• CA/TF Handbook
• CA/TF Job Listings
• CA/TF Job Application

Course Assistants and Teachings Fellows

What Are Course Assistants and Teaching Fellows?

Course Assistants (CAs) and Teaching Fellows (TFs) are hired to assist faculty teaching courses at the Harvard Kennedy School. The level of their help varies according to the general duties of each (see below), the needs of the faculty member, and the talent of the CA or TF.

What is the difference between a CA and a TF?

The primary distinguishing feature between Teaching Fellows and Course Assistants is that TFs generally have several more years experience teaching (and with the subject matter or the specific course), than CAs have. Although it is not required, most Teaching Fellows are doctoral candidates at the HKS or another Harvard school. Not all courses qualify for Teaching Fellow assistance. To receive a TF the course must satisfy one or more of the following conditions: 1, the course is advanced (e.g. a course designed for prospective Ph.D. students); 2, the position involves a significant amount of teaching, generally in formal, scheduled review sessions; or 3, the course has a substantial amount of written work that requires Ph.D. level experience and judgment to evaluate.

Duties of Course Assistants

In addition to attending the class, CAs may expect to do anything from preparing materials for class to holding “office hours” for one-on-one tutoring, reviewing problem sets, doing “first reads” on written assignments, arranging for media services in the classroom and maintaining the intranet Course Web Page. Exactly what any individual CA does depends on the course, the student’s abilities, and the needs of the faculty member. In addition to the normal work during the semester, CAs are also responsible for proctoring the final examinations.

Duties of Teaching Fellows

In addition to attending the class, the TFs’ primary responsibility is to run formally scheduled review sessions. The meaning of "course sections” is different at HKS than at other schools within Harvard. TFs are not assigned to small sub “sections” of 10-15 students for a course like they are at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). Instead, the HKS review session accommodates all students from the class who care to attend. Depending on the size of the class and the number of other TFs or CAs, TFs may also expect to prepare course materials, manage the CA team, hold “office hours” for one-on-one tutoring, review problem sets, and do “first reads” on papers. Exactly what any individual TF does is dependent on the course, his or her abilities, and the needs of the faculty member. While TFs may assist faculty by grading problem sets or other materials where the faculty provides an answer sheet, or may perform “first reads” on written work, TFs do not assign grades to students. Faculty are solely responsible for assigning students’ grades in HKS courses. In addition to the normal work during the semester, TFs are responsible for proctoring the final examinations. HKS TFs are expected to work approximately 15 hours per week.

CAs, TFs and Faculty Assistants

Frequently confusion arises about the difference in responsibilities of the CAs, TFs and the Faculty Staff Assistants. Staff assistants prepare course materials (including course packets and handouts), and maintain records of exam and final grades. CAs, TFs and Staff Assistants share the tasks of communicating with students by email or the course web page. It is the responsibility of the instructor to ensure that all concerned understand who is responsible for what.

Note that because CA and TF responsibilities begin on the first day of class and not before, faculty should not rely on them to prepare course materials.

How to Get a Job

The Assignment Process

All CAs and TFs are assigned by the Office of Teaching Support in consultation with individual faculty. The assignment process seeks several goals: to staff all of the courses adequately, to distribute the talents of CAs and TFs equitably, to provide teaching experience for PhD candidates, to provide a source of financial aid for HKS students, to give students their first or second choices of jobs whenever possible, and to give faculty their preferences for CAs and TFs. Because of the complexity of meeting these goals (making about 180 job matches per semester), faculty are discouraged from making commitments for jobs to individual students. Faculty interested in specific students should make their wishes known to the Office of Teaching Support by late May.

The assignment process begins in April for the following academic year. Once the Office of Teaching Support knows what courses will be offered and in which semester, students are directed to a list of possible jobs on the HKS website and asked to indicate their first through fourth choices for a CA or TF job for the fall and spring semesters via the online application form (links in the upper right corner of this page), as well as the January session. Next, faculty are mailed the lists of students interested in working with their course, including how the student ranked their desire for the job. Faculty rank their preferences and return the list to the Office of Teaching Support. Fall term jobs are assigned once the fall and spring schedules have been drafted (in early July) and emailed to students on or about August 1. Spring term job matches are made in October.

Applying for a CA/TF Job

Click on the link in the upper left hand corner of this page to be directed to the on line application. Be sure to follow the directions carefully and to turn in the application by the deadline indicated at the bottom of this page in the Contacts and Dates section. A link to the HKS Job Listing page is also located in the upper left hand corner of this page (directly below the Application link).

The Timing of Job Assignments

The list of jobs posted in May is very tentative and will not reflect final decisions on course offerings. Some new courses will be under consideration, others may change semesters or faculty, and some may be dropped. Deciding teaching assignments is a rolling process between March and mid-June. We ask students apply early so that we can be sure to hear from everyone before they leave for the summer. Knowing student preferences for both semesters helps us match students to jobs in either semester in the case of changes in schedule or faculty.

