Graduate Teaching Assistant Definitions

Latest Revision: April, 2023

Teaching Assistants (TAs) are exempt from the federal FLSA by the nature of their roles, either directly teaching students or interacting with students for the benefit of the instructional mission of the university. Therefore, students hired as a TA can be provided a stipend salary based on their graduate program and duties as described below.

Teaching Assistant, Instructor of Record (TA-IOR)

  • Duties include full responsibility for independently delivering a course 
  • Student must have at least 18 earned graduate credits in the discipline to be taught
  • Student must be approved by the Graduate School to serve as TA-IOR for specific courses
  • Students must be trained about FERPA, Title IX, and obtain English language support if necessary
  • TA-IORs should be compensated at the level identified in the Graduate Student Compensation Packages.

Teaching Assistant (TA)

  • Duties may include teaching laboratory sections or recitation sections, leading discussion sections, working with students in tutoring or writing centers, and/or supporting large enrolled undergraduate classes
  • Students must be trained about FERPA, Title IX, and obtain English language support if necessary
  • May earn less than a TA-IOR, if there are fewer responsibilities, but must be compensated at the level identified in the Graduate Student Compensation Packages
  • Students may be eligible for tuition and/or fee awards and health insurance, contingent on their degree/program and information detailed in the Graduate Student Compensation Packages.

Teaching Assistant, Instructional Assistant (TA-IA)

TA-IAs are not eligible for benefits in the form of tuition and/or fee awards and health insurance.

Duties may include holding course-specific office hours, grading, responding to questions from students, and setting up labs, etc.

Duties do not generally include responsibility for a course section

Students must be trained about FERPA, Title IX, and obtain English language support if necessary

TA-IAs may earn less than a TA, if there are fewer responsibilities, with documentation in the Graduate Student Compensation Packages