a good student who appears not to be able to meet our instructional needs, the instructional goal is almost always the stronger of the two. CMS is unlikely to extend an offer to even the strongest students, current or incoming, who cannot meet our instructional needs.

Every year, and more often as decisions need to be made, the Chair seeks the advice of the faculty in our three areas of Interpersonal Communication, Organizational Communication, and Rhetoric and Language as to the priorities by which graduate students should be given TA/AI offers. Faculty in those areas consider both new, incoming students and those already in residence, students to whom funding commitments have been made as well as students to whom no commitments have been made. Acting on the recommendations of the faculty areas, the Chair and the Executive Assistant of the Department make offers to current and incoming graduate students.

These are the criteria usually used by faculty in the three areas and by the Chair in deciding who gets offers:

The primary criterion is to further the educational mission of the Department. Graduate students who can teach or assist with courses that need to be taught receive the highest priority. Directors of courses, such as the Director of 306M, are sources of advice on this criterion. Beyond this primary criterion, we take into consideration (in no particular order):

Maintaining a rough parity among the three areas of Interpersonal, Organizational, and R&L, although factors such as the securing of grants that fund students, funding from Centers or Organized Research Units, and other extra sources of funding may give one area somewhat more funded students than another. This criterion is primarily employed by the Chair and Executive Assistant.

Academic success as indicated by several measures such as grades, publications and convention presentations, and so forth. This includes being in good standing and making good progress toward a degree. The Graduate Advisor is a source of advice on this criterion.

Faculty preferences and requests for specific graduate students to assist in courses (or requests that a student not be hired).

Excellence in previous teaching experience, including evaluation scores, grade inflation/deflation, and supervisor evaluations. Directors of courses, such as the Director of 306M, are sources of advice on this criterion.

Good department citizenship, including volunteering for special projects, collegiality, service on the CMS graduate student organization, attendance at department functions and colloquia, and so forth.

Fit between a student’s academic preparation and interests and the subject matter to be taught.

In general, TAs/AIs are funded up to a maximum of four consecutive semesters as M.A. students and eight consecutive semesters as Ph.D. students (summer session appointments are excluded). Fellowship appointments secured through CMS/UT count as funded semesters. If a graduate student with a funding commitment chooses to teach outside of CMS, however, the remaining years of commitment from CMS are null and void unless they have a written agreement from the Chair of the department to the contrary.

It sometimes happens that opportunities for a fifth year of funding for PhD students, or for more than 50% funding for MA or PhD students, materialize. Often such decisions must be made quickly by the Chair and the Executive Assistant. The criteria listed above are used in such decisions, but often previous experience teaching a course or a good match between a student's experience and preparation and the course to be taught are primary considerations.

The Department of Communication Studies requires as a condition of employment that graduate students accepting a position as Assistant Instructor or Teaching Assistant defer to the scheduling needs of the department in making job assignments. CMS understands that people may have other professional or personal commitments in their lives, but CMS scheduling needs must take first priority. Although we will try to be flexible in response to conflicts, we will in particular insist that CMS class scheduling needs take priority over other employment opportunities that AI/TA's may obtain. AI/TA's unable to accommodate to CMS scheduling priorities may be in danger of losing funding.

Affirmed by the Budget Council 9/2004 Amended 8/2005

Amended 3/2006