Undergraduate students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) may provide instructional support in several distinct roles: CLAS Peer Academic Support, Undergraduate Graders (UGs), and Undergraduate Teaching Assistants (UTAs). The following policies define and differentiate between these roles and provide rules governing their usage in CLAS. These policies and procedures refer only to undergraduate students in instructional support roles offered by departments and programs within CLAS. Other UI colleges and offices have different guidelines. 

This policy was last revised in November 2025 by CLAS UP with support from the Undergraduate Educational Policy and Curriculum Committee (UEPCC) and in conjunction with a committee charged by the Office of the Provost to research and make recommendations about this topic. See UEPCC minutes from February 13, 2025; April 10, 2025; April 17, 2025, and November 6, 2025. 

Definitions and Examples

CLAS Peer Academic Support

PLEASE NOTE: Prior to November 2025, these roles were referred to as CLAS Undergraduate Teaching Assistant.

Students serving in CLAS Peer Academic Support roles are responsible for supporting and facilitating learning in a peer-to-peer context in a course with supervision from the faculty member teaching the course. 

  • Students in these roles may earn course credit OR be paid an hourly rate for this work. Courses that may be used to grant credit for these roles include:
    • CLAS:4100 Peer Assistant
    • HONR:3100 Honors Teaching Practicum
    • Departments’ internal teaching practicum courses
  • Examples of these roles include:
    • Supplemental Instruction (SI) Leader: SI Leaders are responsible for leading out-of-class support sessions that are based in active and collaborative learning. Sessions focus on students gaining a deeper understanding of course content and learning study strategies. This role is centrally coordinated through Academic Support & Retention.
    • Learning Assistant (LA): LAs are responsible for providing in-class facilitation support in high enrollment courses (e.g. lectures) through activities and problem sets. This role is centrally coordinated through Academic Support & Retention.

Undergraduate Grader (UG)

Students serving as Undergraduate Graders are responsible for the grading of course assignments and assessments (e.g., quizzes, homework, exams) with objective grading criteria. 

  • UGs do not meet with students inside or outside of the classroom. Students enrolled in the course who wish to discuss any aspect of their grades or grading will meet with graduate TAs or instructors.
  • UGs do not perform any subjective grading. Instructors are required to provide clear rubrics or answer keys to Undergraduate Graders, and course material must be objectively assessable.
  • This role is coordinated at the academic department level.
  • Students in this role are paid an hourly rate for this work and may not earn course credit. 

Undergraduate Teaching Assistant (UTA)

Students serving as Undergraduate Teaching Assistants (UTAs) may be responsible for any of the following: in-class facilitation in a lab, studio, or classroom setting; assistance with curriculum development; out-of-class student interactions (e.g., drop-in hours, tutorial sessions); and/or grading course assessments.

  • UTAs may not teach standalone courses (i.e., they must be assigned to courses that include a lecture component and discussion, studio, or lab sections).
  • UTAs do not perform any subjective grading. Instructors are required to provide clear rubrics or answer keys to Undergraduate Teaching Assistants, and course material must be objectively assessable.
  • This role is coordinated at the academic department level.
  • Students in this role are paid an hourly rate for this work and may not earn course credit. 

Policies

CLAS Criteria for Departments Employing UGs and UTAs

  • Departments should commit to prioritizing departmental graduate students for TA roles. However, in instances where there is a deficit of departmental graduate students available, the department may consider hiring UTAs.
  • Each department or program wishing to hire UGs or UTAs must create a policy that qualifies students for these roles (see below).
  • After the department identifies the student candidates for these roles, these students' names must be submitted to the college (at clas-undergrad@uiowa.edu) for a final review of eligibility. 

Student Qualifications for UG and UTA Roles

To be considered eligible for UG and UTA roles, a student: 

  • must be enrolled as an undergraduate student in CLAS in each semester they are serving in this role;
  • must have a declared major in the same department or program as the UG or UTA role OR have completed a minimum threshold of work within that department to date (threshold to be set by department or program);
  • must have previously taken the course for which they will be serving as a UG or UTA OR have completed equivalent coursework or training;
  • cannot be enrolled in the course for which they will be serving as a UG or UTA, and should be considered ineligible to enroll in the course in the future;
  • must be available to attend all trainings and meetings required by the hiring department (e.g., pre-semester training meetings, weekly TA meetings); and
  • must meet other criteria defined by the hiring department.

It is preferred (but not required) that students hired as UGs and UTAs have some prior experience supporting student learning at the university, such as having held a CLAS Peer Academic Support role.

Supervision, Human Resources, and Training for UGs and UTAs

  • Student may work up to and no more than 20 hours per week during the academic year for all on-campus employment.
  • There will be job codes assigned in the HR system for UG and UTA roles, and hiring departments must use the appropriate codes for these roles.
  • UGs and UTAs must be supervised by faculty members (i.e. not graduate students).
  • UGs and UTAs must complete centralized HR trainings, such as FERPA, Ethics and Responsibilities, Professionalism in the Classroom (for those with in-class responsibilities), and departmental- or course-specific training.
  • CLAS will provide recommended pay scales for UG and UTA hourly rates.
  • CLAS will develop a conflict-of-interest policy for students in UG and UTA roles, addressing personal relationships (e.g., romantic, roommate) between UGs/UTAs and students enrolled in the course. (UGs and UTAs may disclose personal relationships to avoid grading those individuals’ work.)
  • CLAS will determine a policy for UG/UTA complaints, including steps for UGs and UTAs to follow if they have complaints or concerns.