Handbook of Operating Procedures 9-2040

Academic Assistants, Assistants and Tutors

Effective February 25, 2013
Executive Sponsor: Executive Vice President and Provost
Policy Owner: Associate Vice President Provost Office

 

1. Policy Statement

It is the policy of The University of Texas at Austin ("University") that individuals appointed as academic assistants, assistants or tutors at the University abide by the policies stated below.
 

2. Reason for Policy

To provide responsibilities and procedures related to recruitment, appointment and duties of graduate and undergraduate appointments and expectations.
 

3. Scope & Audience

This policy applies to all individuals appointed as academic assistants, assistants, or tutors at the University.
 

4. Definitions (specific to this policy)

None
 

5. Website (for policy)

https://secure4.compliancebridge.com/utexas/public/getdoc.php?file=9-2040
 

6. Contacts

7. Responsibilities & Procedures

1. Academic Assistants, Assistants or Tutors

2. Other Employment Information

1. Academic assistants, assistants, and tutors are subject to the Rules and Regulations of The University of Texas System Board of Regents, the University, the college/school, and department in which they hold employment. In the performance of their duties they must abide by and adhere to the academic and instructional criteria and policies established by the department in which they render service.

2. The Responsibilities, Rights, and Welfare of Graduate Student Academic Employees Committee (a standing committee of the General Faculty) serves in an advisory capacity for institutional policy and governance relating to the affairs of academic assistants, assistants, and tutors.

3. Academic assistant, assistant, and tutor appointments do not provide for accrued vacation or sick leave entitlements or Teacher Retirement System membership. Time off due to illness or during academic breaks will be arranged in accordance with established practices of the hiring department.

3. Academic Assistants

1. Qualifications

To be eligible for appointment as an academic assistant a nominee must:

1. be a degree-seeking graduate student without existing admissions conditions imposed by the Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies;

2. be in good academic standing and making satisfactory progress toward a graduate degree;

3. remain registered in courses that count toward the graduate degree for at least nine (9) semester hours during each semester of the long session; and

4. if holding an appointment for any summer term (first six weeks, second six weeks, nine weeks or twelve weeks), must remain registered in courses that count toward the graduate degree for at least three z(3) summer hours during any term of the summer session.

2. Terms of Appointment

Academic assistants must be paid from Wages accounts and at hourly rates as provided at Student Employee Compensation - http://www.utexas.edu/hr/student/compensation.html.

3. Duties

The position of academic assistant is one which involves instructional assistance of a technical or professional nature to a member of the faculty and to students under the direction and final responsibility of that faculty member. The duties of the academic assistant may include student conferences, supervision of voluntary or informal review or discussion sessions, evaluation of student work, classroom or laboratory assistance under the direct supervision of a faculty member in charge of the class or section, and similar duties of a professional nature.

The academic assistant title is not to be used for those who are in charge of regularly scheduled classes, class sections, discussion sections or laboratory sections which are listed in the Course Schedule.

4. Assistants

1. Qualifications

To be eligible for appointment as an assistant, an individual must be either an undergraduate or a graduate student.

1. An undergraduate student appointed as an assistant (job code 0070) is subject to the following rules:

1. The student must be currently enrolled (except as provided below for summer employment), in good academic standing, and must be making satisfactory progress toward his or her undergraduate degree. Full-time status (12 hours of enrollment) is required to hold this position during long semesters. Good academic standing for undergraduates is defined by a GPA of at least 2.0. Failure to meet these requirements will be grounds for withdrawal of the appointment and termination of employment status in this title.

2. A student may work in an undergraduate academic title during the summer if that student either: (1) was enrolled in at least 12 credit hours during the entirety of the previous spring semester; or (2) is enrolled in at least 3 credit hours over the course of the summer session.

3. Undergraduate students who were enrolled full-time in the spring semester and who graduated at the end of the spring semester may work in undergraduate academic titles until August 31 of the year in which they graduate.

