Sessional Tutoring: Know Your Rights
Why become a tutor?
Employment of postgraduates in university teaching positions is vital. For both personal and professional development reasons, tutoring, demonstrating and lecturing are activities which provide you with an opportunity to consolidate and deepen your knowledge in your own discipline. These activities can enhance your communication, presentation and inter-personal skills. Tutoring is also a way of earning (extra) money and of possibly improving your career prospects after your postgraduate degree.
What are your obligations as a tutor?
You are required to be familiar with the material you are teaching and to undertake any relevant reading. It is a good idea to read the subject description in the University Handbook, and to have a thorough knowledge of the course or reading guide for the subject. You need to prepare your tutorials so that you run a structured class which meets the topic needs of the course. Assessment criteria should be explained to your students in the first tutorial for the semester. You should be available at advertised consultation times so that students may meet with you then. Any additional requirements, such as keeping a record of tutorial attendance, should also be done in the extra working time you are paid for under the award.
You can find your rates of pay in the University Policies and Procedures Manual Chapter 16 at http://www.unimelb.edu.au/ppp/docs/16.html
What facilities should you to have access to?
You should have access to equipped office space, departmental services and resources, a telephone, photocopier and mailbox; these should be available not just for work but also to enable you to take part in the collegial life of the department. UMPA policy states that office space and other resources should be available for preparation, marking and administrative work as well as for consultation.
How do you become a tutor?
Often, supervisors will ask their postgraduates if they are able to tutor or demonstrate in a particular subject, or may recommend their postgraduates as tutors or demonstrators to other academics. Some departments have policies to share the available work around. It is UMPA policy that selection procedures should be open and widely advertised, with readily available selection criteria applicable to all.
However, if this is not how it happens in your department, you can still find tutoring or demonstrating work. Ask tutors / demonstrators currently employed how they came to be there—most people will let you know how they did it. If you are interested in tutoring / demonstrating but have not done it before, or have tutored elsewhere, you need to let your supervisor or other academics know that you are interested and capable. Tell them that you are available or drop in a mini-résumé to department staff who teach subjects in areas in which you have some expertise.
What can you do if you think you are not getting your entitlements?
In the first instance, you can try to speak to the appropriate person in your department, your work supervisor / employer or the administrative person in charge of pay and/or facilities. You could also approach your Head of Department. If you feel you really can't do that, contact UMPA staff for advice or representation. You can also contact the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).
Joining the NTEU
The Union has a special cheap rate of membership for sessional staff. The Union can represent you in any negotiations you may need to undertake. There is also a two-year 'sunset clause' for back pay if you keep detailed records and claim payment, even if you don't get paid, and the Union can help you claim any missing entitlement.
For Further Information:
Contact the Postgraduate Association on (03) 8344 8657 or the National Tertiary Education Union on (03) 9254 1930.
The NTEU also has a booklet titled Smart Casuals which is a useful guide for casual employment at the University
Last updated July 2007