Teaching Associate Reappointment

Reappointment to teaching positions in the Writing Program will be based on our primary commitment to offer the best writing instruction we can to the students we teach. We will also seek to provide financial support to as many qualified graduate students as our budget will allow. Therefore, we aim to reappoint all TOs in good standing who have not exceeded their statute of limitations regarding financial support. TOs maintain good standing by fulfilling their contractual obligations. These include participating in course director meetings and/or practica, attending training sessions, allowing course directors to observe their classes once each semester, meeting with course directors to discuss classroom observations and evaluations, and following Writing Program policies and teaching practices. Graduate students seeking reappointment must also be making satisfactory progress toward their degrees. There may be occasions when an under-enrolled section of College Writing or Basic Writing may be cancelled. In the event of this occurrence, the TO will be asked to work in the Writing Center for 20 hours a week in place of teaching for his/her associateship.

In reappointing graduate students from English, we follow that department’s guidelines for the number of semesters graduate students are eligible for funding. At present these guidelines are MFA: 6 semesters; MA to PhD: 10 semesters; BA to PhD: 14 semesters. For students from other departments, we limit funding to 10 semesters. When we have particular needs or shortages, we may make exceptions to these guidelines.

Invitation to Reapply  In February, a memo will be sent asking eligible Writing Program TOs in good standing whether they wish to be considered for reappointment. TOs who have applied for reappointment will be notified by letter of the decision no later than May 1. Reappointed TOs will be invited to indicate their preferences for courses. Those courses include Basic Writing 111, College Writing 112, 112 Honors, and College Writing 112 in the Computer Classroom. Decisions regarding TO preferences for teaching assignments will be based on seniority, relevant expertise and experience in a specific area, level of interest, and Writing Program staffing needs.

TOs will also be invited to indicate their preferences for teaching days and times. These preferences will be honored based on Writing Program scheduling needs. TOs will be notified of their assignments in writing no later than three weeks before classes begin.

Procedures for Counseling TOs Experiencing Difficulty Meeting Reappointment Criteria and Warning TOs about Possible Non-Renewal of Contract or Discharge. When a TO is experiencing significant difficulty with his or her teaching, the Director, Deputy Director, or an Assistant Director will meet with the TO to discuss the specific problem and offer reasonable assistance in addressing the problem. Significant difficulty may be defined in a variety of ways. Here are some examples: failure to meet contractual obligations (meeting classes, attending course director meetings, adhering to Writing Program instructional guidelines, failure to turn in final grades through SPIRE); reports of notable and credible criticisms by students on course evaluations; credible complaints by students to the Writing Program about problematic teaching behavior. If the difficulty persists, the Director will meet again with the TO and give written notification of the need for improvement or change in order to be reappointed. The TO will have one probationary semester to demonstrate amelioration of the problem.

More immediate action will be taken if the Director feels there is cause to do so because of the seriousness of the problem or violation of the contract. In these cases, written notification of a probationary period may be issued in conjunction with the first oral discussion. In extreme cases, the TO’s contract may be terminated.

Any TO who is subject to disciplinary action, non-renewal of a contract, or termination of a contract shall be able to grieve that decision, following the procedures outlined in the GEO Agreement.