|
|
 |
Chapter 7
Departmental
Operations
Roles
of Graduate Assistants |
| Graduate education should develop
teaching and research skills. Accordingly, financial aid
is available as assistantships to students who perform essential
roles in the teaching and research programs in Entomology.
Assistants are of two kinds, teaching assistants (TAs) and
research assistants (RAs). The following general description
augments more specific information in the university's Handbook
for Graduate Assistants, which defines terms of appointment
and describes legal rights and obligations of assistants,
supervisors and host departments within the University of
Minnesota. |
Responsibilities
of Graduate Assistants |
Graduate assistants aid the
department's teaching and research programs and gain practical
experience as well as financial aid. The association between
a faculty member and assistant should be a productive team
effort. Interest, orientation, dedication, and hard work
will be required of both parties. The assistant is a staff
member within the department and should take pride in the
welfare of the program as well as his or her specific tasks.
The assistant's responsibilities are to be outlined in
writing, as specified in the assistant's handbook. Details
should be discussed until both parties have reached a mutual
understanding of goals, procedures, and expectations. However,
responsibilities do change as programs change, so a detailed
listing of duties may inhibit performance more than help.
There will always be some dirty work, some routine, and
some stress; all are part of teaching and research. Arrangements
must be made by the department and faculty advisor to ensure
that each assistant obtains practical experience that is
meaningful, and to ensure that the work load does not interfere
with normal progress toward the degree. |
Registration
Requirements for Graduate Assistants
|
All Graduate students paid by the department (i.e. have a Research Assistant (RA) or Teaching Assistant (TA) appointment) must register for a minimum of 6 credits each semester to be considered full-time students. International students paid through the department: Falling below the 6 credit minimum at any time may be grounds for deportation.
If you are an RA or TA, your tuition benefit allows you to register for up to 14 credits without extra charge. It is in the department's best interest that you register for 14 credits. After registering for your formal courses, fill up the rest of the credits with ENT 8666 (Doctoral pre-thesis credit), 8777 (MS thesis credits, 10 are required) or 8888 (Doctoral thesis credits, 24 are required, but they can not be taken until AFTER your oral prelim). You should take 14 credits each semester until you qualify for Advanced Master's or Ph.D. Candidate status.
If you are an Advanced Master's or PhD student, you may qualify for one-credit status (check with your advisor or on the web at: http://www.grad.umn.edu/current_students/registration/FTE_procedures.html). If you are on the one-credit registration, please use ENT 8333 for MS students, or ENT 8444 for PhD students. Please DO NOT use 8777 or 8888. Specify S/N unless you want a letter grade. One-credit enrollment requires a form signed by the DGS and a change that goes through payroll. Master's students MUST have the form filed by the dates listed on the web site, Ph.D. Students must file the form each semester they register for ENT 8444. |
Teaching
Assistants |
Teaching assistants generally
aid faculty by directing course laboratory sections and
unscheduled activities outside the classroom. TAs also prepare
or maintain class materials and collections. Occasionally,
TAs may be asked to lecture in areas of their special expertise.
However, lecturing should not be a regular duty. TAs who
are not native English speakers must meet the University's
Language Proficiency Requirement. Full details on this requirement
can be found on the web at http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/ohrpolicy/Student/language.htm
Being a TA is a learning experience and a service to the
department. Effective TAs have a sincere interest in students
and teaching. TAs often have close contact with students
and can provide helpful advice to instructors on how an
audience's interests might best be served. |
Research
Assistants |
These function in a great variety
of ways, in part because of different funding and grant
arrangements, but also because of different philosophies
of advisors. In most cases, the RA is viewed as a member
of a team, having an individual assignment that is a component
of an overall research program. This assignment usually
is the student's thesis research.
Before embarking on independent research, the RA and advisor
will discuss and outline the justification, logic, objectives,
expected performance, methods of analysis, and relationship
to the entire project. The student and advisor should be
consulting with other AC members, too. |
Stipends
and Time Cards |
Assistants must fill out payroll
documents before they are officially on the payroll. Stipend
checks are issued every two weeks. For details, see the
department's accountant.
Research Assistants may be asked to supervise hourly employees.
Hourly employees must submit signed time cards to the accounting office - 218 Hodson. See the accountant for a schedule of time card deadlines. |
|
 |
|