Fall Assignments

Fall assignments are generally sent out by email on or about August 1. At this time the fall and spring schedules are public. Students are asked to check the schedule before committing to a job so that they can be sure they will not have a conflict. Students are then asked to confirmation their job mid-August.

Spring Assignments

Spring Assignments (as well as January Assignments) are generally made in late October or early November. Even though spring assignments are made later, it is important for students to submit preferences for spring jobs when they submit their application in May of the current academic year. The information is very useful in understanding a student's overall interest in the case that we can’t give them their first choice of job, or if a course they are interested in changes semester.

Speaking with Faculty in Advance Regarding Jobs

You may certainly speak with the faculty member to express interest in being a CA or TF for the course, but it is not necessary, and this alone (without submitting the application form) will not guarantee you will receive the job.

Missing the Deadline for Job Applications

Some jobs may become available as other CAs discover conflicts, or as new courses are added. However, these are not many, and applicants should not count on getting into the job pool if they do not return the application form by the deadline (see the Contacts and Dates section below for the exact deadline). In addition, if the job application is not submitted by the deadline, then your name will not be forwarded to the relevant faculty in a timely manner.

Changes to the Job Commitment

We consider the acceptance of a job a professional commitment. CAs and TFs are sent a draft of the semester’s schedule along with their job assignment so that they can be sure they will not have a course conflict. Once a CA or TF has accepted a position, we expect the assignment to be final. Because most eligible students have been assigned jobs by the time the fall term (or spring term) begins, it is extremely difficult to replace a student who reneges on a job at the last minute.

Jobs in Each Semester

Jobs are assigned one semester at a time. Many people get a job for both semesters, but not all. If you want to CA/TF for only one semester simply say so on the application (linked above).

CA and TF Allocation Policies

Assignment of Course Assistants and Teaching Fellows

At HKS, Course Assistants (CAs) and Teaching Fellows (TFs) are assigned to courses rather than to faculty members. Initial assignments (CAs plus TFs) are made based on the previous year’s course enrollment. When enrollment is uncertain, or when a course has a large team of CAs where it is probable that someone will drop out, then some CA assignments are made on a Standby (SB) basis. In this instance, the CA or TF is made aware that his or her assignment is provisional upon there being sufficient enrollment in the course. If the enrollment drops substantially, the position will not convert to a real job. On the other hand, if there is a surge in enrollment, or if another CA has to drop out, then the CA on Standby is the next in line to fill the job.

Allocation Guidelines

The system is designed to allocate people in support of our teaching mission, recognizing the different level of skills associated with CAs and TFs. The system is not based on dollars per course, so the fact that some students may be on federal work study as part of their financial aid does not mean that faculty may thereby acquire additional CAs. At the same time we do try to support our own students by employing as many as possible who do indeed have work study funding.

Quantitative Courses

Quantitative courses with a formal weekly review session and heavy problem set loads are normally allotted a TF for the first 20 students enrolled. A CA is added when enrollment reaches 30 students, and an additional CA for each additional 20 students. Required quantitative courses taught in sections normally receive this allocation for each section.

Nonquantitative Courses

Nonquantitative courses are allotted a first CA when enrollment reaches thirty students, a second CA at 45 students, and additional CAs for each additional 30 students. These courses rarely receive TF assistance.

The difference in allocation ratios between quantitative and non quantitative courses is not a reflection of the level, value, or seriousness of the course. It is merely a reflection of the general difference in workload for students in these two types of courses. Quantitative courses generally require students to submit more daily or weekly problem sets. Furthermore, students in these courses generally need more one-on-one or small group tutoring to help them master the quantitative concepts.

Courses Qualifying for a TF

For a course to qualify for a TF (rather than a CA), it must satisfy one or more of the following conditions:

1. The course is advanced (e.g., courses designed for prospective PhD students).
2. The position involves a significant amount of teaching (generally in formal weekly review sessions).
3. The course demands a substantial amount of written work that requires PhD-level experience and judgment for evaluating it.

The ratios and guidelines outlined below are for determining the total combined number of CAs and/or TFs per course or section. As a general ground rule, allocation ratios are guided by HKS enrollments only (based on enrollment from the previous year).

The School does not support more than one teaching fellow per course (or section, for large multi-section courses such as API-101, 201, etc.) Other allocated course support slots will be staffed with Course Assistants. The only exceptions to this guideline are generally in the Ph.D. quantitative preparatory courses, or in some non-quantitative courses that require considerable memo writing for students and hence considerable grading and evaluation.

