NewGraduate Teaching AssistantOrientationAugust 11

Welcome to Knoxv

ille

2020

Message from the Dean

Dix i e L . Th

om

pson, P

hD

•

Wishing much success this fall and in the years ahead,

Dixie ThompsonVice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School

Welcome GTAs! “Thank you for your service.” That is a phrase most often used to demonstrate appreciation to members of the armed forces, first responders, and more recently essential workers. But, I believe this phrase applies equally to those who are teachers. The efforts made by teachers directly impact the lives of their students, and the work that you will do as a GTA has the potential to make a positive impact on undergraduate students at the University of Tennessee. So in advance of the fall 2020 semester, let me be the first to say “Thank you for your service.”

You may be new to teaching, or you may have previous experiences in the classroom. Regardless, fall 2020 is going to be different than what we have experienced previously. The challenges we face because of the coronavirus pandemic will make teaching different that it has ever been. All members of our campus community will be practicing physical distancing, wearing masks, and taking other measures as prescribed by public health officials. Be sure to make yourself familiar with the COVID-related guidelines on the university and Graduate School website. It is essential that you carefully review the instructor’s training information and complete the course found on this site. The instructor’s training will provide you valuable information to keep yourself and your students as safe as possible.

The speakers at the New GTA Orientation provide important insights from offices across campus. Teaching and student success are collaborative ventures that require cooperation across units. In this program, you will find valuable links to resources on campus. Familiarize yourself with these resources so that you can be positioned to be the best possible teacher for our students. If you need help with your teaching duties, be willing to ask for support. We want you to be a successful teacher because that will translate into success for your students.

The success of our students is critical to our university’s mission, and you are key members of our teaching force. Often, undergraduate students feel more comfortable reaching out to GTAs than to other members of our instructional faculty. Get to know your students, even if in an online environment, and let them know you are there to help them. You could be a difference maker in the success of a student.

AGENDA

Graduate TeachingAssistant OrientationThe University of Tennessee

August 11, 2020

12:00-12:40 pm UT Libraries

12:50-1:10 pm Student Conduct

11:30-11:50 am Disability Related Accommodations

10:20-11:00 am Student Success Center

9:50-10:10 am Title IX

Teaching and Learning Innovation9:00-9:40 am

Welcome & IntroductionDixie L. Thompson, Dean of the Graduate SchoolAustin Boyd, Graduate Student Senate President

8:30 am

1:20 pm Closing Comment

1:30 pm End

11:00-11:30 am Intermission

Creating an Effective Teaching Practice

This session will introduce graduate teaching assistants to evidence-based teaching practices. Examples of practices that can be easily implemented into any classroom or laboratory setting to improve student learning and engagement will be shared. Participants will engage in small group discussions and activities to deepen their understanding of evidence-based teaching. The session will wrap up with an overview of teaching and learning professional development opportunities.

9:00 am

Melissa Hinten, Teaching and Learning Innovation

Robert Jacobsen, Teaching and Learning Innovation|

Title IX Rights as a Student & Role as an Employee

This presentation will provide an overview of the mission and role of the Office of Title IX Participants will learn about their rights as a student under Title IX and their role as a mandatory reporter under Title IX in the context of their employment at the University.

Laura Bryant, Office of Title IX9:50 am

Academic Misconduct and Managing the Classroom Development

Graduate Teaching Assistants will learn about the Student Code of Conduct, data on common academic misconduct violations, and the process for submitting an academic misconduct incident report. In addition, SCCS staff will discuss the threshold for reporting inappropriate language or behavior in the classroom and best practices for engaging students in difficult conversations.

Hannah Samawi, Student Conduct & Community Standards

12:50 pm

The Provision of Disability-Related Accommodations

The number of students with disabilities who request accommodations continues to grow at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. This presentation explains the accommodation request process and the role of faculty in the provision of accommodations for qualifying students with disabilities.

David Ndiaye, Student Disability Services11:30am

Division of Student Success

The Division of Student Success works to engage each scholar’s experience by supporting their unique strengths and goals. In collaboration with the UT community, we help each scholar maximize their individual strengths and understand how their strengths contribute to their academic dreams, career paths, and personal well-being. During this presentation, you’ll learn about the resources available to scholars and how you, as a GTA, can connect them to these supports.

Amber Williams, Division of Student Success

10:20am UT Libraries: Teaching Tools & Resources

UT Libraries is here to support you as a GTA. This session will provide an overview of some of the people, collections, and spaces we offer to help ensure your success, including support for information literacy instruction (and why this it is important), online help, scholarly publishing, tips for creating effective assignments, managing citations, locating and accessing research materials, tutorials, and much more.

Peter Fernandez, UT Libraries12:00 pm

SESSIONS

About the GSS

The Graduate Student Senate (GSS) represents the interests of all graduate and professional students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The GSS provides the opinion of the graduate student body to administrators and works towards the betterment of the graduate and professional student experience on campus. In addition, the GSS has partnerships with various organizations and departments on campus to provide valuable programming for graduate and professional students. This includes, but is not limited to Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week (GPSAW), collaborations with the Center for Career Development, GSS Travel Awards which provide funds to graduate and professional students traveling to conferences to present original work, and the GSS Awards Ceremony and Breakfast which recognizes outstanding graduate and professional students as well as the faculty and staff who support them.

The GSS participates in the establishment of policies and regulations relating to the graduate experience and makes recommendations to the appropriate decision-making officers. The voting membership of the GSS consists of representatives from each academic graduate program or department. In addition to internal strategic planning and legislative com-mittees, many GSS Senators serve as representatives on various universi-ty-wide committees including the Graduate Council.

