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Graduate Assistants & Teaching Assistants

Graduate and Teaching Assistants at the University of Windsor are unionized and governed by a Collective Agreement (CUPE Local 4580). This section concerns several areas of interest and responsibility pertaining to hiring, compensating, and working with GAs and TAs. If you have a question that is not addressed on this page, please contact the Graduate Administrative Services Facilitator Svetlana Georgieva at svetlana@uwindsor.ca

GA/TA Allocations

Each AAU receives their GA/TA allocation from the Faculty Dean’s office. AAUs are responsible for tracking their GA/TA expenditures for the fiscal year (May to April).

Eligibility

Both GAs and TAs must be registered students in good standing in their degree program for the duration of their GA/TA appointment.

  • GAs must be full-time students.
  • TAs, if domestic, may be full-time or part-time students.
  • TAs, if international students, must be full-time students and eligible to work in Canada.

Contact Human Resources for further details.

GA Funding Considations

Offers for GA funding are tied with a commitment by the AAU for future GA funding and require careful consideration of the collective agreement provisions. Contact Graduate Studies for details and to request the GA funding offer template.

Funding obligation to GAs must be met while the assistant is still eligible for funding:

  • PhD students are eligible during their first 12 terms in the program.
  • Master’s students are eligible during their first 6 terms in the program.

Graduate and Teaching assistantships are paid as a salary and considered employment. Review information on University employment of full-time graduate students for further information.

Hiring Process

  1. AAUs determine their specific teaching support needs for each term as well as the mix of GA and/or TA positions required, in accordance with the Collective Agreement.
  2. AAUs post available GA and/or TA positions prior to the beginning of each term. Graduate Studies must review all GA and TA job postings. A reminder is sent to AAU Heads every term. Contact Graduate Studies to request the GA/TA job posting template.
  3. AAUs prepare GA and TA contracts and forward them to Graduate Studies for approval. Contracts must be received in Graduate Studies within the posted deadlines for each term and before the contract start date.
  4. AAUs ensure Form 1 - Outline of Duties is on file for each GA/TA contract (completed by instructor and assistant). Any subsequent changes to duties must be recorded on Form 1 at the mid-course review meeting.
  5. AAUs monitor appointments and notify Graduate Studies of any contract changes (e.g. changes in the assistant's registration status, instructor or assistant concerns/issues, etc.).

Performance Evaluations and Issues

Departments may use evaluations as a routine assessment to be completed either during the mid-course review meeting with the assistant or towards the end of an appointment. A standardized evaluation form must be used for this purpose. Contact Graduate Studies to request a copy of the GA/TA evaluation form.

For guidance on collective agreement provisions regarding GA/TA evaluations or performance issues, please contact the Graduate Studies office or the Director of Academic Labour Relations in Human Resources. Please contact the Graduate Studies Office or the Director of Academic Labour Relations in Human Resources.

Course instructors must be advised to always contact Graduate Studies or Human Resources for guidance as soon as they become aware of issues and before initiating any disciplinary action.

Professional Development

The GATA Network offers mentorship opportunities and teaching and learning resources to support graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants (GAs and TAs) with improving their pedagogical knowledge and skills.

Note: This site is a living document, the goal of which is to improve, in some small way, the working lives of University of Windsor faculty. We are eager to collaborate with the campus community to better this service over time. If you can identify any knowledge gaps, missing resources, or outdated or erroneous information on this site, please contact Iva Gentcheva, Director, Office of the Provost and Faculty Recruitment, without hesitation.