Teaching Assistants (process, rates, timing)

Procedure

• Summer Session sums all enrollments per department, divides by 44, then allocates that number of TAships. The department selects the individual who will hold each TAship, and which class they will be placed with, Summer Session hires all TAs.
• A standard 100-hour TAship can be cut in half for a 50-hour TAship, but no further. The max for any one TA is 200 hours, provided they don't have any other summer appointments.

Selection

• TAs are selected by departments and colleges. 
• For inquiries about getting a summer TAship, please contact appropriate course sponsoring units (like your major department).
• Our priority is hiring UCSC students as TAs. Exceptions needed for non-students.

Timing

• TA minimum allocations are sent to managers on May 12. 
• Departments can begin submitting TA appointments as soon as they get the estimate.
• The Official TA Allocation will be sent on June 2. However, the number of TAs that your department gets will either stay the same or increase (depending on enrollments).
• See Department and Divisional from 2012-present for reference.
• The Summer Session and AHR offices will hire TAs on a rolling basis until the initial mid-June deadlines. Late exceptions will be processed until the final mid-session deadlines.

Please note when a TA is hired after the initial June deadlines, the following applies:

• TAs cannot start working until they have received and accepted their appointment letter via email. 
• Payments may be delayed or off the regular summer cycle. 

The final TA hiring deadlines are as follows (no exceptions):

• 7/11: Session 1 
• 7/18: 8-Week 
• 8/1: 10-Week  
• 8/15: Session 2

Quick Links: Guide to Summer Payment Resources and FAQs

Hours and Payment

2024 compensation for Teaching Assistants and Readers
If a TA does not have any other appointments over the Summer, they can be assigned a workload of 200 hours max per 5-week session, or 400 hours max for the Summer.  
For further assistance on calculating appointment percentages over the Summer, please contact ueahr@ucsc.edu
The TA rate for 100 hours, pre-tax, will be based on their quarters of experience. TAs will be placed on the Experience Based Salary Scale as of the end of Spring quarter to determine the most appropriate rate. TA appointment letters will include their individual rates according to this placement. If you have any questions, please email the AHR team at ue-ahr@ucsc.edu.
During the summer, students who are U.S. citizens, Permanent Resident Aliens, and Resident Alien (for tax purposes), are not exempt from DCP Safe Harbor and Medicare Deductions. For more information regarding Safe Harbor and Medicare deduction please visit the Career Center website, General Employment Information.
If you have questions about your paycheck deductions, dependents you claimed, retirement etc. please contact Payroll at payhelp@ucsc.edu or 831-459-2488. Summer Session staff are unable to answer payroll-related questions.

There are no timesheets nor Cruzpay use. You are appointed for x hours, expected to work exactly x hours, and paid for x hours.

Receiving Paychecks

TAs who were employed during Spring quarter, and will not have a break in service between Spring and Summer, will receive their payment the same way (direct deposit or paper check) as they normally would during the year. 

TAs who are new or have had a break in service may receive a paper check sent via USPS to the last noted mailing address on file in UCPath. Instructors are encouraged to enroll in direct deposit as soon as their appointment begins, however, direct deposit is not guaranteed. Please note, it takes 1-2 pay cycles for direct deposit to become active. Given that Summer Session only has two scheduled pay dates, depending on your appointment pay date, direct deposit may not activate in time for processing.

Please visit your UCPath Self-Service portal and confirm your choices:

Employee Actions > Income & Taxes > Direct Deposit
Employee Actions > Personal Information > Home and Mailing Address

If you are a TA only for Summer Session:

Direct deposit is the fastest, most secure way to receive your paycheck. More information about direct deposit can be found on the Payroll Department’s website.
If you choose not to receive direct deposit, your paycheck will be delivered to your home address via the US Postal Service and may arrive 5-7 days after payday.

Payment Dates

Session 1 instructors - full pay August 1
Session 2 instructors - full pay September 1
8wk - half August 1, half September 1
10wk - half August 1, half September 1

Duties

Assigned responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following Teaching Assistant duties: 

Attending the assigned course
Conducting section meetings
Holding regular office hours
If assigned by the instructor of record,Reading and assessing student papers, homework, and examinations
Grading, and posting grades and final grades by the University’s grade submission deadline for each quarter to the University’s designated grade platform (currently CANVAS). 

Additional specific responsibilities for the courses may be provided by the instructor of record, college, or department. Specific responsibilities will be determined by the instructor who will serve as your faculty supervisor. Your supervisor will be the course instructor, unless the instructor is a Graduate Student, then you will report to the Faculty Mentor listed on your appointment letter. 

TAs assigned to weekly secondary discussions or labs are expected to hold these sections on the days, times, and location published in the Office of the Registrar's schedule of classes. Any changes to the published schedule must be requested and approved by the department chair.

Purchasing and Resources

See the Graduate Division's TA Handbook for more information.
See our materials page for how to order eBooks, textbooks, desk copies, and readers.
Make no out-of-pocket expenses, Summer Session cannot reimburse you.

Parking passes, bus passes, and gym passes

Parking/ Bus Passes - contact TAPS regarding  Parking Permit and Program Prices
Fitness Center/pool - contact Athletics and Recreation regarding Memberships