Any graduate student of philosophy is eligible to receive the Templin Fellowship, which pays a stipend of up to $1000. The fellowship is awarded on the recommendation of the departmental Committee on Recruitment, Admission, and Awards, although it is necessary to apply for the Templin Fellowship in order to receive one; such application is independent of application for a TA position (see 4.2). Applications (in the form of a letter to the Director of Graduate Studies) should be made during the three weeks prior to the beginning of the semester for which the applicant requests a Templin, or in response to a notice distributed by the Director of Graduate Studies. Also, the Admissions and Awards Committee typically awards one or two Templin Fellowships for the summer period, in response to a notice distributed to graduate students in late spring. Applications for Templin Fellowships are not standing applications, i.e. a separate application is required for each period of the award. In exceptional circumstances, application may be made at other times. It should be noted that normally no more than one Templin Fellowship will be awarded for a given semester. It should further be noted that the criteria for award of a Templin Fellowship are academic excellence and special circumstances. Accordingly, both matters should be discussed in the letter of application. Normally, a Templin Fellowship will not be awarded to a student who holds a TA position in the semester for which the Fellowship is requested.
On occasion, the Admissions and Awards Committee awards a $600-$700 Osborne Fellowship to an academically excellent student. Unlike the Templin award, the Osborne award does not require application.
Graduate Students are eligible for travel support to professional conferences at which they have had a paper accepted for presentation. There are currently two sources of support:
The Department employs qualified graduate students to teach logic, introduction to philosophy, introduction to ethics and introduction to social and political philosophy. Half-time Teaching Assistants receive a nine-month student salary based on the current rate as determined by the University, in addition to a 100% remission of tuition.
Recommendations concerning Assistantships in Philosophy are made to the Chair of the Department by the Committee on Recruitment, Admissions and Awards. In making its recommendations, the Committee is especially concerned to maintain or enhance the quality of undergraduate instruction and to provide funding for, as well as recognition of, qualified graduate students. The Committees deliberations and decisions must be kept strictly confidential by the faculty and student members of the Committee.
Given that there are usually more qualified applicants than positions to be filled, in any given year a number of qualified students will not, in all likelihood, be funded. The Committee recognizes a dual responsibility of funding a qualified individual student for a substantial part of his or her graduate program and of funding as many qualified students as possible. Students wishing to maximize their chances of securing aid should inquire about the possibility of teaching assistantships in Western Civilization, mathematics, foreign languages, English, applied English, and so on. Given the constraints under which it must operate, the Committee of necessity must use judgment in making its decisions. It is thus impossible to specify a list of necessary or sufficient conditions for either initial or subsequent appointment as a Teaching Assistant.
Normally, in appointments for Assistantships in Philosophy, preference will be given to Ph.D. over M.A. students. In making appointments, special attention will be paid to evidence of teaching ability, philosophical ability, and, as appropriate, the quality of the student's progress in his or her graduate program. Criteria for assessment of progress will include such things as performance with respect to coursework and examinations, and the satisfaction of other degree requirements.
Each GTA appointment is made for a specified period of time, up to one academic year (not including the summer session), as determined by the Department and as stated in the written appointment form. Such appointments are renewable, but in no event shall a GTA have an expectation of or right to continued employment beyond the time in that GTA's current appointment form. Re-appointments are conditional upon (1) good standing in the graduate program, and (2) at least adequate performance of duties as a GTA. Assuming the availability of funds, the Department's goal is to provide four years of funding for suitably qualified Ph.D. students (three for students who enter the program with an M.A. from another institution); and two years support for M.A. students. Any re-appointments in excess of the targeted numbers are made in light of Departmental needs and on evidence of the candidate's exceptional performance both in the classroom and in the graduate degree program. GTAs are not, save in emergency situations assigned to teach 300-level or higher courses. GTA positions are designed to provide employment in teaching for individuals seeking advanced degrees at the University. These positions are not intended to be career employment and are therefore subject to limitations on their number of years' duration. Nonrenewal of a GTA appointment shall not be subject to review under any grievance or appeal procedure by a University rule, regulation, or policy. (See section 4.6 on Grievance Procedures.)
Occasionally the Department employs a few qualified graduate students to teach logic, introduction to philosophy or introduction to ethics during the summer term. Such opportunities will be few in number, however, and prospective applicants should plan accordingly. Such summer teaching will not count towards the normal teaching limits (two or three years) mentioned above. Criteria for appointment as a GTA during the summer term are those described in the paragraphs above.
Additional guidelines and criteria will be issued, where appropriate, by the Committee on Recruitment, Admission, and Awards. (Also, see subsections (2), (3), and (4) below.)