President Austin Boyd

Vice President Shahram Hatefi Hesari

gss@utk.edu

gss2@utk.edu

GPSPDGraduate & Professional StudentProfessional Development

The GPSPD team has worked to create a framework for professional development that can help guide graduate and professional students to opportunities that can help them achieve their career goals.

Professional Socialization & ProfessionalismLearn skills and compentencies to become a professional in research and applied settings.

• Learn collaboration across disciplines and creative problems solving to develop projects and effectively lead or contribute to teams.

• Identify and cultivate the transferable skills taught within the graduate career that are expected of a high level, working professional.

• Develop a professional identity.

Networking & Relationship BuildingProfessional opportunities such as internships, grants, and collaborations are often acquired through professional networks.

• Learn to establish and cultivate relationships with professionals and organizations in your field.

Communication & Presentation SkillsWriting and speaking to the public and within your field are critical for professional success.

• Learn to develop professional oral and written communications, including public speaking, professional correspondence, presentation development and delivery, visual representation of data.

• Learn when and how to use social media for personal brand development and professional purposes.

Career Development & ManagementCultivate the skills to assess opportunities and take strategic risks

• Build awareness of career options in your field and pathways to those careers.

• Learn personal goal setting and implementation.

• Develop relevant skills, experience and competencies toward that career goal.

• Develop a professional identity

Well-Being & Personal DevelopmentIt is important to understand the demands of graduate life and professional life.

• Learn to manage the competing priorities of personal and professional life.

• Develop attention to work-life harmony, personal goals, and professional productivity.

tiny.utk.edu/GPSPD calendar.utk.edu/GPSPD

CAMPUS CONNECTIONS

Center for Career Development

865-974-5435 • career@utk.educareer.utk.edu

Center for Global Engagement

865-974-3177 • cge@utk.educge.utk.edu

Center for Health Education & Wellness

865-974-5725 • wellness@utk.eduwellness.utk.edu

Dean of Students

865-974-3179 • dos@utk.edudos.utk.edu

Judith Anderson Herbert Writing Center

865-974-2611 • writingcenter@utk.eduwritingcenter.utk.edu

Office of Diversity and Engagement

vcde@utk.edudiversity.utk.edu

Office of Information Technology

865-974-9900 • help@utk.eduoit.utk.edu

Office of Ombuds Services

865-974-6273 • lisayl@utk.eduombuds.utk.edu

Office of Research & Engagement

865-974-3466 • research@utk.eduresearch.utk.edu

Office of Title IX

865-974-9600 • titleix@utk.edutitleix.utk.edu

One Stop Student Services

865-974-1111 • onestop@utk.eduonestop.utk.edu

Parking & Transit Services

865-974-6031 • parking@utk.eduparking.utk.edu

Student Conduct & Community Standards

865-974-3171 • studentconduct@utk.edustudentconduct.utk.edu

Student Disability Services

865-974-6087 • sds@utk.edusds.utk.edu

Student Health Center

865-974-3135studenthealth.utk.edu

Questions about graduate student health insurance? Contact Yolanda McCaffrey at 865-974-2337 or Sara Dunphy at 974-6147.

Student Success Center

865-974-6641 • studentsuccess@utk.edustudentsuccess.utk.edu

Teaching & Learning Innovation

865-974-9872 • tli@utk.eduteaching.utk.edu

UT Libraries

865-974-4351lib.utk.edu

You can also email the Research Assistance staff or text questions to 865-940-0821.

UT Police

865-974-3114 • utpolice@utk.eduutpolice.utk.edu

VolCard Office

865-974-3430 • volcard@utk.eduvolcard.utk.edu

Graduate Student OrganizationsIf you are looking to connect with other graduate students, there are many opportunities for you to get involved with a student organization at UT. Visit VOLink to find groups such as:

• The Multicultural Graduate Student Organization

• OUTGrads• Latina/o/x Association of Graduate

Students• Women in STEM: Advancing Research,

Readiness and Retention

plus many departmental student organizations!

The Graduate SchoolThe Graduate School is ready and willing to help you with any questions you may have. If we don’t know the answer, we will work with you to find one.

865-974-2475 • gradschool@utk.edugradschool.utk.edu

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COMMUNITY VENDORS

These community vendors have been great supporters of graduate education over the years and have provided countless gifts and prizes for our events. Even though this year looks a little different, we hope you’ll take the time to visit these local businesses and help support them just as they have done for us.

Aubrey’sBrenz Pizza, Cumberland AvenueBush Brothers & Company (Baked Beans)Chick-fil-A in BeardenDollywoodDuck DonutsDuncan DonutsKnoxville Ice BearsKroger Hildreth Insurance AgencyHollywood Wax Museum, Pigeon ForgeMellow MushroomNASCAR Speedpark Smoky MountainsNothing Bundt CakesPublixStefano’s PizzaSunspotThe Muse

IN RECOGNITION

The 2020 New Graduate Student Orientation is hosted by the Graduate School in affiliation with the Graduate Student Senate and with special assistance from UT Conferences.

A special “thank you” to the 2020 Orientation Planning Committee:

Dixie L. ThompsonVice Provost and Dean

Austin BoydGraduate Student Senate President

Ally Boyér-SprouseGRA—Communication/Recruitment

Sara BradberryAssistant Dean and Director of Student Services

Ernest L. BrothersAssociate Dean

Millie CheathamCoordinator & Office Manager

Catherine CoxCoordinator & Catalog Editor

Natalie HassettGRA—Dean’s Office

Sean Q. HendricksCommunications Manager

Shahram Hatefi HesariGraduate Student Senate Vice President

Abby ShermanCoordinator of Student Services