Use of Readers
Each quarter during the third week of classes, courses eligible for Readers will be sent a Reader Allocation letter from the Front Office & Payroll/Personnel Coordinator. Reader eligible courses are those with an enrollment of at least 30 students without a TA, with the exception of English 4, seminars, creative writing courses and graduate courses. Barring the exceptions noted above, an eligible course becomes eligible for Reader hire once it has reached an enrollment of 20 students at the end of week 2. Reader hours are calculated at 1 hour per student enrolled above 20 (ex: enrollment of 27 at the end of week 2 is eligible for 7 Reader hours). If the budget is insufficient to meet your needs, you may make a written request to the Chair for additional funding. Be sure that your request includes the number of additional hours needed, along with a thorough justification based upon the number of papers assigned, the timing of these papers in the course, whether or not your Reader is attending your course, and any other details to make your case. Please be sure to keep track of your Reader’s hours since you must sign the time sheets acknowledging time actually worked (including course attendance). Any overdraft may be deducted from future allocations. If you need advice in the selection of a Reader, you may ask other faculty who have taught the course. If you need to find a Reader for a particular course, you can provide that information to the English graduate advising office, who will post your search for a Reader in an email to the graduate student listserv, and to the Chair’s office. Reader positions can also be posted to the TA Marketplace.
Rules and Guidelines for the Reading Program
Rules for Selection of Readers
- Only currently enrolled UCLA students can be employed as Readers. Once chosen, the students should see the Front Office & Payroll/Personnel Coordinator to be placed on the Payroll.
- In selecting a Reader, priority must normally be given to English Department graduate students, although undergraduate majors are also eligible if (1) they have completed at least 120 units; (2) have an English GPA of at least 3.20; and (3) they are reading for a course they have themselves previously taken, having received a grade of “B” in that course.
Rules for Utilization of Readers
- Readers are appointed on an hourly basis to assist with the reading and grading of students’ papers and exams under the guidance and supervision of faculty members. Readers are not to replace the function of a TA.