Many graduate students in philosophy are qualified for teaching assistantships in Humanities andWestern Civilization, a required undergraduate course. The Humanities and Western Civilization program emphasizes reading, self-study, and discussion of important intellectual issues with one's peers. A discussion leader's function is to co-ordinate the discussion, and to motivate the students both to think about the readings and to draw many of the relevant implications from the readings for contemporary life. Students who are interested in applying for a Humanities and Western Civilization Teaching position should contact the Director of Humanities and Western Civilization.
Application for GTA appointment should be made on the appropriate form, which may be secured from the Departmental Secretary, and returned by the appropriate date. Application for a position in Humanities and Western Civilization should be sent directly to that program.
Teaching positions are budgeted by the University on an annual basis, i.e., all appointments are formally made on a one-year basis and are not automatically renewed. Hence, a new application (but not new letters, etc.) is required each year for the Department's usual GTA appointments. However, the Department normally attempts to provide qualified graduate students with sufficient continuing support to complete the Ph.D. program, i.e., approximately three years of support for a student entering the program with a B.A. in philosophy and who makes normal academic progress.
A student may present anything he or she feels pertinent, in addition to what is required, e.g., when applying for admission, or for aid or awards. If he or she feels that there is something in his or her past history which needs clarification or about which he or she would like to make a written statement, he or she should feel free to do so.
After the deadline for application for Teaching Assistantships, the list of internal applicants for awards will be circulated among members of the Department. Comments concerning each faculty member's comparative judgment of those students who most merit awards and those who merit them less will be solicited. Comments will be kept confidential and will be destroyed after awards are made. Letters of appointment are issued by the Chair of the Department.
Please note that the University of Kansas is a signatory to the following resolution of the Council of Graduate Schools in the United States.
Acceptance of an offer of financial aid (such as a graduate scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or assistantship) for the next academic year by an actual or prospective graduate student completes an agreement which both student and graduate school expect to honor. In those instances in which the student accepts the offer before April 15 and subsequently desires to withdraw, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15. However, an acceptance given or left in force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another offer without first obtaining a written release from the institution to which a commitment has been made. Similarly, an offer by an institution after April 15 is conditional on presentation by the student of the written release from any previously accepted offer. It is further agreed by the institutions and organizations subscribing to the above Resolution that a copy of this Resolution should accompany every scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, and assistantship offer.
As required by the Memorandum of Agreement between the University and Board of Regents, and the Kansas Association of Public Employees (representing GTAs at KU). Article 5, Section 6, all GTAs must receive a statement of general instructions regarding their academic duties and responsibilities, at least five days prior to teaching their first class. The statement for philosophy GTAs follows below.
STATEMENT OF PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES
All philosophy GTAs must be enrolled in the Philosophy Graduate Program and enjoy good academic standing in the program. During the term of appointment, the GTA must be enrolled in no less that six (6) credit hours per semester. GTAs are required to attend all orientation and training sessions designated as mandatory by either the University, the College, or the Department in which the GTA is appointed. When required, GTAs shall adhere to departmentally approved course outlines or syllabi, shall use the approved texts, and other instructional materials, and shall administer tests or other graded activities in accordance with instructions of the GTAs' supervisor, Department or School. GTAs shall hold their classes and final exams at the assigned times and places. GTAs shall submit grades in accordance with Department and University polices and instructions. All absences from assigned classes must be submitted in advance for approval by the Department (other than for illness or emergency situations, in which case the GTA must provide a written explanation to the supervisor) and arrangements must be made for the class to be covered in accordance with the departmental policies. GTAs shall set and keep 2-4 scheduled office hours per week. GTAs shall obtain course evaluations from students enrolled in their courses in letter written to the Department for the GTAs personnel file, with a copy to the GTA. Such evaluations are based on the performance of duties statement previously provided to each GTA. Supervisors should also discuss with the Chair of the Admissions and Awards Committee any student in danger of non-reappointment for poor teaching performance at the end of the Fall Semester, so that the student may be warned of this. (See section 5.11 of the Guidelines for Graduate Students) The Supervising Faculty Member should keep the course description in mind for the courses (140, 148, 160, etc.) which the GTAs under his or her supervision are teaching and take responsibility for reviewing the syllabi to ensure that they fit the course description. (Also see section 2.8.)
Annual awards for excellence in teaching are made by both the Graduate School and the Department of Philosophy. Nominations for these awards are solicited annually from the Committee on Admissions and Awards. The procedures of the Committee are as follows:
Graduate School GTA Teaching Awards:
Departmental GTA Teaching Awards:
The Committee will also annually award (up to) three Outstanding Graduate Teacher Awards. Nominations are solicited from Supervising Faculty members. Awards shall be made solely on the basis of teaching in philosophy, and shall be made on the basis of the nominating materials, and the Committee's consideration of a nominee's files, including teaching evaluations. Prior receipt of an Outstanding Graduate Teacher Award shall not reduce a nominee's eligibility for a subsequent award.
