Summer School Procedures Manual Chapter 09: Teaching and Graduate Assistants

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Summer School Procedures Manual Chapter 09: Teaching and Graduate Assistants

9. Teaching and Graduate Assistants

Only current UNC-Chapel Hill graduate or undergraduate students can be nominated as an instructor or in any other instructional support position, such as a grader. Units may not appoint non-students into these positions. Undergraduates who graduate in May are not eligible for any appointment.

A. Guidelines and Teaching Load

1. Summer School Administrators should collaborate with their department's director of graduate studies to determine a graduate student's qualifications to be the instructor of record with full responsibilities for teaching in accordance with the Policy on Qualifications of Course Instructors. Consideration should take into account whether the student has been a graduate assistant to a faculty member who teaches the course, has other teaching assignments, has had a pedagogy class at the graduate level, or has other relevant experience.
2. Graduate students and student assistants are not required by Summer School to be registered in either summer session.  If a student was not enrolled in the spring semester before summer teaching, they would require readmission to be eligible for any duties in the summer. Graduate students must also be academically eligible. Units should verify status by the end of spring semester. A teaching assistant (TA-coded as 21) can normally teach one course per summer, including first, second, and special sessions. Teaching one typical three credit hour course is expected to take 15-20 hours per week time (7.5 hours in class, plus preparation, grading, and meeting with students during office hours, etc.). In case of a special staffing need, the Summer School Administrator may make a written request to Summer School to allow a teaching assistant to teach an overload. The teaching of a second section of the same course is more likely to be approved than the teaching of a different course.
3. Under certain circumstances, students working in summer may qualify for exemption of FICA taxation. For graduate students, this means they are enrolled for two or more credit hours in the summer session of their assignment. For undergraduate assistants, this means they are enrolled for two or more credit hours in the summer session of their assignment. School and departmental employment policies may vary.
4. A graduate student who completes a terminal degree before the summer session in which a teaching appointment is held must be nominated as a visiting faculty member, following the appropriate procedures and conforming to the academic credentials required in a particular college or school. If the Teaching Assistant (TA) is first nominated at the 21 rank, the unit must indicate CONTINGENT on the nomination form. A new nomination should be submitted when the student is cleared for graduation. The unit must submit appointment forms for approval by the appropriate dean's/provost's office before payroll actions can be approved. The same forms are required under these circumstances as for any other visiting appointment.
5. An international graduate student who completes a terminal degree in May cannot be appointed to teach in First Session because of time constraints in securing work visas. International students graduating in August can be appointed. For those appointed for Second Session, work visas should be secured no later than seven (7) days prior to the first day of classes or the individual cannot teach.  You can review work authorization and end dates for international students in LawLogix.
6. A graduate student who is assisting (coded as 21P) may be appointed when there are large classes (greater than 40 students in lecture courses) or when there is a specialized need for such services (documented by the normal use of an assistant in the same course during the fall or spring terms or by course structure). This need must involve instruction. Additional assistants may be assigned to assist a faculty member, or when necessary, to assist a more senior TA but only if that senior TA has taught the course (been the instructor of record) in a previous term. A TA can be assigned to an online course enrolling more than 25 students, depending on the course structure. Permission is needed from Summer School for any exceptions. For any other responsibility, the unit should prepare a work plan with required hours to document and justify payment.
7. A graduate student does not normally teach other graduate students from the same department. Exceptions to this policy are considered on a case-by-case basis by submitting the proper form to the Graduate School. (See the Graduate School Handbook for this form.) It may be necessary for a full-time faculty member to be designated as the instructor of record for the course and as the graduate student's teaching supervisor.
8. In special circumstances, graduate students can be assigned to a Maymester course. Some considerations would be if the unit determines that the graduate student has appropriate teaching experience with excellent evaluations and knowledge of the material and if the course is one that the unit wants taught. Preference would be given to Ph.D. candidates and to graduate students who have taught in Summer School. The Summer School Administrator should consult with the Director of Summer School before a graduate student is nominated.

