Appendix K

INTERIM CODE OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES GOVERNING RELATIONS BETWEEN FACULTY MEMBERS AND TEACHING OR RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
(ADOPTED 11/12/90, REVISED 12/10/00)

GENERAL STATEMENT

Teaching and Research Assistantships must be considered first, part of the professional training of a graduate student, and second, a source of livelihood. As part of their professional training in preparation for a career in teaching, Teaching Assistants (TAs) and Graduate Teaching Fellows (GTFs) learn basic anthropological materials in a pedagogical context, learn how to teach, and how to deal with large numbers of students. Similarly, Research Assistants (RAs) learn about research through participation in faculty projects.

Assistants are junior professionals and apprentice colleagues, as well as employees. At the same time an assistantship is a job, hence, the assistant is expected to complete the work in a professional, responsible, and timely manner. Both parties share an obligation to strive to make an exemplary contribution in teaching a class or carrying out research and to form and maintain collegial relationships.

Relations between faculty members and their assistants should be governed by the Principles of Professional Responsibility formulated by the American Anthropological Association, which states: "Anthropologists should be candid, fair, and non-exploitative in their dealings with trainees and students...."

I. GUIDELINES FOR TA AND FACULTY/INSTRUCTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Primary TA responsibilities: As part of his or her professional training, a teaching assistant may be assigned duties such as the following (taking the example of a TA for a large class):
1. Attend all course lectures and read the materials used. These duties are integral to a TA's ability to mentor students in the class. They also expose the TA to a) different styles of teaching, b) methods for clearly conveying material and c) a variety of texts and other materials generally used in anthropology courses.
2. Prepare for and lead three recitation sections of 20-25 students at regularly scheduled times. These sections are to be devoted primarily to discussion or exercises based on material presented in lectures, readings or films. Their main purpose should not be presentation of new material. (Suggested preparation time should not exceed 2-3 hours per week).
3. Help the instructor prepare exams. By assisting in constructing tests the TA learns testing procedures in general and how to distinguish between good and bad questions in particular.
4. Grade assignments and exams. For essay and short answer exams, the professor should review with the TA how to grade the exams (e.g., criteria for good answers). The grading of essay exams gives the TA experience with making analytical judgements about the materials.
5. TAs should hold "electronic" office hours supplemented by scheduled appointments for students who need more one-on-one help.
6. Keep records of grades and attendance, if attendance is taken.
7. Assist with mechanical activities such as setting up of microphones, laptops, and showing films or videos.

Faculty/Instructor responsibilities:

1. The faculty member to whom a TA is assigned will serve as his or her primary supervisor. The Graduate Teaching Coordinator (GTC) and Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) will serve as backup supervisors and/or trouble-shooters.
2. Faculty should meet regularly with their TAs to discuss content issues and grading as well as to get feedback from the TAs (including assessments of workload expectations).
3. Faculty should avoid last minute/short notice requests or assignments to their TAs.
4. Faculty should keep RA-type duties (e.g., copying, trips to the library) to a minimum, especially if recitation sections meet weekly and/or TA grading responsibilities are heavy.

The above is illustrative and typical but not exhaustive or definitive. Duties will vary with course and situation. TAs and faculty should expect duties to average 15 hours per week (this should be the norm; some weeks may be a bit less others a bit more). If a TA's duties significantly exceed (or fall short of) the expected time commitment, then assignments should be adjusted by mutual agreement between the TA and faculty member.

II. EVALUATION OF TA PERFORMANCE

Evaluation of TA performance is primarily intended as an aid to the student's professional development. The evaluation process will provide feedback to the TA about areas of strength and weakness and may also provide materials for a teaching portfolio that can be used when the student enters the job market. Evaluations consist of one obligatory and one optional component:
1. (Obligatory) Standardized course evaluations filled out at the end of the semester by students in the recitation sections for which the TA is responsible.
2. (Optional) If a TA requests one or an instructor or the chair of the department feels it is appropriate, a classroom observation may be performed by a faculty member. Normally, the observation will be performed by the instructor to whom the TA is assigned. If circumstances warrant, however, the TA or the instructor may request that the GTC conduct the classroom evaluation. In cases where the instructor for the class is a graduate student, the GTC will make the classroom observation. The observer will meet with the TA to discuss his/her observations and provide constructive suggestions. The observer will prepare a brief report for the student's file including an evaluation of whether the TA's performance is "satisfactory" or "needs work". A TA, whose performance is rated "needs work", will be advised to attend CTL workshops and/or individual training sessions and document her/his participation in one or more such sessions in a brief report to the GTC and instructor of the class (a copy should be provided for the student's file as well). Failure to follow through will affect future consideration for TA and GTF positions.

