Environment 1 (EV1), room 347
519-888-4567, ext. 33463
As a Teaching Assistant (TA), you are an important and integral part of teaching and learning in the Faculty of Environment.
TAs support our faculty to improve the quality of our teaching and generate an enriched learning experience for our undergraduate and graduate students. The teaching assistantship is also an opportunity to develop skills that will support your subsequent academic and professional careers.
Please review our University's policies, guidelines and procedures. Policy 30: Employment of Graduate Student Teaching Assistants applies to currently-registered graduate students in any graduate program offered by the university, doing work which forms a normal part of a teaching assistant (TA) assignment in any program leading to a degree or diploma offered by the university.
In the Faculty of Environment, teaching assistantships are offered to research graduate students as part of their funding package. The number of teaching assistantships to which a student is entitled is detailed in their offer of admission.
Each term, the Faculty and your department/school assigns TAs to courses on the basis of their background and skillsets. In the term prior to your teaching assistantship, your department/school will ask you for information on your teaching-related skills and/or the undergraduate courses in which you could serve as a TA.
After collecting this information, TAs are matched to courses based on their skillset and the subject material in the course as best as possible. You will be notified of your TA assignment near the beginning of the term.
A normal full TA assignment constitutes 160 hours of work in a term or an average of 10 hours per week, although your hours worked may vary from week to week. A ½ TA assignment comprises 80 hours per term or an average of 5 hours per week. Other TA assignments, comprising different hours, may occasionally be assigned.
At the start of term, you should consult with the instructor of the course to which you are assigned as a TA.
With the instructor, you are expected to complete a Time Allocation Form and return it to your departmental Graduate Program Administrator.
The following questions may provide a framework for your discussion with the course instructor:
TAs are paid on a monthly basis in accordance with the University of Waterloo's rates for Graduate Teaching Assistantships.
Payments are made by direct deposit to your bank account, in monthly instalments on the last Friday of each month.
Graduate Teaching Assistantships are considered employment income and are subject to statutory deductions for income tax, Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions and Employment Insurance (EI) premiums.
In addition to the monthly payment, students in the Faculty of Environment who hold a TA as part of their funding package also receive a Graduate Experience Award (GEA) for the term in which they are a TA. The GEA is paid to your Quest account and is not subject to deductions.
For Spring 2021, Fall 2021 and Winter 2022, the Faculty of Environment GEA is worth $1250.00 (Full TA) / $625.00 (Half TA).
The TA Handbook is a comprehensive resource from the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE). It is also available as a pdf.
Please read the Handbook before you start your TA assignment and refer to it throughout your time as a TA.
Further links:
Start by watching the Faculty of Environment TA Orientation video.
Then complete the TA Training Quiz.
As UWaterloo employees, TAs are required to complete the following online training components:
Asynchronous online TA Training modules are provided by the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE).
Each module takes about 2 hours to complete.
The CTE provides extensive further support for TAs through certificate programs, workshops, one-on-one consultations about teaching and teaching dossiers, and teaching observation.
CTE’s Fundamentals of University Teaching program supports Waterloo graduate students in their development as university Teaching Assistants. It is open to graduate students at the University of Waterloo at no cost.
The CTE also offer the Certificate in University Teaching. This is an opportunity for PhD students who have completed the Fundamentals of University Teaching program to deepen their knowledge of teaching in higher education and become more reflective instructors.
Depending on the structure of the course, TAs can be asked to undertake a variety of duties, including: running lab or tutorial sections, providing extra help hours, marking lab/tutorial assignments, entering the grades on QUEST, marking exams, attending lectures, or assisting with the proctoring of tests or exams.
TAs must not be asked to write lab assignments or exams, prepare lectures, proctor final exams on their own, or submit final grades.
In addition to supporting student learning, TAs also fill two important roles: ambassador for the institution, faculty, department and program; and front-line observer.
Below are details about these roles and the basic standards the Faculty of Environment holds for TAs.
Each TA is expected to promote and support a culture that includes the following:
For more information about these concepts, visit Policy 33: Ethical behaviour and the Office of Conflict Management & Human Rights Guidelines for Teaching Assistants.
TAs are expected to act as role models of academic integrity. As a front-line observer, any teaching assistant who has reason to believe that an academic offence has been committed must report it to both the course instructor and the appropriate associate dean. TAs are not expected to investigate or adjudicate academic offences.
The resources listed below are a good starting point for TAs looking for more information about academic integrity.
As UWaterloo employees, TAs are responsible for the security and confidentiality of any student information they may obtain while serving as a TA. Policy 46 defines student information as information related to a student’s academic record, including biographical and personal information, digitized student identification photographs, whether in hard copy, electronic or some other form.
For more information about these concepts, visit Policy 46: Information Management.
TAs are expected to both model the behaviours and support the values that promote a safe work environment. TAs are considered “workers” under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Policy 34 outlines the rights and responsibilities of UWaterloo’s workers and supervisors in protecting the health and safety of both themselves and other members of the UWaterloo community.
While the Faculty of Environment does not have a formal process for evaluating TA performance, you are encouraged to seek feedback from the instructor of your course. You may ask for feedback both throughout and at the end of the term to support your personal and professional development. You may also reach out to instructors for formal written feedback in case that is useful to you for your future job prospects. Some departments may ask instructors to provide them with informal feedback on TA at the end of the course, for the purpose of nominating them for awards and/or matching skills with appropriate courses going forward.
When the course instructor is also your Advisor
This situation has the advantage that you are familiar with your Advisor's style and with the course material. As well, you are likely accustomed to working together and your Advisor is likely to be flexible regarding work arrangements because she/he has a vested interest in your performance as a graduate student.
On the other hand, there are disadvantages. If your Instructor/ Advisor asks you to perform extra duties or gives you short notice about 'special' tasks that he/she would 'appreciate' you performing, it is very hard to say no. When the instructor is your Advisor your job can be inappropriately combined with your academic apprenticeship. If such problems arise, and you find it difficult to discuss this directly with the Instructor/ Advisor, please consult with your department’s Graduate Officer.
Conflicts surrounding TA duties
Please discuss with the instructor any academic obligations that you have that might interfere with your TA duties.
If your TA duties require substantially more than 10 hours/week or involve activities that are outside the scope of responsibilities that were discussed at the beginning of the course, talk with the instructor.
If you are still not satisfied, discuss the issue with your department’s Graduate Officer. If the Graduate Officer cannot resolve the problem, then the Department Chair should be consulted. Generally, such problems are resolved in an informal way but if a problem remains unresolved, a formal dispute resolution can be undertaken. Procedures for formal dispute resolution and appeals are available from the Administrator, Graduate Studies: sholdom@uwaterloo.ca
If you have questions or comments about the content of this page, please contact the Associate Dean, Graduate Studies: Peter Deadman
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is centralized within our Office of Indigenous Relations.