Number of CAs or TFs	Number of Students (Non-Quantitative Ratio 30:1)	Number of Students (Quantitative Ratio 20:1)
1 CA or TF	30	20
2 CAs	45	30
3 CAs	75	50
4 CAs	105	70
5 CAs	135	90

Additional CAs may be hired as necessary if a course has more students than expected. If however the course has a smaller enrollment than expected, CAs and TFs are dropped as appropriate to maintain the ratios. In the case of new courses which have never been offered, the Office of Teaching Support consults with the Senior Associate Dean for Degree Programs and the Academic Dean as to the appropriate number of CAs for the course.

Jointly Listed Courses

• If there are a total of 30 students in the course (under both numbers combined), HKS will pay for half of a CA or TF.
• If there is are total of 45 students total in a course (under both numbers combined), HKS will pay for an additional half CA or TF. Hence the HKS would cover one full CA or TF for a jointly listed course with 45 students.
• If the total enrollment turns out to be severely skewed so that there are 30-45 students in the course, but very few of them have registered under the HKS number, HKS will renegotiate with the other department about splitting costs. If the vast majority of the students are registered under the other school’s number, HKS will ask the other school to shoulder their share of the CA/TF costs.

Training for CAs and TFs

There are two required meetings in the fall for fall term CAs and TFs. The first (during Registration/Orientation week) is a brief introduction to CA and TF responsibilities and resources with special focus on payroll and resource issues. The second, more substantive meeting, is held during the first week of classes, and focuses on a number of topics: teaching issues that arise for CAs and TFs; working with faculty; communicating with students; concerns regarding grading; working with international students; and a detailed overview of how to use the Course Pages. There is an additional substantive meeting again in the spring for those new CAs and TFs who did not have jobs in the fall. These meetings are mandatory. See the Contacts, Dates, Codes and Policies section below for dates, times and locations.

Employment Policies

Eliminating CA or TF Jobs and Standby Jobs

All CA and TF jobs are contingent upon the number of students that enroll in a class. The Office of Teaching Support makes initial job assignments based on historical enrollment numbers for the course. If enrollments drop below expectations, the Office of Teaching Support may have to eliminate a course’s CA or TF position. While we cannot guarantee a substitute assignment, we do make all effort to try.

To avoid eliminating jobs, when enrollment is uncertain, or when a course has a large team of CAs where it is probable that someone will drop out, then some CA assignments are made on a Standby (SB) basis. This means that the CA or TF is made aware that his or her assignment is provisional upon there being sufficient enrollment in the course. If the enrollment drops substantially, the job will not convert to a real job. On the other hand, if there is a surge in enrollment, or if another CA has to drop out, then the CA on Standby is the next in line to fill the job.

Start Date

Work begins on the first day of the term (fall or spring). CAs and TFs are not paid for work done prior to the first day of class. Although we are unable to pay them until the first day of classes, it is useful for CAs and TFs to introduce themselves to the professor for whom they are working by Shopping Days. Some faculty will need assistance during Shopping Days if the CA or TFs individual shopping schedule permits.

Compensation for CA and TF Jobs

HKS Course Assistants and Teaching Fellows are paid according to the requirements of the job, not according to their individual status as a master's or doctoral degree candidate. In this respect the HKS system differs from that of the other Harvard schools. Thus a master's student can become a Teaching Fellow and a doctoral candidate can be hired as a CA. CAs are paid by the hour, while TFs are paid a flat rate per course.

CAs and TFs are not paid for work done prior to the first day of class. While CAs may assist faculty with final products after the course stops meeting, they are not paid for any work done on the course after the due dates for grades in the relevant semester. All hours must be submitted by Commencement of the relevant Academic year. Hours submitted after this time will not be paid.

Wage Rates: Course Assistants

We expect the Course Assistant wage for AY 2010 to be approximately $15.75 per hour. Head CAs (those who coordinate at least three additional CAs in a course) may receive an additional dollar per hour. CAs turn in time sheets once week and are paid weekly. Ph.D candidates in CA jobs are paid the same rate as other CAs.

Number of Hours a CA Can Work

CAs usually work between 7 and 10 hours per week. International students working as CAs may not work more than 20 hours per week or they will be in violation of their Visa. Under no circumstances may CAs exceed more than 40 hours per week. In the rare case that a non-Harvard student is hired for a CA position, that CA is limited to 40 hours per week for the first 90 days of employment and 17.25 hours per week after that.

In the vast majority of cases, CAs never find themselves nearing these limits - - nor should they. However, especially around grading time, increases in weekly hours are something to watch out for. Keep in mind that it is the responsibility of the CA not to exceed these limits. If for some reason a CA finds that they are nearing or going over the limit, they should speak with their faculty member about rearranging the work schedule. If the problem is still not solved, please contact the Office of Teaching Support immediately (contact info at the bottom of this page). Please note that if you have other hourly jobs at Harvard, those hours count towards your total.

