TO: NEW TEACHING ASSISTANTS, PROGRAM/PROJECT ASSISTANTS, AND RESEARCH ASSISTANTS

FROM: Luis A. Piñero, Diversity and Inclusion Specialist, Division of Diversity, Equity, and Educational Achievement

I write to inform you about the professional development sessions for Teaching Assistants (TAs), Program/Project Assistants (PAs), and Research Assistants (RAs), focusing on diversity, discrimination, and harassment to be offered during the Spring 2022 semester. These sessions are presented and sponsored by the Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement; the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education (OVCRGE); the McBurney Disability Resource Center; Graduate and Professional Students with Disabilities (GPSD); the Office of Compliance; the Division of University Health Services, Violence Prevention; Dean of Students Office in the Division of Student Affairs; the Employee Assistance Office; the Ombuds Office; and the Office of Human Resources.

Participants receive information about relevant laws, policies, regulations, and resources; explore the practical application of these policies to teaching, learning, and research environments; and engage in conversations designed to promote interdisciplinary dialogue and excellence through diversity. These sessions promote the development of competencies that sustain and strengthen UW-Madison’s position of preeminence in research and higher education and advance critical campus strategic priorities.

We encourage you to participate in a session. In addition, please be aware that Teaching Assistants cannot be reappointed for more than one semester unless they have completed this professional development workshop.

This virtual GAEW workshop presented by the Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement, in collaboration with our campus partners, is delivered via Zoom and requires registration. The session schedule, electronic copies of the materials referenced during each virtual presentation, and the registration link are available at diversity.wisc.edu/graduate-assistants-equity-workshops. Please register online.

In addition to the live, virtual GAEW workshop offered via Zoom, you will also need to register for and complete the “Graduate Assistants’ Equity Workshop – Canvas – Spring 2022” using  go.wisc.edu/40c0q4.

Teaching Assistants need to complete both the live, virtual GAEW workshop offered via Zoom AND the online course offered via Canvas, to comply with the UW-Madison reappointment expectations referenced above.

Employees who need an accommodation because of a disability should contact the divisional disability representative (DDR) for their respective College, School or Division.
The website listing the contact information for the DDRs is available at employeedisabilities.wisc.edu/divisional-disability-representatives-ddr/

The electronic version of the Employee Disability Resources, (EDR) Office brochure is available at, employeedisabilities.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/343/2020/09/Employee-Disability-Resources-information.pdf. This brochure includes information on how to request an accommodation.

TAs, PAs, and RAs who have attended one of these sessions at UW-Madison in the past need not attend again.

Questions concerning the reappointment expectations or the proper rates of pay for TAs, PAs, and RAs should be addressed to your Dean’s / Director’s office.

Questions concerning the Graduate Assistants Equity Workshops’ curriculum should be directed to Luis A. Piñero in the Division of Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement via e-mail, at luis.pinero@wisc.edu.

Feedback related to the on-line, McBurney Disability Resource Center segment of the workshop may be directed to: mcburney@studentlife.wisc.edu.