Academic Student Employee Teaching Titles: Definitions, Responsibilities, Criteria for Appointment

Teaching Assistant
Teaching Associate
Reader
Tutor
Exceptions to Policies Affecting Appointment Eligibility

NOTE: UCI Academic Student Employees (ASEs) appointed as Teaching Assistants, Teaching Associates (Associates In), Teaching Fellows, Readers, and Tutors are covered by a collective bargaining agreement between the Regents of the University of California and the Student Workers Union, International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) AFL-CIO. The entire agreement is currently available via UC Irvine Contract.

Academic Titles

The academic student employee titles related to instruction currently used at UCI are Teaching Assistant, Teaching Associate (Associate In), Reader, and Tutor. There is no automatic progression from one title to another. Classification is determined by assigned duties.

a) Teaching Assistant
	Definition: An academically qualified and registered graduate student in full-time residence chosen for excellent scholarship and for promise as a teacher, who is assigned to assist in the delivery of instruction under the active tutelage and supervision of a faculty member. The majority of graduate students who perform instructional functions are assigned to the Teaching Assistant title.
	Responsibilities: Assist the supervising faculty member by conducting discussion, laboratory, or quiz sections that supplement faculty lectures; and by grading assignments or examinations. Teaching Assistants may provide input into the development of assignments or exams, and hold office hours. No prior teaching experience is required for appointment. The final responsibility for the content of the course rests with the supervising faculty member. A Teaching Assistant is not independently responsible for the instructional content of a course, selection of assignments, planning, examinations, determination of student grades or decisions on grade appeals; and is not assigned full instructional responsibility for an entire course.
	Criteria for Appointment: For appointment as a Teaching Assistant, graduate students must be enrolled in a full-time program of study and making satisfactory academic progress. University policy establishes a maximum limitation of 50% time (220 hours of assigned workload) per quarter for graduate student employment. No student is permitted to begin an appointment who has not met all of the applicable academic criteria as listed below. For new and continuing graduate students:
	1)	Enrollment in at least 12 units during the current quarter (i.e., the academic quarter in which the teaching appointment occurs).
	2)	Combined campus-wide employment of 50 percent time (220 hours of assigned workload) or less during any academic quarter.
	For continuing graduate students:
	3)	During each of the three most recent quarters of enrollment: Completion of 8 units or more of upper division or graduate level credit courses. A letter grade of C, S, or above in all courses completed. No more than two incomplete (I) grades except where stricter school policies apply, as indicated below: In the School of Humanities, all incomplete (I) grades must be cleared prior to Fall quarter. In the Henry Samueli School of Engineering, all incomplete (I) grades must be cleared prior to Fall quarter. A cumulative GPA of 3.1 or higher in the courses where a letter grade (A through F) was received.
	4)	Graduate students who have not advanced to candidacy for the doctorate, may be appointed as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching Associate (Associate In) for a maximum of 12 quarters including the full period of the current or proposed appointment. Following advancement to candidacy, a doctoral student is allowed to be appointed to an additional 6 quarters for a total maximum of 18 appointment quarters. An allowable quarter is counted for any quarter in which the student is compensated, at any amount/rate or percent time.
	NOTE: International and permanent resident graduate students who are not citizens of countries where English is either the primary or dominant language as approved by the UCI Graduate Council, who wish to be considered for appointment as a Teaching Assistant, must pass either the Test of Spoken English (TSE), administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), or the UCI Campus SPEAK exam administered by the UCI Humanities Instructional Resources Center (HIRC). A minimum score of 50 on either test is required in order to be appointed. Graduate students are responsible for ensuring that the UCI Office of Graduate Studies is notified directly by ETS or HIRC of a passing score prior to beginning their appointment as a Teaching Assistant. There is no exception to this requirement. The Test of Spoken English is given twelve times per year at TOEFL test centers around the world. Information regarding the TSE may be obtained by contacting TOEFL/TSE Services, P.O. Box 6157, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6151 or via their website at: www.toefl.org. The SPEAK exam may be substituted for the TSE exam. A full discussion of English proficiency options is available on the OGS website at: www.rgs.uci.edu/grad/students/esl_tests.htm. Only