Graduate students have the option to be employed as an Assistant Instructor (AI).
Assistant Instructor is a non-faculty, academic position held by an eligible graduate student with the primary duties of teaching undergraduate classes and providing instruction under the supervision of a university faculty member.
Employment Conditions and Eligibility
Conditions for Student Employment
The Graduate School maintains a website with conditions of employment that should be provided to students and appointing staff.
Graduate programs may also stipulate additional eligibility requirements for students serving as AIs for specific courses, such as a degree in a particular field or pre-requisite coursework.
Examples of these requirements are as follows:
- Maintain acceptable course-instructor survey ratings;
- Proficiency in specific skills as identified by the supervising faculty member for the course assigned;
- Proficiency in the English language as demonstrated by a passing score on the International Teaching Assistant Exam (international AIs only); and
- Consent of faculty research/dissertation supervisor.
Job Description
The Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP 9-2010) stipulates the following eligibility requirements for graduate students serving as AIs:
- Good academic standing at the time of application and during the semester employed;
- A master’s degree or completion of 30 credit hours of graduate coursework;
- Completion of one semester as teaching assistant (TA);
- Completion of a teaching methods (398T) course.
Graduate programs may also stipulate additional eligibility requirements for students serving as AIs for specific courses, such as a degree in a particular field or pre-requisite coursework.
Examples of these requirements are as follows:
- Maintain acceptable course-instructor survey ratings;
- Proficiency in specific skills as identified by the supervising faculty member for the course assigned;
- Proficiency in the English language as demonstrated by a passing score on the International Teaching Assistant Exam (international AIs only); and
- Consent of faculty research/dissertation supervisor.
Time Management
AIs are typically appointed for 10-20 hours per week. Because AIs do not submit timesheets, there is no formal method for tracking actual hours worked. For this reason, expectations for time commitment and workload should be clearly established before the semester begins, with both the AI and the instructor in agreement.
AIs should not be asked to work more, on average, than their appointed weekly hours for a course. It is recommended that the supervising professor establish a regular weekly schedule at the start of the semester, allowing sufficient time for the duties outlined in the job description. A job description checklist may be helpful, including estimated weekly hours for each assigned task. Instructors may also choose to allocate fewer scheduled hours than the total appointment to allow flexibility for additional responsibilities that may arise throughout the semester.
AIs do not accrue vacation or sick leave. Therefore, the AI-supervisor agreement should clearly outline expectations for both planned and unplanned absences. The agreement should also address expectations for work during exam periods and academic breaks (excluding official university holidays), in accordance with school, college, or departmental policies.
Performance Expectations
While the job description sets the duties to be performed by an AI, the AI-supervisor agreement should also address performance standards for those duties.
Examples of performance expectations include:
- Follow instructions, meet deadlines and complete designated work.
- Cooperate with supervisors and treat students and co-workers respectfully.
- Be punctual (report to class, lab, discussion sections and meetings on time).
- Return student work in a timely fashion.
- Provide prior notification and alternate plans before absences, delays or inability to meet duties.
- Meet a reasonable, objective measure of efficiency and productivity.
- Follow accepted safety practices.
- Follow protocols and other established procedures.
Performance Assessments
AIs should be given feedback on their performance, both by the students and their supervisor. Mid-semester feedback is advisable in order to identify performance concerns early and provide opportunities for improvement. When problems are identified, performance improvement plans should be developed and agreed upon by the AI and supervisor. The frequency and form of performance assessments should be specified in the AI-supervisor agreement.
Students generally evaluate AIs through the Course-Instructor Survey, but programs may choose to use additional performance assessment tools. There are several methods that can be used by the supervisor to report AI assessments to the department or program, including submission of a letter, Qualtrics survey or Docusign survey. The results of the assessment should be communicated to the AI within a specified timeline outlined in the agreement. When appropriate and relevant, the assessment can be used as a means to recommend AIs for reward and advancement opportunities.
Grievance and Dispute Resolution Processes
AIs should be informed of dispute resolution and grievance processes when problems arise. The Graduate School provides a summary of grievance procedures for graduate students. Some schools, colleges, departments, and programs have additional grievance procedures and guidance for dispute resolution. These policies and procedures should be made clear to the AI and the supervisor through the AI-supervisor agreements.
If the AI’s grievance is specifically related to employment, the procedure is outlined in HOP 9-2050.
Student Employment Separations
Human Resources provides guidelines for student employment separations when performance problems cannot be resolved. Information on grounds for dismissal should be included in AI-supervisor agreements so that both parties are aware of the policies and procedures.
Hiring Resources
Many graduate students serving as AIs received a commitment of employment through a letter of financial support when they were admitted to the graduate program. These letters generally establish the eligibility and conditions of employment for these students. In other cases, programs may wish to provide an offer letter to the student employee.
Be a degree seeking graduate student without existing admissions conditions imposed by the senior vice provost and dean of the Graduate School.
Be in good academic standing and making satisfactory progress toward a graduate degree.
Hold a master’s degree to have completed a minimum of 30 hours of graduate coursework. Have satisfactorily completed one term of a course in teaching methods (398T).
Have completed at least one term of service as a teaching assistant or completed at least one year of teaching in an accredited college or school.
Work Agreements
When creating Assistant Instructor (AI)-supervisor agreements there are several topics that both the student and the supervising faculty member should be made aware of, discuss and/or agree upon.
While some of the employment onboarding may be managed by a graduate coordinator, program administrator or department business officer, the supervising faculty member should still be aware of university rules surrounding student eligibility and conditions of employment. The details of the job description, time management, performance expectations and assessments and grievance processes should be discussed and agreed upon by the student and supervisor. Signatures from both parties should be obtained and retained by the department or graduate program.