Wage Rates: Teaching Fellows

TFs are expected to work about 15 hours per week and are paid a flat (not hourly) rate. TFs are currently paid $5000 for a semester length course and $2500 for a module length course. TFs are paid on the 15th of each month. Non-Harvard TFs (hired only in rare instances), referred to as Teaching Assistants, are paid on the 30th of the month. TFs whose position includes major administrative duties and coordination between at least three other CAs or TFs may be eligible (but not always) to receive an increase of up to 15%. TFs who run two identical review sessions for a course may be eligible (but not always) for an increase of up to 25%. Because TFs are paid a flate rate, they do not submit weekly timesheets.

Getting Paid

In order to get on the Harvard payroll, all CAs and TFs must fill out and return to the HKS HR Office all required hiring and tax forms. These forms (State and Federal Tax forms, a Direct Deposit form, and in the case of International Students, FNIF forms) can be found on the HKS HR website linked at the bottom of this page (International students see below for further information). If you have any question about how to fill out your forms, please contact HR (contact info is also at the bottom of this page). Once your forms are in, you will receive an email notifying you that you have been activated in the online payroll system. As mentioned above, TFs are paid a flate rate and do not submit weekly timesheets. Course Assistants must submit weekly time sheets.

Course Assistants: Submitting Weekly Timesheets

HKS is uses the on line payroll system, PeopleSoft. For CAs, submitting timesheets via PeopleSoft is a two step process:

1. All time must be entered into Peoplesort by 9am on Friday every week.
2. After entering their hours, CAs must print out a hard copy of what has been reported online, get it signed by their faculty member, and drop off the print out into the Financial Services Drop Box by the Mailroom in the basement of the Littauer building (also due by 9am on Friday).

Note: Only faculty members may sign timesheets. Faculty Assistants may not sign timesheets in lieu of the professor.

If you have any questions about the PeopleSoft online payroll system, please visit the HKS HR website linked at the bottom of this page.

Failure to turn in hours by the deadline will result in a delay of your paycheck. If for some reason the deadline is missed, CAs must print out the hard copy paper timesheet found on the HR website, get it signed by their faculty member, and drop it off in the Financial Services Drop Box. Hours can not be entered into PeopleSoft retroactively.

Taxes

Everyone who has a job must submit tax forms. Whether or not taxes are taken out of your wages depends entirely on your individual situation. International students should check with the Harvard International Office to see if their home country has a tax treaty with the United States. You may access these forms via the HR website linked in the Contacts, Links & Dates section below.

Federal Work Study

Federal Work Study (FWS) is a financial aid program available to US citizens and/or permanent residents. Please visit the HKS Financial Aid Office’s web site to find out about more about the Federal Work-Study program, including what Work-Study is and how you can sign up for it. That site is linked at the bottom of this page in the Contacts, Dates, Codes & Policies section.

It is not required that you be on Federal Work Study to get a CA or TF job. However, preference will be given to the student with Work Study funding if there are two equally qualified students interested in a job.

Individuals who are employed in more than one position at Harvard University may elect to use their work study award for both positions. It is often possible to request that your total work study award be increased if you anticipate that your earnings from both positions will exceed your work study allotment. If you find it necessary to apply your work study funding to only one position, we strongly encourage you to use it for the position with the highest total expected earnings. This will often be your position as a Course Assistant or Teaching Fellow. Doing so will ensure that the Kennedy School realizes the greatest possible savings and therefore reinforces the School's ability to continue hiring students. It will diminish your chances of getting a CA or TF job if you have Work Study funding and you do not use it on CA or TF job .

Other Jobs in Combination with CA or TF Jobs

The Peoplesoft payroll system requires you to inform us if you are simultaneously on any other Harvard payroll. In most cases you are permitted to have another job (in additon to a CA or TF job) on a different Harvard payroll. However, there are university wide limits on the combinations of jobs that are acceptable and the total number of hours an individual works. These limits occasionally mean students have to make a choice between one job or the other.

International Students

International students may serve as CAs or TFs provided they have the proper visa status and a US Social Security number. The Harvard International Office handles all such matters. It is the student's responsibility to work with that office to ensure that the required paper work is in order. Contact information for the Harvard International Office is at the bottom of this page in the Contacts, Dates, Codes, and Policies section.

Course Conflicts with CA or TF job Assignments

Students have access to the draft fall and spring schedule at the time they are sent their CA or TF assignment. They are expected to check the schedule and identify possible conflicts before accepting the job. Of course, if there has been a change in the schedule subsequent to their accepting the position that causes a conflict with their course of study, they will be released from the commitment. We will try to place these individuals in another job, but cannot guarantee it.

