Key information to hiring GTAs

• It is the module leader's responsibility to provide their GTAs with all the relevant training, information and guidance on the work they have been assigned. You must make sure you communicate with your GTA and provide this support.

• If there are any changes to the work, if a GTA does not turn up or cannot complete the work, or if they worked overtime/need assigning to additional work, you must inform Lucy at environment-hr@york.ac.uk as soon as possible. Lucy is not a mind reader! And if she is not aware of changes, then this could have a huge implication on payment for GTAs and potential breaches of visa restrictions. 

• As you can see from the below section, the GTA recruitment process is long and complicated, and relies on many different factors such as working hours/visa restrictions, gender balance, module suitability, number of applications, etc. Therefore it is vital that you meet the deadlines specified in comms. If you don't, you may not be able to have GTA support.

How GTAs are recruited

In 2023, we revised our recruitment process to provide more information and expectations to our GTA applicants, and to decrease unconscious bias while reviewing the applications. So far this has been received positively - if you have any further feedback, please let Lucy know at environment-hr@york.ac.uk.

1. When developing/reviewing your module for the upcoming year/semester, please consider and note what activities will require a GTA, including marking.

2. Lucy will email you around 4-5 months before the start of the following semester to provide a GTA briefing document for your GTA work requests. Lucy will use this information to circulate an application form to our PhD students (and sometimes other departments too, where appropriate). Candidates will need to specify their working hours, which modules they would like to work on, provide an overview of their experience, as well as anyrrelevant module-specific skills/experience.

3. Lucy will anonymise the candidates and circulate the applications to module leaders. You will need to look at the applications and rate them accordingly. It is important to rate all eligible candidates, as unfortunately due to clashes and time restraints, you may not be assigned your first choice. 

4. Once the timetable is released, Lucy will send you the GTA spreadsheet with GTA allocation to review and confirm. You will only be able to request an alternative GTA if there is a evidential issue with who has been assigned. 

5. Make sure you communicate with your assigned GTAs and provide any relevant resources and training before they partake in any work. It is the module leader/requester's responsibility to set expectations and provide everything needed to allow the GTA to thrive in their work.