III. RA RESPONSIBILITIES

RA duties may be highly variable (e.g., data analyses, date entry, library research, computer or internet related tasks, collecting materials for course development) depending on the nature of the faculty project to which the RA is assigned. To the extent possible an RA's duties should provide professional training for the student as well as facilitating the faculty member's research. RA duties should not exceed the stipulated number of hours (normally 15 hours/week), should generally be performed during the normal academic work week, should not be assigned at the last minute and should not include personal services for the faculty member.

IV. LIMITATIONS ON TA AND RA RESPONSIBILITIES

The TA is responsible for working the total number of hours assigned by the department for that semester. The work should be confined to the period beginning with the first day of the semester and ending with the end of exam period or the turning in of final grades. Within this period, the distribution of work will vary with course or project. However, so far as possible this distribution should be worked out between faculty member and assistant early in the semester. For a course, this means that a syllabus clearly stating assignments is distributed early (see Provost's Memorandum, Item 7, Appendix below), which should permit planning for heavy grading periods. Assistants are pre-professionals and not simply 9-to-5 workers; hence scheduling of work must follow demands of their assigned course or project, rather than a fixed schedule. However, in the spirit of mutual consideration by faculty and students, the following will be observed:
1. To the extent possible, assistantship duties and assignments should be performed during the normal hours of the university, at times other than holidays or weekends. Exceptions are a matter of mutual negotiation, with awareness that both faculty and graduate students have demanding schedules, and that heavy grading periods and deadlines may require flexible hours.
2. It has been tradition within the department to excuse students from assistantship duties during periods of serious illness or other personal or family emergencies or crises. This type of courtesy is part of the collegial nature of relations in this department.
3. Assistants will, in so far as possible, advise the professor well in advance of conflicting responsibilities (e.g., Ph.D. exams, participation in professional meetings, personal or family illness) in order to facilitate flexible scheduling and effective utilization of hours. If an assistant needs to be excused from attending a lecture or leading a discussion session, he/she should request permission. Assistants should not expect/request time off for their normal course work or for vacations.
4. Faculty supervisors are reminded that they have to conform to University rules distinguishing Research Assistantships from Teaching Assistantships. TA duties are, however, not necessarily confined to a particular course. For example, a TA assigned to a given instructor may be asked to help prepare a syllabus or course
pack for a course to be given by that instructor in the next semester provided such work does not interfere with the TA's completion of duties for the current course and does not require work in excess of the number of hours assigned.
5. The faculty member and assistant will treat each other in a professional, courteous, and fair manner, remembering that faculty generally have more authority and students are more vulnerable.

V. RESOLUTION OF TA OR RA PROBLEMS

Whenever possible, the assistant and the professor or instructor should first make every attempt to resolve conflicts between themselves. If the student or faculty member has problems or issues that she/he is not comfortable raising with the other party, he/she may confer with the GTC or DGS, who can offer advice and/or informally intercede. Where either party believes that such measure have not resolved the problems, the following steps should be followed for redress:
1. Both meet with the GTC. If the GTC is a party to the grievance, the chair will appoint an alternate in his/her place. Either of the aggrieved parties can initiate an informal mediation procedure with the GTC by contacting him/her. Both parties may meet individually with the GTC before meeting collectively. After this mediation stage is completed, the GTC will write a short, informal summary of the proceedings including the agreement reached or the issues still in dispute.
2. If the parties cannot come to an agreement with the help of the GTC, either has the option of taking the dispute to a departmental grievance committee. This committee shall consist of a faculty member acting as the chair, as well as two other faculty members selected by the departmental chair, in consultation with the GTC. In addition, two graduate students elected by the anthropology graduate student body shall serve on the committee in instances involving a dispute between a faculty member and a TA.
3. The parties involved shall prepare written statements of their positions prior to the meeting of the grievance committee. The grievance committee serves a mediation function, attempting to facilitate an agreement between the two parties.
4. If no agreement can be reached between the two parties, then the grievance committee shall prepare a written recommendation. This recommendation will be referred to the Department chair and the Director of Graduate Studies to aid them in implementing an appropriate course of action.
5. The assistant has the option of appealing to an ad hoc faculty-student committee established by the Dean of the Graduate School, as described in Appendix C, The Faculty Code of the University Government, July 1999; the faculty member also has the option of contacting the committee.