citizens of the United States (regardless of country of origin) and citizens of countries where English is either the primary or dominant language as approved by the UCI Graduate Council, are exempt from the TSE/SPEAK Exam requirement. Non-U.S. citizens who are permanent residents or who hold other non-citizen status and are residing in the United States, who have completed their undergraduate education in the United States, or have attended American schools abroad are still required to pass either the TSE or the SPEAK examination. International and permanent resident graduate students whose native language is not English, who have completed all years of their high school education in the United States are eligible to request an exemption by submitting a request and official high school transcript to the Graduate Student Employment Analyst in the Office of Graduate Studies. No student is permitted to begin an appointment as a Teaching Assistant until the exemption has been approved in writing.
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b) Teaching Associate (Associate In)
	Definition: An academically qualified and registered graduate student in full-time residence employed temporarily to teach a lower-division course. On an exception basis, a graduate student, upon recommendation from the department head, may be assigned an upper-division course section with the written approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies and the UCI Academic Senate's Committee on Courses. Such approval must be obtained in writing prior to the student beginning their assignment/appointment.
	Responsibilities: Assist in the instruction of any lower-division course, or may be assigned to conduct the entire instruction of a lower-division course. All instructional activities of graduate student Teaching Associates are to be supervised by a faculty member. A Teaching Associate with extensive teaching experience may be presumed to require less direct supervision than a less experienced Teaching Associate. When the recommendation for the appointment is made, the Dean of Graduate Studies will require a specific indication of how the instructional activity of the appointee will be supervised. During the academic year, a Teaching Associate may not be assigned responsibility as the Instructor of Record.
	Criteria for Appointment: In addition to the criteria detailed previously for appointment as a Teaching Assistant, all of the following additional qualifications apply for appointment as a Teaching Associate:
	1)	A master's degree or equivalent training.
	2)	At least one year of teaching experience (such as that of a Teaching Assistant) within or outside of the University.
	To teach an upper division course, a Teaching Associate must meet the following additional requirements:
	1)	Advancement to candidacy for a Ph.D. degree.
	2)	Within normative time-to-degree.
	3)	In advance of the appointment, an exception approved in writing by the Dean of Graduate Studies and the UCI Academic Senate's Committee on Courses.
	NOTE: International and permanent resident graduate students who are not citizens of countries where English is either the primary or dominant language as approved by the UCI Graduate Council, who wish to be considered for appointment as a Teaching Associate (Associate In), must pass either the Test of Spoken English (TSE), administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), or the UCI Campus SPEAK exam administered by the UCI Humanities Instructional Resources Center (HIRC). A minimum score of 50 on either test is required in order to be appointed. Graduate students are responsible for ensuring that the UCI Office of Graduate Studies is notified directly by ETS or HIRC of a passing score prior to beginning their appointment as a Teaching Associate. There is no exception to this requirement. The Test of Spoken English is given twelve times per year at TOEFL test centers around the world. Information regarding the TSE may be obtained by contacting TOEFL/TSE Services, P.O. Box 6157, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6151 or via their website at: www.toefl.org. The SPEAK exam may be substituted for the TSE exam. A full discussion of English proficiency options is available on the OGS website at: www.rgs.uci.edu/grad/students/esl_tests.htm. Only citizens of the United States (regardless of country of origin) and citizens of countries where English is either the primary or dominant language as approved by the UCI Graduate Council, are exempt from the TSE/SPEAK Exam requirement. Non-U.S. citizens who are permanent residents or who hold other non-citizen status and are residing in the United States, who have completed their undergraduate education in the United States, or have attended American schools abroad are still required to pass either the TSE or the SPEAK examination. International and permanent resident graduate students whose native language is not English, who have completed all years of their high school education in the United States are eligible to request an exemption by submitting a request and official high school transcript to the Graduate Student Employment Analyst in the Office of Graduate Studies. No student is permitted to begin an appointment as a Teaching Associate until the exemption has been approved in writing.
