Teaching Assistants &

Professional Ethics

Lori Mann Bruce, Ph.D.Giles Distinguished Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Associate Vice President and Dean of the Graduate School

August 2015

Professional EthicsTeaching assistants are professionals and must therefore respect the ethical code of conduct of the teaching profession.

Teaching assistants mush also respect the ethical code of conduct of their own discipline/profession.

Professional Ethics

•Competence

•Respect

•Confidentiality

•Conflict of Interest

Marla Arbach, “Ethic Issues for Teaching Assistants”, Centre for University Teaching, University of Ottawa

Competence

•Never claim to have knowledge or skills that you don’t actually have.

• You are not expected to be an expert in the field.

• Student Interactions….Simply acknowledge that you do not know and then go find the

answer and get back to the student later.

• Professor Interactions….Let faculty know when you need further guidance or training to

complete a task to an acceptable professional standard.

Respect

Mutual Respect(vs. Incivility)

Academic Respect(vs. Academic Fraud)

Respect for Institution(vs. Unprofessionalism)

Confidentiality

•Student Record InformationFERPA, Right to Privacy

•Academic PerformanceFERPA, Right to Privacy

•Office Hours CommunicationsProfessionalism, Right to Privacy

•When should/must you share information?Illegal Activities

Harm to Self or OthersSexual Harassment/Discrimination (Title IX Training)

Conflict of Interest

•No COI vs. Managing COI

•Decisions & Actions Based on Policies & Procedures

NOT on Personal RelationshipsNOT on Personal BeliefsNOT on Unofficial Input

•Personal Relationships with Students

•Avoid the even the Appearance of Favoritism

•Be Aware of Your Personal Interests

Conflict of Interest

Reflection…1. I’ve just become the TA for a student that is very

good friends with my brother. Do I need to tell someone about it?

Conflict of Interest

Reflection…1. I’ve just become the TA for a student that is very

good friends with my brother. Do I need to tell someone about it?

2. Another TA just told me that one of my students is failing every class but mine, where she has an A. Should I go back and take a second look at her grades?

Conflict of Interest

Reflection…1. I’ve just become the TA for a student that is very

good friends with my brother. Do I need to tell someone about it?

2. Another TA just told me that one of my students is failing every class but mine, where she has an A. Should I go back and take a second look at her grades?

3. One of my students asked me to go on a date. I just hold office hours; I’m not responsible for any of the student’s marks/grades. Can I go out to dinner with this person?

Conflict of Interest

Reflection…1. I’ve just become the TA for a student that is very

good friends with my brother. Do I need to tell someone about it?

2. Another TA just told me that one of my students is failing every class but mine, where she has an A. Should I go back and take a second look at her grades?

3. One of my students asked me to go on a date. I just hold office hours; I’m not responsible for any of the student’s marks/grades. Can I go out to dinner with this person?

4. My job is to grade research essays for a senior level class. A student has proposed a very interesting concept that fits perfectly with my dissertation. The student’s paper is poorly written and the concept is not well thought out. But I can see ways to extend the concept for my dissertation. Can I do that?

Thank You

•Competence

•Respect

•Confidentiality

•Conflict of Interest

•Competence

•Respect

•Confidentiality

•Conflict of Interest

Competence

Reflection…

What will students think of me if I admit I don’t know the answer?What will students think of me if I admit I don’t know the answer?

•He’s responsible. He wants to make sure he gives me the correct information.

•So my question was NOT a dumb question!

•Isn’t he supposed to know the answer?

•She must be really confident if she’s not afraid to say she doesn’t know.

Respect

•Mutual Respect vs. Incivility− Has behavior crossed the line of acceptability?− Right to an opinion vs. personal attacks,

demeaning comments, intolerant comments/behaviors

− Personal standards vs. university standards− How to react?

o Report to faculty supervisoro Teachable moments

•Respect vs. Academic Fraud− Have a duty to act− Report to faculty supervisor− Intellectual property

Respect

Respect for Institution

−Course

−Faculty

−Fellow TAs

−Department

−University

−Profession