2. A graduate student appointed as an assistant must:

1. be a degree-seeking graduate student without existing admissions conditions imposed by the Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies;

2. be in good academic standing and making satisfactory progress toward a graduate degree;

3. remain registered in courses that count toward the graduate degree for at least nine (9) semester hours during each semester of the long session; and

4. if holding an appointment for any summer term (first six weeks, second six weeks, nine weeks or twelve weeks), remain registered in courses that count toward the graduate degree for at least three summer hours during any term of the summer session.

2. Terms of Appointment

Assistants must be paid from Wages accounts and at hourly rates as provided at Student Employee Compensation - http://www.utexas.edu/hr/student/compensation.html.

3. Duties

Duties of Assistants may include:

• grading papers
• clerical work directly concerned with record-keeping for a class
• preparing class or laboratory materials, experiments or demonstrations
• non-instructional work in laboratory courses or sections
• other subordinate functions directly related to a class.

Duties of Assistants may not include teaching classes, giving quizzes or examinations unless the instructor is present and personally supervising, or performing general clerical or office work.

5. Tutors

1. Qualifications

To be eligible for appointment as a tutor, an individual student must be either an undergraduate or a graduate student in good academic standing. The appointment to the title of tutor must be approved by the dean.

a. An undergraduate student appointed as a tutor (job code 0066) is subject to the following rules:

1. The student must be currently enrolled (except as provided below for summer employment), in good academic standing and must be making satisfactory progress toward his or her undergraduate degree. Full-time status (12 hours of enrollment) is required to hold this position during long semesters. Good academic standing is defined by a GPA of at least 2.0. Failure to meet these requirements will be grounds for withdrawal of the appointment and termination of employment status in this title.

2. A student may work in an undergraduate academic title during the summer if that student either: (1) was enrolled at least 12 credit hours during the previous spring semester; or (2) is enrolled in at least 3 credit hours over the course of the summer session.

3. Undergraduate students who were enrolled full-time in the spring semester and who graduated at the end of the spring semester may work in undergraduate academic titles until August 31 of the year in which they graduate.

2. Terms of Appointment

Tutors must be paid from Wages accounts and at hourly rates as provided at Student Employee Compensation - http://www.utexas.edu/hr/student/compensation.html.

3. Duties

Duties of the tutor are to provide supervised tutoring on an individual or a small group basis to students who show evidence of need for such services. They must meet with their supervisor for evaluation, submit progress reports on students, maintain regular group or individual tutorial sessions, and consult with offices, agencies, departments and faculty members when needed.

6. Dismissal and Termination of Appointment and Procedure for Grievances

1. Academic assistant, assistant, or tutor appointments are usually terminated at the end of a designated period of appointment. However, this policy statement does not create contractual obligations. The terms or conditions of the appointment may be modified or terminated with or without advance notices for any reason including the failure of the appointee to meet eligibility requirements. In the event that an appointee becomes ineligible for continued appointment through unsatisfactory academic progress, failure to maintain the minimum required credit hours per semester, or through failure to continue enrollment as a student, the appointment may be terminated at any time. Appointments may also be terminated at any time for nonacademic reasons, such as for failure to perform the required duties of the position.

2. Every effort should be made to resolve grievances informally between the student and the employing faculty member. When serious issues cannot be resolved informally, the student shall have recourse to the grievance procedure outlined below in Sections 3 and 4.

3. Employment disputes are handled according to departmental review policies by the department employing the student. The order of review for employment disputes is as follows:

1. the faculty or staff member supervising the student;

2. the program graduate adviser (for graduate students);

3. the department chair or head of the department hiring unit employing the student;

4. the dean of the college or school employing the student;

4. The decision of the college or school dean is final.

8. Forms & Tools

 Student Employee Compensation

HOP 5-4020 - University Time Reports
 

9. Frequently Asked Questions

None
 

10. Related Information

Additional guidelines are available on the Student Employee section of the HR website
 

11. History

Last review date: February 25, 2013

Next scheduled review date: February 2015
(Previously HOP 12.C.4)