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c) Reader
	Definition: An academically qualified and registered graduate student (or qualified undergraduate student may be employed when graduate students are not available) employed as a course assistant.
	Responsibilities: Generally includes the grading of homework, papers, laboratory reports, or examinations and the holding of office hours to respond to students' questions about such assignments. A Reader will not be given the responsibilities customarily assigned to Teaching Assistants.
	Criteria for Appointment (Applicable to graduate students): No student is permitted to begin an appointment who has not met all of the applicable academic criteria as listed below. For new and continuing graduate students:
	1)	Satisfactory academic progress toward the degree objective.
	2)	Enrollment in at least 12 units during the current quarter (i.e., the academic quarter in which the teaching appointment occurs) is generally expected. Part-time graduate students (enrolled in 8 units or less) may be appointed as Readers.
	3)	Combined campus-wide employment of 50 percent time (220 hours of assigned workload) or less during any academic quarter.
	4)	If appropriate, should have taken and received at least a letter grade of B in the course or equivalent for which the student is being recommended for appointment (per APM 420-10b).
	For continuing graduate students:
	5)	During each of the three most recent quarters of enrollment: Completion of 8 units or more of upper division or graduate level credit courses. A letter grade of C, S, or above in all courses completed. No more than two incomplete (I) grades except where stricter school policies apply, as indicated below: a) In the School of Humanities, all incomplete (I) grades must be cleared prior to Fall quarter. b) In the Henry Samueli School of Engineering, all incomplete (I) grades must be cleared prior to Fall quarter. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in those courses where a letter grade (A through F) was received.
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d) Tutor
	Definition: An academically qualified and registered graduate or undergraduate student who provides tutoring to individual (one-on-one) or small groups of students.
	Responsibilities: Facilitate independent learning and assist students in understanding course materials. While schools and departments occasionally use this title, the majority of Tutors at UCI are employed through the Learning and Academic Resource Center (LARC). A Tutor will not be given the responsibilities customarily assigned to Teaching Assistants.
	Criteria for Appointment (Applicable to graduate students): No student is permitted to begin an appointment who has not met all of the applicable academic criteria as listed below. For new and continuing graduate students:
	1)	Satisfactory academic progress toward the degree objective.
	2)	Enrollment in at least 12 units during the current quarter (i.e., the academic quarter in which the teaching appointment occurs) is generally expected. Part-time graduate students (enrolled in 8 units or less) may be appointed as Tutors.
	3)	Combined campus-wide employment of 50 percent time (220 hours of assigned workload) or less during any academic quarter.
	For continuing graduate students:
	4)	During each of the three most recent quarters of enrollment: Completion of 8 units or more of upper division or graduate level credit courses. A letter grade of C, S, or above in all courses completed. No more than two incomplete (I) grades except where stricter school policies apply, as indicated below: a) In the School of Humanities, all incomplete (I) grades must be cleared prior to Fall quarter. b) In the Henry Samueli School of Engineering, all incomplete (I) grades must be cleared prior to Fall quarter. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in those courses where a letter grade (A through F) was received.
	NOTE: For information regarding the appointment of qualified undergraduate students as Readers or Tutors, contact the Division of Undergraduate Education's Learning and Academic Resource Center (LARC), (949) 824-6451, or www.larc.uci.edu/ApplDesc.html.
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Exceptions to Policies Affecting Appointment Eligibility
Requests for any exceptions to academic and personnel policies affecting a student's appointment eligibility must be requested in advance by the department chair/head or advisor. The request must be submitted in writing and addressed to the Dean of Graduate Studies via the Graduate Student Employment Coordinator (120 Administration Building) for consideration/approval. A complete justification and provision of all relevant facts must be included. Always provide the graduate student's name and student ID number. Prior to being forwarded to the Graduate Student Employment Coordinator in the Office of Graduate Studies, exception requests generated from the Henry Samueli School of Engineering, the School of Humanities, the School of Social Ecology, or the School of Social Sciences must also be recommended (and signed) by the respective school's Associate Dean for Graduate Studies.