B. Calculating the Stipend

1. The salary for graduate students with full instructional responsibilities, (rank code 21) including presentation and final grading, is $6,600 for a three-credit hour course and $8,800 for a four-credit-hour course.
2. Assistants responsible for laboratory sections and for partial assignments such as grading are paid at a rate determined on an individual basis by each unit's administrator in consultation with Summer School. Assistants without full instructional responsibilities (rank code 21P or 26) should be paid:
   1. less than teaching assistants,
   2. pro-rated compared to a full TA, based on their workload, degree status, in line with stipends in prior years, and level of skill and competency necessary to accomplish the work assigned.
3. Graduate students teaching in the Summer Bridge program receive a total stipend equivalent to a four-credit hour assignment.

C. Completing the Nomination Form

1. Refer to Summer School Procedures Manual Chapter 08, item D, for information on completing the Instructor Nomination Form. Information must be accurate, complete, and typed. The dates the nomination forms are due in Summer School are listed in the Summer School Procedures Manual Chapter 04 (Planning Calendar).
2. Indicate the proper rank code for graduate students. A graduate student with full responsibility for a course uses the rank code of 21. A graduate student assisting in a course uses the rank code of 21p. (The rank of 21p is not a payroll code, but an in-house code used by Summer School to distinguish graduate students with full responsibility for a course from graduate students who are assisting in a course.)
3. Contract letters must be signed and returned at least two weeks before the first day of the summer term.
4. When a teaching assignment is changed, Summer School must be notified in writing, including whenever instructors are shifted among lab sections. Use an Instructor Change Form to show additions, deletions, or changes; do not copy and overwrite a previously submitted form. Such notification is required in order to maintain accurate records of employment for payroll purposes. We cannot accept changes by phone or fax.  Additionally, units must notify their HR reps of any changes in personnel or pay.  Please see Chapter 13:  Forms for examples of change forms.
5. The nomination for a graduate student who is expected to graduate in May should have a contingent designation on the nomination form. A new form should be submitted well in advance of the summer session to change the status.

D. Stipend

1. Students, regardless of instructional assignment, are paid once at the end of the session by direct deposit. Payment will be made to the individual teaching. No payments will be made to a second or third party. Payment will be made during the session that the instructor teaches as long as a signed contract letter is on file in Summer School.
2. Unit managers prepare all payroll actions by logging into ConnectCarolina using their Onyen and password. UNC-Chapel Hill graduate students will need three actions processed in ConnectCarolina for teaching in Summer School: Add/Update Position, an appointment to a Summer School position, and a lump sum payment. The Add/Update position may be processed at any time in prep for the appointment.  The appointment to a Summer School position may be processed any time in the spring after nomination forms are complete. (Note that in the rare case that a student is working or teaching in both sessions, only one appointment action is necessary. Use the first session beginning date and the second session end date.) The lump sum payment action may be initiated beginning on the first day of the appointment: 5/8/24 for First Session and Maymester; 6/17/24 for Second Session. These lump sum payment actions will need prompt attention as all approvals will need to be completed by the midpoint of the session. Processing could take more than three weeks from the date of submission. Payroll actions not completed in First Session cannot be carried to Second Session because it operates in the next fiscal year.
   1. From the HR Workcenter, select the ePAR home page and then click on the "Start a new ePAR" link. Click on the "Add/Update Position” link.
   2. Select ‘Add a New Position’ to create a new position as Summer School EHRA Students/Teaching Fellow.  If a Summer School EHRA Students/Teaching Fellow position already exists in your department, you can use the Copy Position feature to minimize data entry to create new position(s).  For EHRA student positions and appointments, there can be more than 1 student in a position if the Department, Job Code, FTE, Funding Information, and Reports To are all the same, but the total headcount of the position must be increased to reflect the total number of students in the position.  [Note: If there is already a vacant Summer School EHRA Students/Teaching Fellow position to use, then choose ‘Change an Existing Position’ to make any needed updates to the description or other data, such as Reports To information or to increase headcount.]
   3. Using “Add a New Position,” click Next.

