School of Industrial Engineering and Management
RA/TA Policies and Process
To all graduate students:
The IE&M faculty works very hard to provide all graduate students with an enriched academic environment and as many opportunities to interact with the faculty as possible. RA/TA assignments are a part of this experience.
We appoint graduate students to RA/TA positions on the basis of available funds and proven qualifications. The criteria for placement include several factors: (1) qualifications which match IE&M needs, (2) past RA/TA performance, for previously appointed students, (3) scholarship as measured by at least a 3.5 grade point average in graduate courses, and (4) scholarship in terms of thesis/dissertation progress.
In Spring 2001, we developed a new process to help us establish both interest and qualifications for matching interested students with RA/TA opportunities. Every student who is seeking an RA/TA appointment (or reappointment) with IE&M is required to fill out an interest and qualifications information sheet. These sheets are collected and circulated among the faculty. Every semester, each faculty member is expected to provide the Head with names of RA/TA applicants that are most qualified for their openings. The Head with the assistance of the Graduate Program Director then matches qualifications and interests with faculty requirements, and makes appointments using available funds.
It is the student’s responsibility to update his/her interest and qualifications profile at the end of each semester. Re-appointments are considered at the beginning of each term. In order to be considered for re-appointment, several factors are considered:
· Technical qualifications – each appointment requires knowledge and technical skills specific to the tasks at hand, in addition certification may be required (i.e., ITA certification is required for international students serving as TAs).
· Job performance – each appointment carries responsibilities for timely and satisfactory technical performance and professional behavior.
· Academic performance – each student appointed must be in good standing and remain in good standing during his/her period of appointment, in addition, each student must make satisfactory progress towards his/her degree. For example, a master’s student should not expect support beyond four semesters unless special circumstances apply.
· Funds available – research and teaching assistantship funds vary with research project budgets and state educational budgets, respectively.
William J. Kolarik, Ph.D.
Professor and Head of IE&M