Typically, Outstanding Graduate Teacher Award winners are rewarded by GTA merit salary funds -- the number and amount of such awards dependent upon the amount of the GTA merit raise allocation provided by the University in a given year. (See section 4.5)
Faculty members do their own grading in all upper-level, honors, and small-enrollment courses. There is some money for graders for large sections of Introductory Philosophy courses (usually more than 50 students). Graders are chosen by the faculty member, usually from among the graduate students who are not teaching or on a fellowship (other than Templin). Application for a position as a grader should be made directly to the course instructor, and should be made at the start of the semester in which the course is offered. The appointment of the student is made by the Chair only after enrollment. Grading in a course currently pays $1000 a semester. Occasionally, the Department has funds for the appointment of a few Research Assistants who assist certain faculty members with a research project. Faculty members who have been approved for a Research Assistant typically choose their own Research Assistant. Currently, such assistantships pay $1000.
The Department is frequently asked to staff positions off-campus or at times other than the regular semester (in Leavenworth, at the Regent's Center, Intersession courses, summer courses, etc.). In some cases these courses are normally staffed by regular faculty members (e.g., at the Regents' Center). In others the positions are staffed by persons who are not regular faculty members (typically, by graduate student instructors). In cases of this sort, and indeed in the case of any course taught by a person who is not a regular faculty member, appointments are made only upon recommendation of the Admissions and Awards Committee, after thorough review of the person's qualifications to teach the course in question.
In most cases, courses taught by persons who are not regular faculty members will be standard introductory courses (Phil. 140, Phil. 148, Phil. 160 and Phil. 180). Occasionally, however, an advanced graduate student, or a person of similar status, may teach other courses, including courses at a more advanced level (300 or above). Such appointments will be made only after exceptionally close review of the applicant's credentials by the Admissions and Awards Committee, review designed to determine that the person has demonstrated competence in the area covered in the course in question. The Admissions and Awards Committee will seek departmental approval of such appointments.
For advanced graduate students whose qualifications to teach specific courses have been previously established and approved, when one of these specific courses is requested and funded by one of the locations of the University's Outreach program (e.g., Regents Center, Leavenworth Town, etc.) and the request is generated on the basis of student interest or demand for the qualified graduate student, the Chair of the Department (in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies) is free to approve the externally funded course assignment.
Occasionally the Department is asked to recommend candidates for part-time teaching positions at other institutions in the area (e.g., community colleges). When possible and appropriate, the Department will make such positions known to all students. Students interested in such positions should so inform the Chair and the Director of Graduate Studies. Any student who accepts such a position should also inform the Chair and the Director.
For any fiscal year, if the Legislature approves the University's legislative budget request for authorization and funds sufficient to provide merit salary increases to GTAs, and does not specifically impose restrictions or limitations on expenditures for GTA salaries or GTA salary increases, in that fiscal year the University shall provide the same average percentage merit salary increases to GTAs that it provides to tenured and tenure-track faculty.
Any salary increases provided to GTAs will be provided on a merit basis rather than an across-the-board basis. For example, if the Legislature authorizes an average merit salary increase of three percent without any restrictions as to salary increases for GTAs, the University will provide merit salary increase for GTAs in an amount averaging three percent, although individual GTAs may receive higher or lower percentage increases.
A GTA whose appointment is renewed within the same department in which the GTA taught the previous semester (excluding summer sessions), will be deemed to have performed at a meritorious level sufficient to entitle the GTA to two-thirds of the authorized average merit salary increase (in the example described above, a GTA who is reappointed within the same department would have earned an average merit salary increase of 2% by virtue of being reappointed within the same department). Any additional merit salary increase will be left to the discretion of the Department, acting within the budget parameters provided to the Department by the University, based upon its evaluation of the GTA's performance; provided, however, that the average percentage merit salary increase for all GTAs shall not exceed the legislatively authorized average percentage merit salary increase.
Typically, in the Department of Philosophy, the additional merit salary increases (i.e. beyond the two-thirds component as indicated above for all reappointed GTAs) will be awarded by way of Department Outstanding GTA Awards for excellence in teaching. Annual GTA evaluations will be conducted by the Philosophy Admissions and Awards Committee, and the primary input for such evaluations will be the evaluative reports from the relevant Faculty Supervisors of the GTAs and the record of student teaching evaluations of GTA courses.
The Department of Philosophy and all GTAs in the Department are governed by the Memorandum of Agreement between The University of Kansas and The Board of Regents and The Kansas Association of Public Employees, which specifies how such matters as grievance procedures and other personnel matters will be conducted. A complete copy of the Agreement can be found at the following site:
