[Plsfaculty] Required: End of Term Evaluations for all Graduate Assistants/Associates

[Armendariz, Amanda - (amandao)]

Hello SPLS Faculty,

On Monday, I sent out an email to our grads about important reminders and cc'd SPLS faculty. Please be sure to complete your evaluations with your students by May 12th to ensure their funding. The evaluation forms can be sent to, amandao at arizona.edu<mailto:amandao at arizona.edu>,  and I can also ensure the student receives a copy. Please see information about the evaluations with links to the forms in the email below.

Sincerely,

Amanda Armendariz, MSW
Student Support/Graduate Coordinator
School of Plant Sciences
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
University of Arizona
Forbes bldg room 319
520-621-1219




Dear Colleagues,
It's that time again! I am writing with an important reminder regarding the required end of term evaluations (GA conversations) for all Graduate Teaching Assistants/Associates, Graduate Research Assistants/Associates, and Graduate Outreach Assistants/Associates. Please ask GA supervisors to use the GA conversation forms linked below to initiate a conversation with GAs regarding their performance in their GA role, including graduate students who may be graduating this spring or summer. The goal of the GA conversations is to provide meaningful performance feedback to GAs. The GA conversation starts with the GA and invites them first to think about their goals, achievements, and plans for improvement. Supervisors, respond to the GA's self-reflections by adding their own observations and feedback regarding performance. Please provide feedback about what the student is doing well and what recommendations there are for any areas of improvement. We encourage supervisors to hold a conversational follow-up meeting after completing the forms. Programs keep the record of the GA conversation except in the event that the GA's work was unsatisfactory. Then, the program must share the document with the Associate Dean of the Graduate College (Maggie Pitts, mjpitts at email.arizona.edu<mailto:mjpitts at email.arizona.edu>). Please review the Graduate College policy below. You will also find the links to the conversation forms and the verification form below. Please complete the evaluations no later than May 12, 2023.
End of Term Evaluations
The University of Arizona requires that each person occupying a Graduate Assistantship/Associateship in Teaching (GAT), Research (GAR) or Outreach/Other (GAO) position must receive a written performance evaluation from their faculty supervisor at the end of each term of hire, regardless of the specific duties.
The end of the term evaluation is intended to be a tool for both the student and the department to monitor and facilitate teaching/research improvements and to assist with the GA's professional development. The Graduate College has designed a Career Conversations form that emulates the one used for other University employees (TA Conversations(link is external)<https://arizona.box.com/v/grad-ta-conversation>, RA Conversations(link is external)<https://arizona.box.com/v/grad-ga-conversation> and OA Conversations(link is external)<https://arizona.box.com/v/grad-oa-conversation>). The conversation should follow the UA Human Resources (HR) example as shown in the video overview(link is external)<https://hr.arizona.edu/career-conversations#Video> with one important exception - GAs are not expected to align their evaluations to the UA strategic plan. The individual hiring units need to set up the flow, format, and additional rubrics that meet the hiring unit's needs. Completion of the GA conversations document by the student is a condition of continued employment for all GAs. The hiring unit is responsible for keeping the individual assessment forms on file (making sure to give a signed copy to the student). To verify compliance with the end of term evaluation, the hiring unit's designated staff person must complete the verification form<https://grad.arizona.edu/forms/financial-resources/graduate-teaching-assistantassociate-evaluation> to show overall completion of the assessments. Attempted submission by unauthorized parties may put the submitter at risk for a code of conduct violation or other disciplinary action.

Thanks
Maggie


Dr. Margaret (Maggie) Pitts
Senior Associate Dean, Graduate College
Associate Professor, Communication
University of Arizona
302 Administration Bldg
mjpitts at arizona.edu<mailto:mjpitts at arizona.edu>

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