TA APPLICATION

If you have specific questions regarding the application before you submit it, please contact lucinda.cole@utah.edu

ECE Department TA Qualifications

1. Apply by posted deadlines:

These dates are approximate and may change slightly from year to year if the day falls on a weekend. Very few courses are offered during the summer and only a very limited amount of TAs are required.

Term	Application Opens	Priority Deadline	Application Closes	Offers made
Fall	April 11th	April 21st	May 2nd	May 16th
Spring	Oct 1st	Oct 22nd	Dec 1st	Dec 1st
Summer	March 1st	March 10th	March 10th	March 24th

Please do not contact the department about your application and available positions until the deadlines posted.
Please submit your completed application within the posted time frame. Under no circumstances will incomplete or late applications be considered.

2. Completion of, or current enrollment, in the appropriate TA Training course:

Course	CR	Intended For
ECE 5051 TA Training	1.0	Undergrad
ECE 6051 TA Training	1.0	Master’s
ECE 7951 Teaching Engineering	2.0	PhD

International students must meet the minimum spoken English proficiency requirements before being enrolled in TA training (TOEFL speaking 25+ or IELTS speaking 7.0+)

ECE TA Training Courses

These courses will vet TA candidates and prepare them by discussing topics such as the following:

– Lab Bench Standards
– Grading
– Designing Homework Assignments
– Managing Difficult Classroom Situations
– Policy for Returning Homework, Lab Books, and Exams
– University guidelines regarding sexual misconduct and academic accommodations for students with disabilities

3. Completion of the International Teaching Assistant Program (ITAP)

This requirement is only for international students. To register for upcoming sessions, please contact the Graduate Student Coordinator

4. Read over and agree to information on TA Expectations tab

5. Completion of instructions in Hiring Process tab

Priority

Teaching and research assistantships are a valuable opportunity, but positions are extremely limited and dependent on faculty needs. The department typically prioritizes applicants for hire in this order:

Most Likely	ECE PhD students nominated by ECE faculty
Likely	Current EE or CE undergraduate students
Unlikely	ECE Master’s students who earned their BS degree FROM the University of Utah ECE Dept.
Very Unlikely	ECE Master’s students who earned their BS degree OUTSIDE OF the University of Utah ECE Dept.
Will not be hired	Non-ECE applicants Applicants who do not meet the application qualification criteria

Please note: While priority is given to applicants in the order listed above, successful placement also depends on performance in the TA training course and faculty preferences.

We strongly advise Master’s students against relying on an assistantship to cover graduate program expenses. Students are also welcome to apply to other department’s to serve as TA’s either full-time or to have split appointments between departments to get up to the 20 hr/week requirement to qualify for tuition benefits.

Department TA Expectations

Punctuality

TA’s are expected to arrive on time and be present for the duration of any labs to which they are assigned, as well as to their office hours.
Full-time class teaching assistants must hold at least 2 hours of office hours per week. Office hours must be held in person between 8 am and 4:30 pm. TA’s are required to notify the department of their office hours and location, and to have the instructor post them for students

Performance

During the labs / office hours, they should actively ask students if they have any questions, taking care to take turns checking in with each student in attendance.
TA’s should grade assignments within one week of them being submitted by students, unless told otherwise by the instructor

Professionalism

TA’s that are unable to make it to their assigned commitments (lecture, lab hours, office hours, etc.) due to illness or other extenuating circumstances should contact their instructor immediately and, if possible, see if another TA can cover their commitments for them.

Consequences

TA’s who miss several assigned commitments without proper notice to the instructor or fail to complete assigned tasks properly after multiple warnings may face:
- a formal reprimand from the department
- a payroll deduction
- a recommendation to NOT be rehired
- immediate termination with loss of pay and benefits

If you are assigned a position:

Payroll Instructions and Questions

1. Payroll forms must be completed before the semester begins. A delay in completing these forms may result in a delay in your first paycheck. Please review the list of required documents to complete the employment verification (I-9)

– Graduate students should contact the graduate coordinator for a checklist of the forms.
– Undergraduate students should contact Bob Knudsen, the payroll reporter directly.

2. As soon as you schedule and reserve a room, you must give LuCinda Cole office hours for student consultation. You are required to be available for 2 hours per week during office hours to help students. Visit the Conference Room Calendar to reserve a room and see availability.