Molecular and Cellular Biology Appointment Procedures

APPOINTMENT AND RE-APPOINTMENT PROCEDURES FOR TAs AND RAs IN THE MOLECULAR & CELLULAR BIOLOGY GRADUATE PROGRAM

a) Requests by graduate students for funding

MCB students supported by TAs (usually first-year students) do their TAs in the Biology or Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Departments. Students request funding through the MCB Graduate Program Director. Second-year students and beyond typically join a permanent research lab, and they are no longer supported by the MCB Program. These appointments, usually RAs, are processed by the PI's department.

b) Deciding who will receive funding

The Biology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Chairs (or faculty designate) will inform the MCB Graduate Program Director of the ‘target’ number of Program students expected to be funded by Biology and BMB TAs. The notification will be sent out in June for the subsequent Fall semester and in November for the Spring semester. Target numbers are based on agreements negotiated at the time the MCB Program was established. The MCB Graduate Program Director informs the Biology and BMB Chairs of the names of students he wishes to have TA support.

c) Notifying people they will receive funding

The respective Department Chairs review the names submitted by the MCB Program Director and inform the Graduate Program Director of TA appointments. The MCB Program Director transmits the information to the students concerned.

d) Posting of job possibilities

The MCB Graduate Program lets its students know of job possibilities.

e) Assignment of TAs to courses

Approximately 2 weeks before the start of each semester, the Biology and Biochemistry Chairs send a notification of instructors needed from the MCB Program and asks the Program Director to select TAs from the roster of students being appointed. Students who need TAs are consulted to make the best matches of instructor to class assignment. Based on the results of these selection processes, the Biology and BMB Chairs (or faculty designate) match the wishes of the instructors and TAs as far as possible and circulate tentative assignments. If problems arise with an assignment, an attempt to correct the difficulty is made.