[Summary: This message announces a new type of instructional support for Fall 2020: Undergraduate Technology Assistants (UTAs), who will assist faculty with the technological aspects of remote instruction. The message goes on to outline the process by which UTAs will be allocated and how faculty may request UTAs for their courses.]
To: FAS Faculty
Cc: FAS Steering
Dear FAS Faculty,
We write with news about a new category of instructional support. Thanks to support from the FAS Dean’s and Provost’s Offices, we are able to offer funding for a limited number of Undergraduate Technology Assistants (UTAs) who will assist faculty teaching on-line courses with technology needs associated with remote instruction for the 2020-21 academic year.
Assigned duties may include: assisting faculty with Zoom, Canvas and other online tools; ensuring links to live online sessions are created and shared with students; managing student participation by monitoring chats and noting hands raised; and other related needs. UTAs will join all synchronous meetings of the course to which they are assigned and will meet as needed with the instructor to discuss technical issues related to remote instruction.
UTAs will complete mandatory training provided by the Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning and be hired and assigned to courses centrally. All courses with projected enrollments of 50 or more will be guaranteed a UTA. Faculty may request additional UTAs if there are specific tasks that require more attention than a single UTA can provide. Faculty may also request UTAs for courses with lower enrollments, based on specific pedagogical needs.
If you wish to request a UTA(s) for your course, please submit this form no later than August 3rd. Requests for courses with projected enrollments of less than 50 will be reviewed by the Poorvu Center and the Office of Undergraduate Education in Yale College.
Questions regarding the UTA program may be direct to Pamela Schirmeister at pamela.schirmeister@yale.edu.
Best wishes,
Tamar and Marvin
Tamar Szabó Gendler
Dean, Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Marvin Chun
Dean, Yale College