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TA Planning in L&S

This document contains instructions for TA planning in L&S. This page has been updated for academic year 2024-25.

Academic Year TA Planning Exercise

  • Plans for Academic Year 2024-25 are due February 7, 2024 via email to teach.learn@ls.wisc.edu. 
  • Departments/programs should use the Instructional Staffing Request form to send changes outside of this exercise (link to form, form instructions for adding or changing a TA position).
  • Note: this exercise is for academic year TAs only. Summer Term TAs are initially requested as part of a Summer Budget Proposal. Changes for summer TAs are also requested through the Instructional Staffing Form

Overview: TA Planning spreadsheet

The TA Planning spreadsheet is a document assembled by L&S Teaching & Learning Administration based on previous TA plans completed by departments. The spreadsheet will typically show one row per course. Otherwise, there will be multiple rows for a course if there is more than one type of TA appointment associated with it (e.g., head TA).

TLA will distribute TA Planning spreadsheets each January, and departments/programs will update the spreadsheet with their plans for the upcoming academic year. This exercise is intended to help departments/programs plan how to best deploy their TA resources. This process also documents TA position and workload details in a simple and systematic format for easy reference by departmental staff and chairs as well as L&S administration.

Instructions for the TA Planning spreadsheet

L&S Teaching & Learning Administration will email each department/program with a TA planning spreadsheet.

Department/program review:

  • See the table below for detailed explanations of each spreadsheet field.

  • Check for accuracy: course names, appt structure, appt %.

  • Courses with previously approved TA appointments will have 'Active' position status.

    • If a TA position is needed in the upcoming academic year: adjust the number of TAs planned for Fall and Spring semesters and make other changes as needed.

    • If the TA position is *not* needed in the upcoming academic year, update the Position Status field to 'Inactive'.

    • Add rows for any new TA positions, and set the Position Status field to 'Pending'.

    • Use the 'Notes' column to highlight change or add details.

    • Do not modify the 'Date of last workload review' column; this column is for use by TLA staff.

  • Email updated spreadsheets to teach.learn@ls.wisc.edu by February 7, 2024

Lynne Prost will reply with the approval and follow up questions if needed.

TA Planning spreadsheet fields

Note: This table has not been updated for the 2024-25 academic year exercise.

The spreadsheet will typically show one row per course. Otherwise, there will be multiple rows for a course if there is more than one type of TA appointment associated with it (e.g., head TA).
TA Planning Spreadsheet Fields
Field Description
Course/Assignment
  • List the number & names of courses with TAs
  • For positions not associated with a course, please describe as needed (e.g., Learning Centers, course development)
  • Make additional entries if there are multiple appointment types for a course, e.g., head TA.
Fall / Spring # of TAs

Planned headcount of TAs per semester. Please estimate to the best of your ability; you do not need approval by L&S admin to later adjust these numbers.

Appt Structure Briefly describe the structure of the position, e.g., number of discussions/labs. (ex: 4 discussions/TA)
Appt %

Appointment percentage of this position.

Position Status

Options:

  • Active - courses that are continuing to have TAs in 2024-25
  • Inactive - courses that will not have TAs in 2024-25
  • Pending - used for new TA positions for 2024-25
Notes

Add notes if modifying an existing position, or to add additional info as needed.

Date of last workload review

For use by L&S Admin staff, do not modify these dates.

Contacts for L&S Administration

  • L&S Teaching & Learning Administration:
  • L&S Budget Office