Philosophy Appointment Procedures

APPOINTMENT AND RE-APOINTMENT PROCEDURES FOR TAs AND RAs IN THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ORGANISMIC AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY

a) Requests by graduate students for funding

Initial requests for TA funding are made during the graduate application process. All OEB students are admitted with funding (a minimum of two years for master's students and four years for doctoral students). This support is provided though a combination of TAs, RAs and Fellowships (both intramural and extramural). Every effort is made to continue support for additional years as long as good progress is made and funding is available.

• TAs: The Biology Department provides TAships. Before of each semester begins, OEB students notify the OEB Director of their need for a TAship in the upcoming semester. The OEB Director then provides the names of students requesting TAs to the Chairman of the Biology Department.
• OEB RAs: OEB provides one or two competitive RAs each year when funding is available. The OEB Graduate Program Director announces availability of the OEB RAs to all OEB students. Interested students submit their applications to the OEB Graduate Operations Committee.

b) Deciding who will receive funding

• TAs: The Chairman of the Biology Department (or faculty designate) will inform the OEB Director of the expected number of TAs available for the upcoming semester. Notification is 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 that OEB was established. The OEB Program will inform the Biology Chair of the names of students who will be supported. Priority for TA funding is based on student need and progress toward degree.
• OEB RAs: Applications are reviewed and decisions made by the OEB Graduate Operations Committee. These decisions are based on demonstrated progress toward degree, such as publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at professional meetings.

c) Notifying people that they will receive funding

• TAs: The OEB Program Manager notifies students who are receiving a TA.
• OEB RAs: The OEB Graduate Program Director notifies students who are awarded an OEB RA.

d) Posting of job possibilities

The OEB Program notifies OEB graduate students of funding possibilities via email announcements.

e) Assignment of TAs to courses

The Biology Chair notifies OEB of the courses that require TAs for the upcoming semester. At the same time, faculty instructors are notified of the pool of graduate students who are available as TAs for the semester. The OEB Program Manager notifies students of the courses requiring TAs and compiles a list of students' course preferences. Faculty are asked to list their preferences from the roster of students who will receive TAships. Based on the results of these selection processes, the Biology Chair (or faculty designate) matches the wishes of the instructors and TAs as far as possible.

f) Notice of assignment

TAs: The OEB Program Manager distributes a list of tentative TA assignments to OEB Graduate Students. If a problem arises with an assignment, the Biology Department Chair (or faculty designate) attempts to correct the situation.