TA Absences

This page summarizes how to find subs for TA absences in the math department.

Background

Below, we summarize current L&S and university policies on sick leave and specifically on missing teaching duties as they pertain to Math TA’s.  Note that the most up-to-date version of all Graduate Assistantship policies are in the Graduate Assistantship Polices and Procedures (GAPP) document: https://hr.wisc.edu/policies/gapp/. There is a summary of the Leave policies for graduate students with assistantships at https://kb.wisc.edu/ls/24845.

Sick leave

If you are a TA who is missing your teaching responsibilities (leading live class meetings) for reasons covered by the sick leave policy (see GAPP), you can use your sick leave. In this case, the TA is not required to make up the time, nor to find their own substitute.

To alert us that you are using sick leave, please email Bobby Grizzard, Cassie Williams, Qin Li, and Heidi Udelhoven (department manager) via email. It is helpful for you to do this as soon as you know you will be unable to attend your class, to give us as much time as possible to find a sub. Please also share in that email what needs to be done in your classes that day, and the location of any printouts that might be needed. (e.g., there is a worksheet on related rates and a 10 minute quiz, everything is in my box on the 2nd floor)

If you are sick, you are allowed to find your own sub in order to retain your sick leave for future use, but you are under no obligation to do so.

Other leave

If you are a TA who is missing your teaching responsibilities (leading live class meetings) for reasons NOT covered by the sick leave policy (see GAPP), then the TA is responsible for: obtaining approval from the lecturer to be absent for those classes; finding their sub; and making up the missed hours by subbing for the other TA’s sections or completing additional MLC hours.  This includes, for example, a TA who is traveling to a conference. You can always reach out to Bobby Grizzard, Cassie Williams, and Qin Li if you have questions.

How to find a sub

If you are seeking a sub, we encourage you to take the following steps (in order).

1. Reach out directly to the other TAs teaching for your particular lecturer, as this will be the least disruptive for the students.

2. Reach out to TAs teaching other sections of the same course.

3. Email all current TAs using math_dept_ta@g-groups.wisc.edu and all math grad students using math-graduate@g-groups.wisc.edu. (You have to be a math graduate student to send to the math-graduate group.)

4. If you still are unable to find a find a sub at this point, then you can reach out to Bobby Grizzard, Cassie Williams, and Qin Li and let us know. Even in cases where sick leave is not being used, we sometimes help find subs at the very last minute.

Note: LSAs should first try to find a sub from within their own course. If no one is available, reach out to current LSAs for other courses, or past LSAs.

Emergencies

If you find that you are unable to sub at the last minute (within 4 hours of your first class), please email Bobby Grizzard AND Cassie Williams AND Qin Li AND Heidi Udelhoven (2nd floor administrator). If we cannot find a sub in time, we will do our best to communicate the situation with your students and lecturer.

Longterm Absences

In cases of longer-term absences (3 or more days):  please contact your lecturer, Bobby Grizzard, Cassie Wililams, and Qin Li.  These are handled on a case-by-case basis.

FAQ

We are hoping to add a Frequently Asked Questions section. If you have a question, please send it to Bobby Grizzard, Cassie Wililams, and Qin Li and we will do our best to answer it, either via email or by putting an answer up here.