photo Harvard University - Economics Department

Teaching Fellow Frequently Asked Questions

 

Payroll, Appointment, and Logistical Issues

When will I be paid?

You will be paid on the 15th of the month for that month.

If you are a new employee, Clare MacLean has been in touch with you for filling out the necessary paperwork.

I have a new bank account and want to change my direct deposit, what do I do?

You are welcome to come and see Clare MacLean to fill out a new Direct Deposit Form (bring a voided check), or you can make the change yourself online through the Peoplesoft program.

  • You will need your ID # and PIN: go to http://harvie.harvard.edu/
  • Click on Peoplesoft, in the upper right hand corner of the screen
  • Click on the following items in this order….self service; employee; view; personal information; you will come to a window where you can update your information and this is your actual your payroll record.

    If you find you want me to take care of this, let me know, but be warned paper takes two weeks and the method described above is immediate.

 

I need a Social Security Number, how do I get one?

Go to http://www.ssa.gov/online/ss-5.pdf Print and complete the form. Get a letter from Clare and take both items to the closest Social Security office is in Davis Square one stop on the red line. This will take 10-21 days to have processed.

I am an international student, how much can I work?

You can work 20 hours per week. A section is about 7-8 hours per week. You can teach up to half time, 20 hours per week. This is two sections and a half of head TF, or two sections and 1 section of a 985.

You may be on both the TF payroll and the hourly payroll if you are a Harvard enrolled student.

Where do I hold my office hours.

Office hours are held down in the basement of Littauer. As you go down the stairs, take a right through both sets of doors. There are three offices located on the left of the hallway and you may use the sign up sheets for your office hours.

Recall that you have one office hour for each section taught.

Where is my mailbox?

If you are an Econ student you have a mailbox on level 200 outside Nicole's office.

Non-Economics TF's have mail boxes in the same area, only over near the elevator.

Can I get in the building after hours?

Yes, your ID has been given to the Building people and you should be all set. Be advised that the card reader on the back door sometimes is on the fritz. The front door seems to always be operational. If neither works, let Clare MacLean know by email of the problem, please include your ID number.

I need to make copies, what do I do?

You should obtain the faculty members course copy code from the faculty member or their assistant who is the instructor.

If they are not around, you may see Jim in 200 or me for the number. Either way we will verify that you are the TF for the faculty.

Please be advised that if you are copying in the building, and a staff member needs to make copies as well, they have rights over TF's and you should yield to them if you are asked to.

Is there a handbook for TF's?

Yes there are two, the FAS published book, Information For Teaching Fellows, will be provided to you by the Bok Center for Training.

http://www.gsas.harvard.edu/images/stories/pdfs/teachfell.pdf .

There is another book, The Torch or The Firehouse , which is available upon request at the Bok Center .

 

Teaching Specific

I have a ton of questions, is there one place with all the answers?

Most answers can be found on the Registrar's Website, alas from different documents.

  1. http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/fasro/
    Main Page for Registrar Lots and lots of good stuff.
  2. http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/fasro/sectioning/instructions_sectioner.jsp?cat=faculty&subcat=courses
    Electronic Sectioning
  3. http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/faculty_handbook/current/index.html
    Logistical information for Instructors, Course Administration, Exams and Reading periods, Grading, Student Problems, Resources for Instructors.
  4. http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/courses/Economics.html
    Online catalog – most up to date, with links to course websites.
  5. http://www.gsas.harvard.edu/images/stories/pdfs/teachfell.pdf
    Teaching Fellows Handbook - Practical information for TF's, salary structure, limits on teaching, professional conduct, resources for teaching.
  6. http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k1985&pageid=icb.page29730
    Excellent documentation from the Bok Center, covers a variety of issues, from “Harvardese”, managing hot debates in the classroom, leading discussions, using AV materials and so forth
  7. http://icg.harvard.edu/
    Course website information and assistance.

How do I schedule my sections?

Depending on the size of the course your Head TF may schedule your sections. You will have too coordinate with them.

If it is a smaller course you may schedule your sections electronically. This is highly recommended for sections that are large. You will have to attend a training session. Please visit:

http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/fasro/faculty/sectioning.jsp?cat=faculty&subcat=courses

Hint: You will need to select sectioning tool from the left side bar.

I want to give non-Harvard students access to the course website.