Position Data

• Effective Date: Using an effective date of April 1 or earlier will ensure the position is available for any needed updates prior to initiating the Hire ePAR.
• Department: Enter the Academic Department number that will offer Summer School courses.
• Reports To: Enter the Position for the manager/supervisor.
• Job Family: Select EHRA
• Job Function: Select EHRA Students/Teaching Fellow
• Job Code: Select “800185 Summer School Teaching Assistant” for graduate students serving in an academic capacity.  Select “800186 Summer Instructional Assistant” for undergraduates serving in a support capacity.  This could include but is not limited to undergraduate lab assistants, library assistants or Writing and Learning Center assistants.  If you have questions about which code to select, please contact Summer School (https://summer.unc.edu/).
• Employee Group: Select EHRA Student/Teaching Fellow
• Regular/Temporary: Temporary will default in, do not update
• Standard Hours: 20 will default in but will self-adjust when you update the FTE - see information and table below
• FTE: Enter FTE amount
• Note: Select the appropriate FTE according to credit hours taught from the table below.
• Max Head Count: 1 is the default; you can increase to more than 1 if the Department, Job Code, FTE, Funding Information, and Reports To are all the same.
• Select Next

Position Summary Page

• Position Summary: optional field
• Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit: optional field; if one is in the system, it will auto-populate
• Minimum Education and Experience Requirements: optional field
• Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, & Experience: optional field
• Special Physical/Mental Requirements: optional field
• Select Next

UNC-Chapel Hill Position Attributes

• Position Budget Amount: optional field, defaults as $0.
• Position Location: if on campus, North Carolina
• Position Country: United States will default in
• Position State: North Carolina will default in
• Immunization Review Required: Mark the checkbox to designate positions that have employees entering facilities where patient care is provided, whether in a patient care area or in an administration wing. This box will flag the position for the Immunization Review program per UNC-Chapel Hill Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) guidelines.
• Bloodborne Pathogen: Mark the checkbox to designate positions with potential exposures to blood or bodily fluids. This box will flag the position for EHS bloodborne pathogen training and surveillance.
• Position Action Reason: Reason Code: New Position [This is the default is you are creating a new position. Use other Reasons only if you are updating an existing position.]
• Comments: Enter comments that maybe helpful for the approvers. Once the ePAR is approved, then you will use the position number created/updated on the hire ePAR.
• Click Submit.

