The basic responsibilities of all assistants will be defined in a Letter of Offer, an employment contract that each assistant signs and returns. The Letter of Offer specifies responsibilities of both the assistant and the hiring unit, including the contractual period, appointment percentage and hours of work required.
The practical responsibilities of any Teaching, Research or Project Assistant can vary significantly between programs, and even between assistants within the same program. For example, in some programs, a Teaching Assistant might manage online discussion sections; in another, a Teaching Assistant might teach their own section of an in-person class. The Letter of Offer is a general document that does not define every responsibility that an assistant will assume, and assistants are responsible for routine parts of their employment, such as regular required meetings specified by the supervisor.
Teaching Assistants are further responsible for basic professional conduct, such as timeliness, prompt responses to communication from students and supervisors, and appropriate dress. Many of these matters are covered by the UWM Code of Conduct, which all assistants are expected to uphold. The Code of Conduct consists of two sections. The first defines behavioral expectations and standards. The second addresses the UWM Respectful Campus Standards that prohibit all forms of bullying. The Code of Conduct is codified as policy SAAP 7-3.
Previous Topic
Next Topic