Definition: An academically qualified and registered graduate student in full-time residence chosen for excellent scholarship and for promise as a teacher, who is assigned to assist in the delivery of instruction under the active tutelage and supervision of a faculty member. The majority of graduate students who perform instructional functions are assigned to the Teaching Assistant title.

Responsibilities: Assist the supervising faculty member by conducting discussion, laboratory, or quiz sections that supplement faculty lectures; and by grading assignments or examinations. Teaching Assistants may provide input into the development of assignments or exams, and hold office hours. No prior teaching experience is required for appointment. The final responsibility for the content of the course rests with the supervising faculty member. A Teaching Assistant is not independently responsible for the instructional content of a course, selection of assignments, planning, examinations, determination of student grades or decisions on grade appeals; and is not assigned full instructional responsibility for an entire course.

For further information please refer to: http://ap.uci.edu/ase/teaching-assistant/

Teaching Assistants & Teaching Associates Employment Information

• 2024-2025 Course Assignments
• Union Contract

Teaching Assistants & Teaching Associates Time Reporting

When you hold a TA appointment, you will be required to report absences/leaves on a monthly basis for your appointment period in the UCI Time Reporting System (TRS)

• Monthly absence/leave reporting must be completed by the 6th of the month following the pay period being reported. TAs do not enter hours that were worked.

  • When reporting leaves you should report the number of hours you were scheduled to work. For example, if you were scheduled to work 4 hours on a day you took short-term leave, you should input 4 hours of short-term leave in to the Time Reporting System (TRS).

• If you do not have any leaves to report, you can log in to the Time Reporting System (TRS) and select no to the following question: 

Time Reporting System (TRS) Resources

• To access an employee reference guide about TRS: TRS Resources for Employees
• For questions related to timesheet completion, contact your supervisor or Chemistry Payroll Analyst Aries Magana ariesm@uci.edu

TA Leaves

You are required to seek prior approval for leaves from your supervisor.

• TA Article 18 Leaves

Short-Term Leave

TAs with a 50% appointment are eligible for up to two (2) days of paid short-term leave per quarter. This time is commonly used for personal illness.

Long-Term Leave

Salaried TAs may be eligible for up to eight (8) weeks of paid leave per academic year. If you need to take an extended leave please attend office hours or set up an appointment with Morgan Sibley, Student Affairs Manager.

• Department of Chemistry - Long Term Leave Request

Lecture TA/Tutor Office Hours Room Reservations

Lecture TA Office Hours will be held in the recently upgraded Office Hour rooms in Rowland Hall (517, 523). Fill out the TA/Tutor Office Hour Room Form to reserve a room. If there are any major conflicts please email ajholton.uci@gmail.com. You will not receive your assignment via email. Please read through the following policies before submitting your request:

• The priority reservation deadline is Monday of Week 1 
• These rooms are for lecture TAs only. If you are TAing a lab your lab office hour room will be handled by the instructor. 
• Room assignments will be made on a first come first serve basis. 
• If you need to change your submission, you may do so. If multiple submissions are received, only the latest will be honored. 
• Each person must fill out their own form and have multiple options listed.
• You can arrange times with your fellow TAs and issues stated on the form will be taken into consideration. 
• The schedule can be found at https://sites.uci.edu/chemtutorandtareservations/2017/06/20/hello-world/

Questions?  Contact Amanda Holton (ajholton.uci@gmail.com)

TA Resources 

• TA Copy Codes: TAs will be able to make copies at the Physical Sciences Copy Center using a department copy code. The Department sends the copy center a list of the current TAs each quarter and once the quarter ends, the copy code will be deleted from your account. Please note: The TA copy code can only be used for instructional related copies and should not be used to purchase teaching or research supplies. 
  • Winter 2025: 019c
• Midterm and Final Review Room Request Instructions
• How to Assist Students in Distress
• TA Schedule Request Document 24-25

Questions? Contact Morgan Sibley(msibley@uci.edu), Student Affairs Manager