Summer Hiring Policy

Factors Considered For Summer Employment of AI/TAs

The Department of Communication Studies is often not able to hire all of the AI/TA's who request summer employment. Deciding whom to hire is a process that is based upon the exercise of the department staff's considered judgment. It is not, therefore, a completely objective process nor can it be made formulaic, but the criteria we use can be articulated, and that is what this memo is intended to do. In deciding whom to hire, the department staff will exercise its judgment while considering several factors listed below. Only the first, primary criterion is an absolute requirement for summer teaching employment. The other factors are weighed and considered as circumstances and needs seem to require.

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. Beyond this primary criterion, we take into consideration:

Academic success as indicated by several measures such as grades, publications and convention presentations, and so forth.

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 and supervisor evaluations.

Good department citizenship, including volunteering for special projects, 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.

Previous summer funding may lower chances of future summer funding.

Affirmed by the Budget Council 8/2010