Non Harvard people taking courses should apply for an XID and provide that information to the Head TF or faculty assistant for inclusion in the website for emails and ID protected access to the course website. Instructions are at: https://xid.harvard.edu/xid-apps/

There is a mid term, where do I get blue books aka: Examination Booklets

Examination booklets for hour or midterm examinations may be obtained from Charles Botosh, Jr., in Science Center 125 (617-495-5094). A Harvard officer or faculty identification card must be shown to receive them.

Can I tell when my exam will be given?

Yes, approximately. Each course is given an Exam Group Number and that number corresponds to dates set by the Registrar's office. Exam Date/Exam Group can be found in either the Course Catalog or the Information for Faculty Offering Courses.

Classrooms

How do I schedule rooms for sections?
Discussion sections are booked on a first-come, first-serve basis. The FAS Classrooms Office begins scheduling discussion sections two weeks before classes begin. Each term the classrooms office expects to notify head teaching fellows of discussion section classroom assignments a week before the start of the term. Please note that all section assignments are tentative until all courses settle into their final classroom assignments shortly after Study Card Day (a week after classes begin). FAS courses have priority over all FAS discussion sections. If a discussion section needs to be moved to accommodate the needs of a course, the head teaching fellow will be notified immediately.

To request a classroom, email the FAS Classrooms Office at classrms@fas.harvard.edu. Put the course number/name in the subject line. Your email should list the following information:

  • Section Room request for EconXXXX
  • Day
  • Time
  • Room type
  • Size of section
  • Media needs

Please remember that the classrooms office is staffed by two people who handle thousands of requests in addition to yours, and they are all important.

I don’t want an FAS classroom, or there aren’t any. Where do I go from here?

Alternative Scheduling Offices

Additional Classroom Information

  • Media Technology Services Contact MTS after you receive a room. For classrooms in Sever Hall, call 617-495-9470. For all other classrooms (excluding those in the Science Center), call 617-495-9460. MTS maintains a website with photographs of FAS classrooms that have permanently installed media equipment: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~ims/Class/classfront.html. (For Science Center media requests, call 617-495-5357.)
  • FAS Registrar's Classroom Inventory The Classroom Inventory Chart () lists all the classrooms scheduled by the FAS Registrar's Office. It includes capacity, style of room, and prominent media features.

Our classroom is too small, and the instructor wants me to get it changed. What do I do?
See Clare MacLean and she will negotiate with the Classrooms Office on the faculty member's behalf. Please make sure that you are specific about what you need in a room - size, media, etc.

Website Access

I don't have access to my course's web page, who can help me?

Your faculty member, their faculty assistant, Erin Leveille or Clare MacLean can provide you access to the course websites. Clare has tried her best to set everyone up with access in advance. Head TFs will be able to give access to the websites as well.

Evaluations

Will I be evaluated?
Yes, the Department performs an internal evaluation at 4 weeks, normally the second or third week of October and the last week of February. We try to get the results to you promptly so you may seek assistance from the Bok Center early on, if needed or desired.

All courses and TFs for undergraduate courses are CUE-evaluated at the end of term. This is done online. Faculty receive the results shortly after the term ends; you should be in touch with the course head to get your results.

Clare MacLean receives CUE results, but not for months after the semester ends.

What happens if I score badly on CUE?
For scores 3.0 and under, you will receive a letter from the Dean of Academic Programs urging you to seek assistance from The Bok Center for Teaching and Learning.

If you score below 3.0 two semesters in a row, you will not be allowed to teach. This is outlined in the TF Handbook: The Office for Academic Programs reviews the forms for any member of the instructional support staff whose average “overall” rating on the 5-point scale (1=low, 5=high) is below 3.00. In these very few cases, the office sends a letter of concern to that instructor, copied to the course head(s), urging him or her to seek appropriate counseling on how to improve his or her teaching. If members of the instructional support staff who have received such cautionary letters fall below 3.0 a second time, they may be prohibited from further teaching in the FAS.

What happens if I do really well teaching?
The Bok Center, in conjunction with the CUE Office, awards the Harvard University Certificate of Distinction in Teaching to outstanding teaching fellows at a special reception each semester. Award recipients have achieved 4.5 or above on the CUE evaluation's 5-point scale, with at least 7 respondents from a section. The number of award recipients has risen steadily over the past decade, and now stands between 15 and 20 percent of the teaching-fellow population.

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