As an expression of its commitment to teaching and learning, the Center for Professional Development has developed a program which allows interested and qualified students to experience some of the challenges and rewards of college teaching by working closely with faculty as they prepare and teach their classes.

Program Features

• Qualified juniors and seniors who have been identified through faculty nominations serve as teaching associates in selected undergraduate courses under the guidance of interested instructors. Participating faculty and students meet several times during the semester at UTAP luncheons as part of an informal seminar on college teaching to be conducted by the Center for Professional Development.
• While no stipend is provided to participating students, the university will provide appropriate recognition to those involved. Some resources may be available to fund travel to relevant conferences or other professional development opportunities. Student participation will be recorded on the official Student Development Transcript, if requested.
• The intention is not for students to be involved in grading papers or in clerical work, but rather to assist in planning at times in helping to teach classes under faculty supervision.
• A teaching assistant may not be concurrently enrolled in the course they are helping to teach.
• A student enrolls in a 1-2 credit course in the appropriate department as Teaching Associate Program.

Principles and Obligations Faculty

• Faculty will not expect students to devote more than six hours a week to their responsibilities in this program, including time actually spent in the undergraduate class to which they have been assigned.
• Faculty will provide informal instruction and assistance to the teaching associate in accordance with the purpose of the program.
• Faculty will not expect the teaching associate to “cover” classes in the instructor’s absence, or to evaluate or grade student work.
• Faculty will not expect the teaching associate to perform essential clerical tasks such as recording grades.
• Faculty will make a serious commitment to attend the UTAP Luncheons on college teaching offered as part of this program. Faculty will be asked to attend one or two of these sessions.

Students

• Students will attend their assigned class regularly and meet according to an arranged schedule with their supervising faculty member.
• Students will enroll in a 1-2 credit course in the academic department of their supervising instructor.
• Students will attend UTAP luncheons on college teaching offered as part of this program.
• Students may be asked to provide periodic reports to the Center for Professional Development explaining the nature of their activities and evaluating the usefulness of the program.