Taking the Course for Credit

Being a CA or TF for a course in which a student is simultaneously enrolled presents a conflict of interest. Students may not CA or TF for a course in which they are enrolled for credit.

Jobs for non Kennedy School Individuals

You do not need to be registered at the HKS to hold a CA or TF job, but, (with rare exceptions), you MUST be a registered student somewhere at Harvard.

Individuals Who Are Not Registered Harvard Students

Hiring individuals who are not registered students at HKS or elsewhere at Harvard is extremely rare. While these individuals are paid the same rate as registered students, because they are not students there are fringe benefit rates applied to their wages that make the cost of hiring a non-student considerably higher than hiring a Harvard student. In addition we prefer when at all possible to give jobs to Kennedy School students who need the financial aid. Non-students (including staff) are hired only in extreme cases when no Harvard student can be found who is qualified for the job.

Getting Help From a CA or TF: Information for Students

Who are Course Assistants (CAs) and Teaching Fellows(TFs)?

Course Assistants are generally second-year MPP, MPAID, or Two-Year MPA students. Normally, they have taken the course for which they are a CA the previous year and have done well in it. Occasionally, they may not have taken the course, but have background in the subject area that enables them to provide assistance. Teaching Fellows are either doctoral candidates at Harvard, or second year students who have substantial strength in the subject and often considerable teaching experience. Occasionally, TFs may be from another university in the area.

What do Course Assistants and Teaching Fellows do?

In addition to performing a variety of administrative tasks to help the professor run the course, CAs generally hold office hours, i.e., meet with students individually and in small groups to help them understand course material and work through assignments. TFs are responsible for conducting review sessiosn for the entire class, but may also meet with students in office hours as CAs do. Only the professors themselves assign grades, but CAs and TFs may be permitted to assist them by marking problem set and exam answers (where the faculty member provides an answer sheet), or by commenting on written assignments.

The level and kind of CA or TF support can vary greatly from course to course. What CAs and TFs actually do depends largely on how the professor organizes the course and on how he or she prefers to teach. Very large courses with four or more CAs may be organized in a different way than a smaller course with only one CA or TF.

When to see the CA or TF

It’s a good idea to get acquainted early with your CAs and TFs — before problems arise — especially in the quantitative courses. While you may have learned well without help in earlier settings, e.g., as an undergraduate, you may find that you need some assistance working through problem sets and other assignments here. Take that in stride, and seek help: it’s intended to be part of the instruction.

It’s useful to schedule individual time with CAs and TFs apart from office hours if you can, but don’t be put off if they don’t always have time for you; be patient. Schedule as far ahead as possible; don’t wait until the assignment is due.

How to Make the Most of Your Time with CAs and TFs

• Note that earlier office hours will be less crowded; you’ll get more attention by going then.
• Approach CAs and TFs with a real need, e.g. questions about a problem set or writing assignment.
• Prepare: formulate your questions in advance. Don’t be afraid to ask what seem like basic questions.
• Do the reading, and try to do the problem set or assignment by yourself first. Don’t go to office hours just to get the answer.
• Go to review sessions; they will help you get more out of office hours.
• Seek help when you need it, but don’t let getting it substitute for your own efforts to learn.

Two Important Things to Remember

CAs and TFs represent a range of experience and expertise. CAs in particular are usually only one year ahead of the students in the class. While they have taken the course or learned the subject elsewhere, they are not necessarily "whizzes." They are eager to help you, but they are also fallible. Be understanding, and recognize both the extent and the limitations of the assistance they can provide.

CAs and TFs are students, too, with their own academic workloads. While they are happy to help you during office hours and appointments, there are times when approaching them is off limits. When you see CAs and TFs doing their own work in the library or computer lab, let them be. If a CA or TF asks not be called at home after a specific time, or not to be called at all, you need to respect that request.

Teaching For CAs and TFs

TF Weekly Review Sessions

Many courses, especially quantitative or other required courses, hold regular weekly review sessions, taught by Teaching Fellows. Their schedules are set by the Office of Teaching Support as part of the scheduling process. Fridays are reserved for these review sessions. Regular course meetings are rarely held on Friday, and then only if they are most unlikely to conflict with a review session.

Who Teaches the Review Sessions?

Generally the TF is in charge of the review sessions. The content -- what material is to be covered and where problems are most likely to arise -- is ultimately the responsibility of the course instructor. Instructors are expected to keep track of how the review sessions are going, and to work with the TFs to ensure their success. TFs are required to attend the classes taught by the instructors. One instructor's explanation: “…seeing how I confused the class so you know what you have to straighten out.”

Feedback from Review Sessions

TFs can provide the instructor with useful information about how a course is going, where confusion lies, where management of the course might be improved, students’ evaluation of the reading, etc. At the same time, students can provide the instructor information on how the review sessions are going.