VI. GUIDELINES FOR GTF RESPONSIBILITIES

To qualify for appointment as a GTF (Graduate Teaching Fellow), a student must have completed his/her fourth semester paper and passed Anthropology 317 (Teaching Anthropology) or demonstrate that she/he has experience comparable to that gained in 317.

GTFs have primary responsibility for a course, including planning the course, preparing the syllabus, presenting lectures and keeping records. In some instances, senior graduate students teaching large courses may have TAs. In such cases, the guidelines for TAs/Instructors outlined above apply to the relationship between the GTF and his/her TAs.

When a GTF is preparing to teach a course for the first time, she/he must select a faculty mentor. This person should be either the GTC (Graduate Teaching Coordinator) or a faculty member experienced in teaching that course. The student should
1. Notify the GTC as to his/her choice of a mentor.
2. Meet with her/his mentor well in advance of the course to discuss matters such as textbooks, course syllabus and format, and teaching strategies specific to the material.
3. Meet with his/her mentor shortly before the semester begins so that the mentor can review the course syllabus, provide feedback, or recommend changes.

VII. EVALUATION OF GTFs

Evaluation of GTF performance is primarily intended as an aid to the student's professional development. The evaluation process will provide feedback to the GTF about areas of strength and weakness and will also provide materials for a teaching portfolio that can be used when the student enters the job market. Evaluations consist of one obligatory and one optional component:
1. (Obligatory) Standardized student course evaluations filled out at the end of the semester. (A more informal mid-term student questionnaire is strongly recommended but not required.)
2. (Optional) If a GTF requests or the GTC or chair of the department feels it is appropriate, a classroom observation may be performed. This observation will be performed by either the student's chosen mentor or by the GTC. The observer will meet with the GTF to discuss his/her observations, go over the report, and provide constructive suggestions. The observer will prepare a brief report for the student's file including an evaluation of whether the GTF's performance is "satisfactory" or "needs work". A GTF, whose performance is rated "needs work", will be advised to attend CTL workshops and/or individual training sessions and document her/his participation in one or more such sessions in a brief report to the GTC (a copy should be provided for the student's file as well). Failure to follow through will affect future consideration for TA and GTF positions.

In addition, GTFs are strongly encouraged to seek additional feedback at other times during the semester by means such as:
1. Availing themselves of CTL services, especially videotaping and professional feedback
2. Inviting peer graduate students or the faculty to observe additional classes (beyond those required)

IX. SELECTION OF GRADUATE ASSISTANTS

For the purposes of awarding assistantships, faculty members rank those students with whom they have had recent (within the last two years) interaction in a course, as an advisee, a committee member, an RA or a TA. Rankings are based on a combination of academic achievement and satisfactory performance as a TA (substantive efforts to improve are taken into account). The combined faculty rankings are used in making funding decisions. Because academic achievement is (or should be) affected by experience, students are divided into groups (incoming or first year, second year, third year, four year plus), and awards are made based on ranking within the groups. When funds are short, first, second and third year students are given priority over senior graduate students, who have had four or more years of funding. One assumption is that senior graduate students have more opportunities for external funding,

APPENDIX

Faculty members and teaching assistants share an obligation to fulfill all university regulations and codes, and should note especially the following, which bear on their duties, schedules and responsibilities. Refer, for example, to Provost O'Connor's memorandum of 4 September, 1990, and note especially:
1. Presence during final exams: Members of the instructional staff (including faculty) are to be personally present for final examinations and remain in residence until grades are submitted in the courses for which they are responsible.
2. Records for courses must be kept for at least 2 years after completed. Teaching assistants share responsibility for keeping course records, e.g. in the event of a grade appeal.
3. Syllabus: Students expect to receive a written syllabus for each of their courses at the beginning of the semester, which defines course requirements, dates of examinations, and information specific to the course. Each member of the instructional staff is urged to prepare such a syllabus for their courses at whatever level of undergraduate or graduate work.
4. Course grades are to be submitted to the Registrar's office within 72 hours of the completion of an exam. All instructors are urged to respect this deadline, and department chairs are expected to ensure its observation. Tardiness imposes undeserved stress on students, and generates significant administrative problems, especially for students planning to graduate.