About TA Training & Support

The GAPP (Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures) is a campus-wide resource that includes the most relevant employment policies for graduate students working as teaching, project, or graduate assistants.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, known as FERPA, is a federal law that governs the privacy of student education records, access to those records, and disclosure of information from them. As instructors, TAs must know how to safely work with student records. Learn more about FERPA via the Registrar’s Office.

The L&S Administrative Gateway is the best resource for learning about L&S policies and procedures. You must log in with your NetID.

The Graduate School at UW-Madison supports graduate students in their research, employment, teaching, and professional development. Please visit the Graduate School for more information.

• For your students: The Dean of Students Office is a great place to refer students you work with who would benefit from help with academic, personal, health, or other issues. This Office is also a valuable resource for you as a student.
• For yourself: The Dean of Students Office has dedicated resources for graduate students, including a dedicated staff member to help with questions. 

As a TA, you may have students in your courses who are working with the McBurney Disability Resource Center to receive accommodations to help them participate fully in your course. These can include things like seating in a specific part of the classroom, American Sign Language interpretation, or note-taking devices. As a student, you may also work with McBurney to receive accommodations. Learn more about the McBurney Center.

As a Teaching Assistant you fulfill many roles on campus. You are an instructor, a student, and may also be completing your own research or other work. Balancing these roles can be challenging, but there are resources on campus to help. Learn more about UHS Mental Health resources and self-care, and get help Thriving in Grad School.

The L&S Instructional Design Center’s Canvas Checklist for L&S TAs can help you start the semester off right by making sure your Canvas course and your Canvas account are ready to start the semester.

The Center for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring offers consultations, help with course design, a number of professional development opportunities, and information on many partner programs across campus related to teaching and learning.