Learn About Your Rights as a TA: Intro to TA Union

Event Date & Time

Event Description

This event is part of the TA Institute, taking place from January 16–19, 2023.

This is an in-person event.

Eligibility: The TA Institute is open to all undergraduate TAs, graduate students who are interested in teaching, and all graduate student TAs. This session is not open to general undergraduate students, staff, or faculty.

Being a TA is hard work. We’re in between our students and our instructors. Sometimes this is a comfortable place to be; sometimes it’s uncomfortable. Fortunately, our Collective Agreement (work contract) provides us with ample tools to make our work environment safe and enjoyable. Welcome to Your Union is an introductory session to all things TA union.

In this session, we will cover some important topics to help make your life as a TA easier. These topics include:

• What even IS a union?
• What’s a collective agreement and how is it made?
• Building a good TA-Instructor working-relationship
• Key elements of your contract (hours of work, vacation, etc.)

We’ll give you a breakdown of the most important parts of your contract—the ones you’ll most likely engage with—and talk about strategies for handling tough scenarios with students and faculty. Already have questions? Great! Bring them with you. There will be ample time for questions and discussions.

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Facilitator: Emily Cadger, PhD Student, CUPE2278

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Theme

If you wish to complete this workshop as part of either of the themes below to receive a Letter of Completion, you must complete:

• the pre-session online module by January 16th, 2023 by 11:59 PM
• fully attend 4 sessions under each theme you want to complete (this means arriving on time and participating until the end of the session)
• the post-session online module by January 27th, 2023 at 11:59 PM
• a theme completion form by January 27th, 2023 at 11:59 PM (only complete this form once—make sure to indicate all themes and all sessions that you have completed)

Click HERE to access all pre- and post-session modules for each theme and the theme completion form. If you have any questions about the pre or post work please reach out to CTLT.TAInstitute@ubc.ca.

This session falls into the following themes:

• Fundamentals of TAship 
• In-Person Mode

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TA Institute

This year, workshops in the TA institute are organized into 5 themes. If you complete 4 workshops in a theme, complete the related pre- & post-session online modules and submit a theme completion form, you are eligible for a Letter of Completion that you can include in your Teaching Portfolio and CV. The Letter of Completion will include a brief description of the theme(s) that you completed, and how the work you did in the theme(s) support your development as a teacher.