I wish to dispel the belief that graduate teaching assistantships are not “real jobs” and thus that TAs have no right to a fair contract.
Walking down the B wing of Wells Hall on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday, you will find packed lecture halls and benches full of students. The same time on Tuesday or Thursday you will find a near-empty hallway. Many students in mathematics can attend three 50-minute lectures each week and be successful. I teach those who need something more.
I teach for the Math Enrichment Program. Enrichment teachers work with, challenge and encourage those students who have struggled with mathematics in the past. With the help of an undergraduate assistant, I meet 19 dedicated students five days a week for a total of seven hours. The student/teacher ratio is better than 10 to 1 in my class. In a standard class it’s more like 177 to 1.
The Enrichment classroom is not a passive lecture hall. Our students work in groups, assisting each other and retaining what they learn. They work problems on the board and get immediate feedback from two well-qualified teachers. In short, Enrichment students get the extra help, feedback and problem-solving skills they have not been able to develop elsewhere.
The success of programs like Math Enrichment rests on the willingness of TAs to dedicate an extra four hours of class time each week. We also have extended office hours open to all Enrichment students in all Enrichment classes. Only by hiring and retaining well-qualified TAs will Math Enrichment continue to be a successful program. Please support the Graduate Employees Union by letting the MSU administration know that good TAs are essential and that we deserve a fair contract. Thank you.
Clark Musselman
graduate teaching assistant for the Department of Mathematics
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