HR Support for L&S Graduate Assistants

L&S provides college-level HR support for graduate assistantship issues. Laura Fisk is the L&S HR Associate Director for Student Assistants and Short Term Staff. Laura works with departments, but she can also help TAs directly with multiple issues, concerns, and questions.

HR to Help You comes directly from Laura. She introduces herself and shares insight on some of the most common graduate assistant HR topics.

Laura Fisk

HR Associate Director for Graduate Students

Phone: 608-265-3333
Email: laura.fisk@wisc.edu

HR to Help you

by Laura Fisk


Do you have concerns in your job as a TA or concerns about your work environment? Are you not sure where to start? I can help.

For example: If you have accommodations as a student related to a disability or medical condition and think those accommodations might help you in your TA role, I can help. If you have concerns about workload or expectations or your working relationship with your instructor—I can help with that too.  

Some common issues I help TA’s with are:

  • Accommodations needed to help you do your job as a TA, related to a disability or medical condition (examples: special lighting, special chairs or stools, or assistance with grading)
  • Using paid sick leave and understanding leave options  
  • TA workloads and expectations

If I can’t directly assist you with your issue, I am lucky to have a great team of others within L&S Administration I can refer you to—such as Lynne Prost, Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Academic Affairs (lprost@wisc.edu). 

Let me know how I can help! 

Laura Fisk, HR Associate Director for Graduate Students (laura.fisk@wisc.edu)


Learn more about Laura, HR, and employment policies in the New TA Training Canvas course, available all fall semester. Self-register at https://canvas.wisc.edu/enroll/L9LHR6.

Are you employed as a student assistant (ie TA, PA, RA, etc) and do you need to take time off for illness or other medical needs?  Not sure where to start? 

You likely have paid sick leave if employed as a student assistant.  See Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures (GAPP) under “Leave Benefits” (https://hr.wisc.edu/policies/gapp/), or contact your department’s Human Resources/Payroll staff or me. GAPP outlines who is eligible, how much paid sick leave they are eligible for, and usage.  The student assistant lets their supervisor and department know when they need to use paid sick leave, and the supervisor/department arranges coverage while the student is out using paid sick leave.  

Do you have accommodations as a student that might apply to your employment as a student assistant (ie TA, PA, RA, etc)?  Contact me to discuss. 

Laura Fisk, HR Associate Director – Graduate Assistants; laura.fisk@wisc.edu; 608-265-3333 

Employment Policies and Resources

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Graduate Assistant Policies & Procedures (GAPP)

UW–Madison Human Resources

Nondiscrimination on Basis of Disability Policy

Divisional Disability Representative (DDR)

Employee Disability Resources

Employee Assistance Office

Ombuds

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