TF Evaluations

TF evaluations are administered on line at the end of the semester, but they are separate from the standard on line course evaluation. The following TF evaluation form currently in use was developed by doctoral candidates:

Please Circle One: Fraction of reviews/sections you have attended so far this semester:

None A Few Half Most All

Please Rate the TF in Each of the Following Categories:

Scale: 1=Poor, 2=Satisfactory, 3=Average, 4=Good, 5=Excellent N/A=Not Applicable/Don't Know

1. Familiarity with the subject matter
2. Explaining concepts clearly
3. Answering students' questions clearly and concisely
4. Encouraging student participation
5. Clarifying material covered by the professor
6. Clarifying assigned readings
7. Accessibility outside of review/section
8. Caring about how review/section is progressing
9. Sensitivity toward international students (language barriers, different educational styles, etc.)

What do you like best about reviews/sections? What are the TF's greatest strengths?

Please comment on written feedback you have received from the TF (quality, timeliness, etc.).

Do you have any specific suggestions for improving reviews/sections?

Other Student Teaching Resources

The Bok Center for Teaching and Learning has a large amount of information related to teaching, including sections specific to student teaching.

The CA/TF Handbook has a section on teaching issues specific to teaching at HKS.

The Dean's Award for Excellence in Student Teaching

Students and faculty at the Kennedy School rely heavily on the success of the Course Assistants and Teaching Fellows. In recognition of this, the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Student Teaching is presented each year to outstanding CAs and TFs, who are chosen from a list of those who have been nominated by the HKS student body.

Past recipients have been:

1996	Mihir Desai, TF Matthew Eichner, TF Martha Bakken, CA Victoria Sweeney, CA Catherine Poynton, CA
1997	Colin Boyle, CA Shashi Verma, TF Shelley Fuld, TF
1998	Leandro Arozamena, TF Paul Barbir, CA Saru Jayaraman, CA John Mikhail, TF Robert Streiffer, TF
1999	Carrie Conaway, TF Lisa Nelson, CA Meridith Tirpak, CA Karl Rethemeyer, TF Audrey Wilson, TF
2000	Waleed Al-Mokarrab, TF Heather Harker, TF Matissa Hollister, TF Kessely Hong, TF Marcel J. Lettre, II, CA Dean R. Pettit, TF
2001	Carrie L. Conaway, TF Ethan D. Kaplan, TF Paul Porteous, CA Alesia Rodriguez, CA Lori D. Snyder, TF
2002	Christopher Blattman, TF Esteban Clavell, TF Bertha Angulo Curiel, CA Shanna Rose, TF Valentina Sequi, TF
2003	Catherine Barber, TF Marie-Louise Kirk, TF Khuong Vu, TF Talha Syed, TF Valentina Sequi, TF Aswin Techajareonvikul, TF
2004	Pelin Berkman, TF Naomi Calvo, TF Evren Pacalioglu, TF Ben Sommers, TF Narsimhan Swaminathan, TF
2005	Pelin Berkman, TF Jonathan Borck, TF Gee Kim, TF Ruben Kliksberg, TF Jesselle Loss, CA David Lynch, TF Demian Sanchez, CA
2006	Brian Robert Iammartino, TF Kristi Olson, TF Carla Smith, CA Alfie Ulloa Urrutia, TF Gernot Wagner, TF
2007	Samir Doshi, TF Sudakar Raju, TF Melanie Hollands, TF, CA Margot Crandall Hollick, TF Shunsuke Mabuchi, TF
2008	Yue Man Lee, TF Gary Reinbold, TF Gerd Schwarz, TF Ngoc Ahn Tran, TF Jessica Reitz, CA
2009	Syon Bhanot, TF Joshua Bookin, CA Kate Dillon, TF Aakanksha Pande, TF Gary Reinbold, TF

Information for Faculty & Staff

How to Make Effective Use of CAs and TFs

Most CAs and TFs do not take these jobs solely to earn money. Some are eager for experience in teaching, whether or not they will go on to an academic career. Some want to deepen their knowledge of the subject matter through having to explain it to students for whom the material is new. Some want to develop a closer professional relationship with a faculty member in their field of interest. Moreover, it's no secret that faculty who have supervised CAs and TFs can be helpful when it's time to ask for recommendations.

Coordinating the work of CAs, TFs, and the Faculty Staff Assistant

The courses that run the most seamlessly are those where the faculty member, the CAs and TFs, and the faculty assistant meet regularly to discuss workload, due dates for work products, coordination of homework collection, maintaining the Course Web page, and to confirm understandings about who is doing what.

