Methodologies for Allocating Teaching Assistant (TA) Support -- DRAFT

TA Funding for Undergraduate Courses (FWS Enrollment Only)

Funds are allocated to departments and programs by a formula that includes factors for student enrollment, size of faculty, and type of instruction.  The model is as follows:

 TA FTE  =  95% * (enrollment - faculty debit) / (PRC Ratio * 4)

1. Enrollment is an average of the prior spring, fall and winter quarters enrollments.  During years of rapid growth a factor for anticipated growth may be applied.

2. Faculty debit is the total faculty FTE (perm and temp) multiplied by 20

3. The PRC ratio is a student-to-TA ratio for the department established by the PRC

4. The model is funded at 95%, except for Writing Programs which are fully funded

5. Currently the funding is a rolling two-year guarantee to help departments project funding for graduate student support.

6. Reserve funding is held by the SVCAA to assist departments needing additional TA support, resulting from substantially above average enrollment growth.

A preliminary allocation is made in Winter quarter of the prior year.  The funds are then transferred to departments in Fall quarter.  The reserve is allocated the following Winter quarter.   For example, the 07/08 allocation is made in March 2007.  The funding is transferred to departments in October 2007.  The reserve for 07/08 will be allocated in February/March 2008.

TA Funding for Graduate Courses (FWS Enrollment Only)

TA FTE = (enrollment - course debit) / (student-to-TA ratio * 4)

1. enrollment includes only lecture courses that have more than 20 students, and is an average of the prior winter, spring, and current fall quarter enrollment.

2. course debit is 20 students per course

3. the student-to-TA ratio is set at 30 students, with the assumption that 1 TA FTE is able to teach 4 sections.

4. funding is provided if the need is 0.05 FTE or more.