TA preference form | Computer Science Instructional Support Group

About the TA preference form

All CS graduate students are required to complete the TA preference form regardless if you intend to TA in the upcoming term.

Those who are eligible to TA must submit their course preferences and accept the Confidentiality Agreements at the end.
If you know that you will be inactive, part-time, on coop/internship, off-campus, or if you plan to complete your degree and not register next term, indicate your status in your profile so we know not to assign you a TA unit.
If you are unsure about your status for next term but want to TA as a backup, please indicate it somewhere on the form.

Graduate students who do not complete the form before the termly deadline will be automatically assumed to decline their TA units (which will affect your TA funding).

TA'ing for Winter 2025

To have your preferences fully considered for a Winter 2025 TA/IA position, this form must be submitted by ~~Friday, October 11, 2024~~ Tuesday, October 15, 2024.

The above deadline does not apply to new students, MDSAI students, or non-CS graduate students. Students who are not entitled to TA units may complete the form but assignments are not guaranteed. These students will only be contacted if they are offered/assigned a TA position.

Graduate students are expected to be on campus from January 6 to April 26 to fulfill any required TA duties. If you are unavailable to TA for the entire term then please make note accordingly in your response.

Questions?

If you have any questions related to this form, please first consult the TA preference form FAQ, the TA assignment FAQ, and/or the IA FAQ.

If you run into technical issues issues or have further questions about the assignment process, contact the CS TA Assignment Team.

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TA preference form FAQ

Why do I need to complete the TA preference form (again)?

By completing the TA Preference Form, our team will better understand your background, experience, skills, and preference for tasks, which we are able to consider when assigning you a course.

Your responses for some questions may be saved and preloaded for you the next time you complete the form, but you need to resubmit every term since your eligibility and preference might change term by term.

Additionally, some courses are only offered in certain terms.

What should I do if I will be off-campus for a certain period of time next term?

You are expected to be available to TA from the first day of class until the last day of the term (inclusive). For this reason, you cannot make travel plans for a holiday if your TA duties haven’t been completed yet.

For a legitimate absence greater than two days (e.g., conferences) or an absence that occurs during a course duties that you are required to attend to, then you must inform your instructor/ISC immediately. You may likely need to find a suitable replacement for those days.

What if I'm unsure about my availability next term?

In cases where you are unsure about your status (e.g. waiting for results for an internship), you should still complete the TA preference form and note the situation approrpriately. Once you hear that you have been accepted into a coop placement or your internship, then please notify the CS Graduate Office and the CS TA Assignment Team to keep us up to date.

Can I still be a TA if I am not eligible for a TA unit?

Non-eligible students are not guaranteed TA units, but may be offered TA units if there happen to be vacant positions available.

For this reason, non-eligible students are welcome to complete the TA/IA preference form and if there is a need, then the forms will be reviewed. If you do not submit the form, then you will not be assigned a TA unit in any case.

How many TA units can I expect?

Usually, Master's students do 1 double TA during their program timeline and PhD students usually do 1 double unit a year. This may be subject to change based on an individual student's situation.

How can I be considered for an IA position?

Our Instructional Support Coordinators (ISCs) will make the final decision when assigning IA positions for their courses.

As of Spring 2024, the TA preference form now allows eligible students to express their preferred courses and even show preference for IA positions. To be considered for an IA position at all, complete the Course preferences section of the form by choosing courses with [IA] in the title. This is the first filter that allows for ISCs to determine who is interested in becoming an IA.

To improve your chances of receiving a position, show interest in some of the IA-specific duties (face-to-face consulting, course development, conducting tutorials, etc.). Be sure to highlight any previous teaching/TA experience on the form, especially if you have supported the course previously. IAs will be selected relative to your ranking and the skills and experiences you specified in the form.