3. Once the Position ePAR is approved, then you will use the position number created/updated on the hire ePAR.  From the HR Workcenter, select the ePAR home page and then click on the "Start a new ePAR" link. Click on the “Hire an Employee" link.
   1. The "Step 0 of 5: Candidate Search" page appears. Enter either Employee ID for the Faculty member, Teaching Fellow/Graduate Teaching Student, or Postdoctoral Research Associate approved to instruct Summer School, and click the 'Search' button. Select the employee from the returned listing by clicking on the arrow next to their name.
   2. The "Step 1 of 5: Job Information" page appears. Enter the following information into the fields indicated:
      • Effective Date: One week prior to the date of the Summer School session: 5/8/24 for Maymester and First Session; 6/17/24 for Second Session.
      • Job Family: Select "EHRA." [EPA]
      • Employee Group: select "EHRA [EPA] Student/Teaching Fellow." Additional fields will appear on the page based on this selection.
      • Position Number: Enter the position number created/updated from previous section.
      • Department, Location Code, and Job Code all default in from the position.
      • Expected Job End Date: This should be the fourth day after the last day of exams: 6/26/24 for Maymester and First Session; 8/3/24 for Second Session. This allows for all grades to be entered before the position end date.
      • Regular/Temporary, Std Hrs, FTE, and Reports To default in from the position.
      • TSERS Re-employed Retiree?: check this box only if the employee is a TSERS Re-employed Retiree.
      • I certify no posting or waiver was required for this action: check this box for a current UNC-Chapel Hill employee who is approved to instruct Summer School in addition to their primary job.
      • Edit Existing Job: Do not check this box because the employee is not leaving any other UNC-Chapel Hill job to accept this job.
      • Non-Compensation Job: Indicate "Yes" in this field because the compensation for Summer School instruction is paid by Lump Sum Payment separately and not indicated with a Comp Rate and Funding Sources on the job record. By selecting "Yes" you are allowed to bypass the Compensation Rate and Funding Sources page in the Hire form.
      • Click the “Next” button at the bottom of the page.
   3. The "Step 2 of 5: Job Info UNC" page appears. Enter the following information into the fields indicated:
      • UNC-Chapel Hill Long Title: Defaults from either Position Number or Job Code entered on Step 1 above.
      • Primary Faculty: Select "Secondary."
      • Faculty Service Period: Select same value as on Primary Faculty Job for existing UNC-Chapel Hill employee; for an employee hired specifically to teach Summer Session, indicate "Summer."
      • Click the “Next” button at the bottom of the page.
   4. The "Step 4 of 5: Finalize Form" page appears (you skipped the Step 3 of 5: Compensation page because this will be paid by Lump Sum Payment). Enter the following information into the fields indicated:
      • Action Reason Code: Select "EAD - EHRA [EPA] Additional Appointment" (Note: 'Action' field value will have defaulted to "Hire" based on use of Hire ePAR form, but you must select the corresponding "Action Reason Code").
      • Background Check and I-9: Check the box to indicate that a pre-employment background check (where applicable) and Form I-9 have been completed for the employee (these would have been processed at the time of hire for their primary job).
      • File Attachments: Do not use.
      • Comments: Type course and section to be taught.
      • Click the "Submit" button.
   5. The "Step 5 of 5: Form Finalized" page appears.
      No data entry is made on this page.
      The page displays the ePAR workflow approval routing stops for Level 1 (optional - department level), Level 2 (dean's office/division level) and Level 3 (central HR, OSR/Budget, Summer School, etc.) for reference.
      Click on the "View This Form" link to generate a summary page of this Hire action for reference/printing.
      Click on "Close This Form" link to close the form.
      Click on "Go To Worklist" to access your Worklist directly from this form.
4. After the Summer School hire action has been approved and the effective date has been reached, units will process a lump sum payment action using the Summer School position. Be sure to have your Chartfield handy. This was provided in your personnel allocation sent in September.
   1. From the "ePAR – Personnel Action Request Home Page," click on the "Start a new ePAR" link. From the "Create a New ePAR" page, click on the "Lump Sum Payment" link.
   2. The "Lump Sum Add Lookup Search" page appears. Enter either Employee ID for the Faculty member, Teaching Fellow/Graduate Teaching Student, or Postdoctoral Research Associate approved to instruct Summer School, and click the 'Search' button. A listing of jobs held by the employee is returned. IMPORTANT: Select the Summer School job from the returned listing. You may have to click on each job listed to identify the Summer School job. (You do this by clicking on the small blue and white "i" next to the arrow.) The Lump Sum Payment to pay for Summer School instruction MUST be processed against the Summer School Job in order to be paid within the correct Payroll Calendar.
   3. The "Step 1 of 2: Submit Lump Sum Request" page appears. Enter the following information into the fields indicated:
      • Under the 'Employee Details' section verify the Job Code shows the correct Summer School job. If it does not, you will need to click the "Home" link to cancel this action and repeat steps 3.a and 3.b above to select the Summer School job.
      • Effective Date: Note important change.  The beginning date of the Summer School session: 6/1 for Maymester and First Session; 7/1 for Second Session.  Payment will now process along with the monthly payroll.
      • Payment Type: Select "Summer School" (Note: there is also a "Summer Salary" option - do not select this. Select "Summer School").
      • Payment Amount: Enter the dollar amount to be paid for Summer School instruction.
      • Originating Department: Enter department number
      • Work Period Start Date: The beginning date of the Summer School session: 5/15/24 for Maymester and First Session; 6/24/24 for Second Session.
      • Work Period End Date: The ending date of the Summer School Session: 6/22/24 for Maymester and First Session; 7/30/24 for Second Session.
      • Justification: Free-text field for you to record which course will be taught.
      • Payment Amount: Enter the dollar amount to be paid.
      • Combination Code or Chartfield String: Enter the UNC-Chapel Hill Summer School designated Combination Code or Chartfield. The Chartfield was provided in your personnel allocation. Use account 513170.
      • Add File Attachment: Do not use.
      • Comments: Additional free-text field.
      • Click the "Submit" button.
   4. The "Step 2 of 2: Submit Lump Sum Request" page appears.
      No data entry is made on this page.
      The page displays the ePAR workflow approval routing stops for Level 1 (optional - department level), Level 2 (dean's office/division level) and Level 3 (central HR, OSR/Budget, Summer School, etc.) for reference.
      Click on the "View This Form" link to generate a summary page of this action for reference/printing.
      Click on "Close This Form" link to close the form.
      Click on "Go To Worklist" to access your Worklist directly from this form.
5. State and Federal income taxes are deducted from stipends as required by the IRS (Circular E). Retirement payments are deducted from stipends of eligible faculty members who are participating in UNC-Chapel Hill plans. Social Security tax is also withheld as required by law. Qualified students are exempt from FICA withholdings. See the Payroll Services website for additional information on deductions.