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Guidelines for Special Teaching Assignments

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(From Graduate Handbook 2006 – 2007: pp. 50 – 52)

VIII.14. Summer Appointments


Depending upon enrollments and available funds, a number of Summer Quarter positions are available for Graduate Teaching Associates. Summer appointments are made by the Chair of the Department, in consultation with the Vice Chair, and take into consideration both the applicant’s academic progress and his/her effectiveness as a teacher. Registration for two courses leading to the degree sought is required for Summer Quarter appointments in the same way as during any other quarter.

Guidelines for establishing priorities for Summer GTA appointments are parallel to those for teaching upper-level classes (see VIII.15, below). They take into account Departmental and programmatic needs, as well as student seniority and rotation. In addition, the Department needs to meet its contractual obligations and takes into account the specific needs of international students who are not allowed to seek employment outside the University.

Note: Most international students are offered a fourth quarter of support as part of their initial appointment in order to satisfy financial requirements imposed by the U.S. Government.

VIII.15. Teaching Upper-Level Classes


Facilitating a GTA’s development as a professional is a top priority of the Department. Coupled with this is the goal of helping instructors in our program be successful candidates for tenure-track positions. Teaching advanced-level courses is an opportunity offered to the best prepared students for their enhanced professional preparation. It does not constitute an entitlement, and having taught at the advanced level is not a guarantee that one will continue to teach at that level. Decisions regarding assignment of GTAs to advanced-level courses will be made on the basis of the following considerations:
  1. Departmental need (defined in this context as the persons who are best qualified to teach a particular course, on the basis both of academic success in the relevant area(s) and of teaching success, as verified by teaching evaluations and supervisory reports, either in the course requested or in other courses).
  2. Seniority, according to the following rank order:
    1. Departmental ABDs making regular progress toward their degree, including those who have a one-year appointment as lecturer
    2. Continuing departmental Ph.D. students who have not yet achieved candidacy, but who are making regular progress toward their degree
    3. Second-year departmental M.A. students
    4. Extra-departmental TAs, and lecturers, other than those mentioned in category a) who possess the necessary qualifications
  3. Rotation, the goal of which is to afford as many students as possible the chance to teach advanced courses.
Assignments of GTAs and lecturers to advanced level courses will be made by the departmental Chair, in consultation with the Vice Chair. They will be based on recommendations received from the relevant course coordinator(s) who will, when appropriate, consult with the faculty who have taught the course(s) in question.

All those who wish to request assignment to an advanced-level course should consult with the appropriate course coordinator at least one full quarter before the course is to be given. At this time, appropriate arrangements are to be made for the instructor to make regular visits to a section of the course taught either by the course-coordinator or another faculty member, and, if possible, to give a guest-lecture or two.

In order to be considered for an advanced-teaching assignment, GTAs must submit a completed request form (available here) to their Academic Advisor. The Advisor will then present the petition to the Director of Graduate Studies and Director of Language Studies. Before making requests applicants should consult the Master Schedule of Classes for availability of times/courses. Because of limited availability, advanced teaching assignments may not occur in the same quarter in which they are requested.

VIII.16. Assignment to a Second Course


GTAs may request assignment to a second course beyond the one-course standard load. Such assignment may only be for two sections of the same course below the 250-level. It will entail approximately 10 hours of additional work per week (five hours in the classroom and five hours grading). The stipend for such a course is 25%, i.e., half of the 50% rate for the first course. As with other special assignments, opportunities for a second course are infrequent and depend on program needs, enrollments and available budget. A second course during one quarter does not guarantee a second in any subsequent quarter. Because of the increased time demands, students should consult closely with their advisor before requesting a second course. They must also submit the form "Guidelines for Special Teaching Assignments" with appropriate signatures (http://sppo.osu.edu/languageprogram/irp/). Assignment is made by the Chair in consultation with the student’s advisor and the course coordinator, and follows the order of preference indicated above in section VIII.15.

To access the required printable form, click here.