CAs and TFs are not expected to begin work before the first day of class. Hence faculty should not rely on them to prepare course materials before classes start. Because of their familiarity with the course materials production process, even after the semester has begun it is best if the staff assistant (and not the CA or TF) be the person who manages the production of course materials (in conjunction with the Course Materials and Copyright Offices).

Faculty Responsibilities

CAs, TFs, the staff assistant-- all are part of the team that supports the course. Instructors are responsible for supervising their CAs and TFs (including signing CA timesheets once per week), making sure that they understand their role in the team, and holding them to a high professional standard. They are responsible for ensuring that their CAs and TFs understand their professional obligations as teachers with respect to the Academic Code, the Code of Conduct, the Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, the Sexual Harassment policy, Student Privacy Laws (Buckley Amendment), and Identifying Students in Distress. All these policies are linked below in the Contacts, Dates, Codes, and Policies section. It is helpful to establish early on a dialogue about expectations, making explicit both the instructor's expectations as well as the CAs' and TFs' responsibilities.

Faculty Oversight of the Review Session

Occasionally a TF's review sessions need improvement. If so, the instructor needs to know it, and the sooner the better. Hence it's wise to check regularly with students to get a sense for how the sessions are going. These are ticklish situations. You want to fix the problem, yet if you approach the TF who is handling the review session, you may undermine his or her confidence, which will only make matters worse. A few observations:

• If you think there's a problem, try to do something about it immediately. The sooner you face it, the easier it is on the TF.
• Make sure you're giving the TF enough guidance on what to cover, how to prepare, how to handle sticky situations, when and how to duck. ("That question is one for the professor; I'll check it out and get back to you.")
• It's usually better to ask a colleague or another qualified person to observe a review session rather than do it yourself. The colleague can then provide suggestions to the TF and to you.
• Talk with colleagues who have faced this issue; they may be able to offer good advice, and at least you'll know you have company.

Checklist For Types of Expectations and Responsibilities to be Made Explicit:

• Objectives of the course: It is especially important that CAs and TFs understand (and be able to articulate) the teaching objectives for the course and what the instructor wants the students to learn from particular classes or assignments.
• Amount of time CAs and TFs are expected to commit (see the Employment Policies section above).
• Crunch times: Identify them so CAs and TFs can balance their hours during these times.
• Administrative responsibilities: e.g., clearing the blackboards and checking in with the instructor before each class.
• Audio visual or computer equipment: reserving it, making sure it's working.
• Specific guidance for assisting with grading homework.
• Responsibility for and method of returning homework.
• Expectations as to how CA/TF office hours will be conducted.
• Expectations as to how review sessions will be conducted.
• Expectations regarding proctoring exams and assisting with grading.
• Responsibilities during class; noting, e.g., who participates, who doesn't, students' evident mystification, instructor's successes and foulups.
• Feedback from CAs and TFs: what sort from them, when, in what format.
• Weekly timesheets. Only faculty may sign the weekly CA timesheet. Faculty assistants maynot sign in lieu of the faculty member. These must be submitted weekly, and faculty may need to nudge students to do so.

Examples of Faculty Instructions to their CAs and TFs

Most faculty who have successfully coordinated CAs and TFs over the years have developed materials that lay out their expectations in detail. Below is an example of a faculty member's memo to a CA from Senior Lecturer and Associate Academic Dean Suzanne Cooper:

John F. Kennedy School of Government

Harvard University

Fall 2003

Guidelines for API-121 Course Assistants

The following are guidelines to make clear your responsibilities as a course assistant for API-121 this fall:

