The Mathematics Department hires teaching assistants as Limited Term Employees (LTEs) as needed for special assignments and to meet teaching needs. Most mathematics TAs are mathematics graduate students with continuing commitments as TAs and developing experience teaching mathematics courses.
The number of LTE TAs who will be hired in a given semester varies enormously, changing with undergraduate enrollments, numbers of mathematics graduate students, and many other factors. But there is one overriding fact: The enrollments in TA-taught math courses in the fall semester each year is much higher than in the spring semester. (This may be due to the number of majors which require one semester of math, or to many other possible causes, but it is always an observable fact.) In a typical fall semester it has been common to hire several LTE TAs, while in the spring semester we have frequently hired none. For various reasons, implemented in several ways, we are attempting to move to the position of having only mathematics graduate students as TAs. It may be a while before we reach that state, but in the meantime the probability of being hired as an LTE TA is certainly declining. You are welcome to apply, as described below, but you should not attach a very high probability to getting an LTE position.
From time to time we also appoint a few non-students to TA-like positions as Faculty Assistants or Faculty Associates. FAs usually have a PhD in mathematics. The application procedure for FAs and many of the details of the positions are the same as for LTE TAs, detailed below.
Those who do not have a continuing commitment for support as a TA and wish to apply for a position as an LTE TA, whether they are graduate students in mathematics or in some other department, may apply by submitting an application form and supporting materials. The form is available from the Graduate Programs Secretary, Ms. Sherry Lange, in 218 Van Vleck Hall. (The form is also available online for you to print out, in PDF form. Click here to go to the form. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader so that you can use a PDF file, click here to download it. We do not accept applications electronically, but you can print out the form and submit it to the department by mail or in person.) Additional supporting material should include a resume showing academic work completed and teaching experience, if this is not already on file with the department. Letters of recommendation which comment on teaching ability and experience are encouraged, as well as results of teaching evaluations. Those for whom English is not their native language must take the SPEAK test which is available on campus. An interview with the Junior Staff Supervisor (tacoord@math.wisc.edu) is useful and may be required.
A very few undergraduates may occasionally be hired as teaching assistants. The Undergraduate TA position is recognized by the College of Letters and Science, and the compensation package includes payment at the rate of a first year TA, but does not include tuition remission or health insurance. Applications from undergraduates will be given much the same scrutiny as applications to be a graduate student in mathematics, and must be submitted by April 20 in order to be considered for the following fall. No new applications for undergraduate teaching assistantships will be taken for the spring semester.
An appointment as a teaching assistant requires a significant time commitment: A typical assignment expects about 20 hours per week of work in one form or another. If you apply you will be asked to include a statement showing how you think you could combine that with your studies in such a way that the TA position does not interfere with your academic progress toward graduation. This might include consideration of your total number of credits taken in the semester, what the courses are that you plan to take and what they will expect of you, etc.
Applications are only accepted from students who will, in the semester that they will be teaching, have preparation and maturity comparable to incoming graduate students to the Mathematics department.
Your application should be filed with the graduate programs secretary and should include an application form, transcript, two letters of recommendation from mathematics teachers, a letter of recommendation from the department's Undergraduate Advisor (currently Dr. Gloria Mari-Beffa, maribeff@math.wisc.edu), and a letter from someone who is familiar with your experience as a tutor.
To apply to be an undergraduate TA, use the form available here. (To view and print this form you need Adobe Acrobat Reader: If you do not have Acrobat you can download it here. You may also get a printed copy of the form from the Graduate Program Secretary in 218 Van Vleck Hall.)
A critical part of applying is making sure we can contact you. If your telephone number, email address, etc., as you give them on the form, are not accurate at the time we make appointments, we may have to give an appointment to someone else when we are unable to contact you in a timely manner.
LTE TA positions in many cases will not be filled until the very last minute, when classes are about to start: This follows from the fact that many LTE positions exist only because of unforeseen enrollment fluctuations. Applications will be accepted until one week before the beginning of classes for a semester, and appointments made as the need arises. Because appointments will be made when needed, not necessarily all at one time, it is in your interest to get all of your application materials in early. In general we will try to notify you of an appointment as soon as possible, but that may not be until classes are starting.
For the fall semester each year we try to make tentative
assignments for those TAs who are math graduate students with continuing commitments by
May 1. Those TAs will be given time to
respond, perhaps needing to revise their assignment. Some LTE appointments may be made
after that, if a need is already apparent. As students will be continuing to enroll in
classes during the following weeks, additional LTE appointments may be made:
Depending on circumstances it may not be possible to complete all assignments
until essentially the start of classes.
For each spring semester the schedule is similar, with a round of tentative
assignments to those with commitments by December 1 followed by revisions and
possible hiring of LTE TAs during the following weeks. Because of enrollment
patterns the probability of being hired as an LTE TA in the spring is extremely
small.