MSA, GPC, GSA work on new TA awards program

Noce plans to use the Chalk Awards as a starting point.

By Travis Cornejo

Published Feb. 23, 2010

Missouri Students Association President Tim Noce is looking into creating an award program for teaching assistants at MU.

"The overall goal is to have a more cohesive study body," interim Graduate School Dean George Justice said. "We want to increase recognition among graduate and undergraduate students."

Justice said the idea of an award program would be a way of facilitating an event where graduate and undergraduate students could get together.

"I can imagine nothing better than gathering students from different levels and disciplines who all love to learn and share knowledge," Graduate Student Association President Angela AuBuchon said. "Of course, it will also be a nice way to recognize all of the amazing graduate teaching assistants we have at Mizzou."

Graduate Professional Council President Sarah Symonds said Noce approached both AuBuchon and her about the program.

"We were both very much in favor of it," Symonds said. "We believe graduate and professional students should be recognized for their teaching abilities in the classroom."

AuBuchon said in an e-mail the idea is to give undergraduate students an opportunity to recognize their teaching assistants for going above and beyond in the classroom.

"At the end of each semester, undergraduates would be able to nominate a TA, likely using an online form," AuBuchon said. "The following semester, all of the nominators and nominees would be invited to a reception to be recognized. There may even be one standout TA that is given special recognition."

AuBuchon said GSA might help Noce outline different categories for the nomination process.

"Our primary goal is to remind graduate student TAs of the impact they have on undergraduate learning," AuBuchon said. "We hope to reinforce what an honor this award is by helping with the reception and publicizing the recipients."

GPC will work with Noce to help promote the program, Symonds said.

"We were just giving him ideas on how he can expand the program," Symonds said. "He was looking for us for feedback."

Justice said the program would help to increase interaction between graduate and undergraduate students.

"It means a lot when your students take the time to recognize you," Justice said. "I think this will be beneficial from any number of perspectives."

AuBuchon said she hopes the program identifies teaching assistants who are invested in their students' success.

"These may be TAs who have a particular gift for teaching, are willing to meet for extra tutoring sessions or are willing to talk to students about graduate school or getting involved in undergraduate research," AuBuchon said. "I hope it also encourages more graduate students to take pride in being exceptional TAs."

The program could possibly be implemented this semester.

"I think the idea is that the nominations will be for this semester of teaching," Justice said. "To do that, we really need to get it up and running right now."

Justice said the actual awards would be given out the semester following nominations to avoid conflicts of interest. He said the program is similar to the Mutual Expectations program but with more of a celebratory feel.

Noce is also using the Chalk Awards, an existing award program at MU, as a springboard for MSA, Symonds said.