1. Attend class. The class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:10-2:30 a.m. in L140. I expect you will be there (subject to illness or special circumstances) unless you make a prior arrangement with me. In order for you to assist the students in office hours, you need to know what has gone on in class. Even if you took the course last year, it is very helpful to see things the material a second time and to know exactly how far I have lectured on a particular topic or what examples I have used. Please do NOT read other materials (newspapers, magazines, other course materials) during class. This is distracting to the students taking the class. Also, please sit near the back.
2. Attend a weekly meeting at a time to be announced. Please give me your schedules as soon as you are fairly sure what they are so I can choose a time for the weekly meeting that is as convenient as possible for all of you. At this meeting we will discuss common questions that students have, any administrative issues (like extra office hours before an exam), and any students who are having particular difficulty with the course. All information regarding student performance is CONFIDENTIAL, for obvious reasons of protecting their privacy as well as being professional ourselves.
3. Office hours scheduling. Each assistant will be expected to have four hours of office hours per week. These need to be spread out over the week, without overlapping or conflicting with your own schedules. These times will be distributed to all students, along with your email addresses. Before exams I will ask you to schedule additional office hours to accommodate the student demand. Rescheduling of office hours is strongly discouraged since students come to expect you at particular times. If you are ever ill, please first try to find someone to cover for you (if you are not too ill to make phone calls) and then reach me to let me know of the change. Office hours should be held on the 3rd floor of the Forum. You should be very careful during office hours NOT to give out answers to problem set questions. Ask questions back (Socratically) or give alternate examples, but do not directly provide answers to the problem sets.
4. Marking problem sets. The course has 6 problem sets that are quantitative. CAs/TF will mark the students’ problem sets using the answer sheets and grading guidelines that I will provide. You are to make no subjective evaluation of the students’ work. If there is ever any question of whether an answer is correct or incorrect based on the information I provide you, bring the problem set to me to be graded. Marking must be done soon after submission of the problem set by students, and generally within 2-3 days. I will give a grading deadline for each problem set as it is handed in. Problem sets will not be returned to students, however, until all CAs have completed their portion. When you finish, please submit an alphabetical list of student names and grades to me (hard copy or email). When I have received them all, I will email you to let you know to return the problem sets to the students’ mailboxes. If you have any particular relationship with anyone in the class that might affect your objectivity, please let me know in advance since you will not be permitted to mark that person’s work.
5. Exam proctoring and discussion. The midterm exam will be given during class time on Tuesday Oct. 28. CAs/TFs should be available to help proctor the exam during that time. We will meet on Friday, Oct. 31 to discuss and analyze students’ performances on the exam (no review session that day). Lunch will be provided. All CAs/TFs must attend this meeting except during course conflicts. If you have a course conflict, let me know as soon as possible. The final exam will be administered on December 17 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m., and CAs/TFs will proctor the exam. We will meet that afternoon and the next day at 9:00 a.m. to discuss and analyze student performance, and lunch will be provided on both days. Please mark these dates on your calendars so you will be available.
6. Testing exams. CAs may be asked to review prototype exam questions. At no point should your office hours reflect anything you have seen of such questions.
7. Communication. CAs should bring to my attention (during weekly meetings or more urgently if necessary) any students having particular difficulty with the course or any students exhibiting inappropriate behavior (asking for problem set answers, showing evidence of having cheated in problem set or exam preparation, or even calling you at home too late at night). Do not confront students on your own. Let me know of any problems and I will do my best to deal with them without involving you. Remember, any information you have yourself or you hear in one of our meetings regarding student performance is CONFIDENTIAL.

Thanks in advance for your help this semester. I hope you find the experience not only financially rewarding, but also academically rewarding. It really is true that it takes a greater understanding to explain something to someone else than it does to do the exam or problem set yourself, so I hope you all find this a useful experience.

Contacts, Dates, Codes, & Policies

Contacts:

Matt Lincoln
Coordinator, Office of Teaching Support
Office: Littauer 347
Email: Matthew_Lincoln@hks.harvard.edu
Phone: 617-496-2328

HKS Human Resources
Office: 124 Mt. Auburn St., Suite 240
Phone: 617-495-1140
Website: www.hks.harvard.edu/hr

HKS Office of Financial Services
Office: 124 Mt. Auburn St., Suite 140
Phone: 617-495-2161
Website: www.hks.harvard.edu/ofs

HKS Registrar’s Office
Office: 124 Mt. Auburn St., Suite 165
Phone: 617-495-1150
Website: www.hks.harvard.edu/registrar

Dan Rossi
Financial Aid Officer, Work-Study Coordinator
Office: 124 Mt. Auburn St., Suite 165, 110
Email: Dan_Rossi@hks.harvard.edu
Phone: 617-495-1153
Website: www.hks.harvard.edu/degrees/sfs/current-students/work-study

The Harvard International Office
Office: Holyoke Center, Room 864
Phone: 617-495-2789
Website: www.hio.harvard.edu

StudioHKS (Media Services)
Office: Littauer 250
Phone: 617-495-0493
Website: www.hks.harvard.edu/studioksg/index.htm

HKS Class Pages
Website: www.hks.harvard.edu/is/fs/classpages.htm
Aileen Grunder, Asst. Dir. of Information Technology
Email: Aileen_Grunder@hks.harvard.edu
Phone: 617-495-1344
Office: Taubman G-44

Dates and Deadlines:

Academic Year 2010 CA/TF Application Deadline:
Friday, May 1st

Fall 2009 Job Assignment Notification:
Early August, 2009

Fall 2009 CA/TF Training Workshops:
Friday, August 28th in Starr Auditorium, HKS
Friday, September 4th in Nye ABC, HKS

Spring 2010 CA/TF Training Workshops:
Friday, January 29th in Bell Hall, HKS

HKS/Harvard Codes & Policies:

Academic Integrity and the Academic Code

The Code of Conduct

Exams and Grading

Statement of Rights and Responsibilities

University Sexual Harassment Policy

HKS Sexual Harassment Document

Student Privacy

FERPA Regulations

Identifying Students in Distress

The HKS Student Handbook