Undergraduate Teaching Assistants

1. General Guidelines

The use of undergraduate teaching assistants (UG TAs) provides training and experience that are of great benefit to undergraduate students’ education. However, the responsibilities of being a UG TA should not, in any way, divert students from their academic studies.

2. The Qualifications of UG TAs

UG TAs fill divergent roles in the Faculty’s plans. These may include laboratory instruction, assisting instructors in logistical tasks with course preparation, managing seminar or tutorial portions of courses, specified limited marking, or performing designated special functions for the faculty in that unit.

Regardless of their functions, all UG TAs should meet these qualifications and conditions:

  • A standing of at least “good” in their plan with no incomplete grades.
  • At least third year level with appropriate experience in the course or function to which the teaching assistantship is allocated.
  • Teaching assistants should also be at a level in advance of the students in the class. UG TAs must not grade work of their course mates or where they have a conflict of interest (e.g., a partner in a relationship). TAs must declare any conflicts of interest to the instructor who will be responsible for making alternative arrangements.
  • An UG TA should have only one TA per term.
  • Normally no undergraduate should be employed as a TA for a fourth-year course.

3. Duties and Reimbursement

  • There should be no salary differentiation for undergraduate TAs from different plans. Each TA is appointed to perform a designated, specific set of functions or duties. There should be no differential compensation based on the amount of experience.
  • The UG TA’s normal amount of work should be 5 hours per week (excepting reading week) for one term. Each UG TA must keep a record of time spent per week carrying out TA duties. This record must be reviewed with the course instructor by the end of the 6th week of term. In cases where work load varies from 5 hours per week, the TA and the instructor should agree on a revised work plan.
  • The chair/director is responsible for making sure that instructors adhere to the policy regarding maximum work hours/week.
  • UG TA job descriptions should clearly state primary teaching functions and tasks.
  • Normally UG TAs could be expected to assist in grading lab assignments, multiple choice questions, short answers, and other short, objective assignments.
  • UG TAs should not be expected to prepare lab assignments, multiple choice questions or tests.
  • The course instructor must provide TAs with grading instructions and answer sheets. Instructors are also responsible for monitoring the grading of multiple TAs to ensure that their grading and marking are uniform and consistent.
  • Normally an UG TA will not mark a final examination unless the examination is multiple-choice questions or short answers.
  • An UG TA should inform the instructors immediately if he/she considers he/she have been asked to carry out more than the equivalent of 5 hours per week or to perform duties that contravene or are not listed in the specifications in this section. It is the instructor’s responsibility to resolve the issue. If the TA does not feel comfortable in approaching the instructor, or has not been able to resolve these issues, he/she should take the concerns to the Chair or Director.
  • If an UG TA believes that a student in the course has committed an academic offence (see University of Waterloo Policy No. 71) he/she should inform the instructor immediately. It is the instructor’s responsibility to investigate and resolve the issue according to UWaterloo policy.
  • All UG TAs should undergo a training session run by the Faculty.
  • The course instructor has responsibilities to the UG TA:
    • Not to violate any sections of this policy;
    • To provide answers to assignments set;
    • To provide a written marking scheme or guidelines for the assignments;
    • To meet regularly with UG TAs to discuss issues of the course and issues raised by the UG TAs;
    • Not to use UG TAs to lecture in the course if the instructor is not available.
  • If a student in a course is experiencing problems with the UG TA, he/she should first inform the instructor. If acceptable remedial action is not taken by the next class meeting, the student should inform the chair/director of the situation and the chair or director must resolve the situation according to policy. Students with grievances or problems should be fully informed of their rights of appeal under UWaterloo Policy 70.

Last updated in December 2014