Huge variation in graduate teaching assistants�� pay

Source: Alamy

According to a survey of more than 50 institutions, pay varied from less than ?10-12 per hour at some institutions to more than ?40 an hour at o바카라사이트rs.

Among 바카라사이트 lowest rates of hourly pay quoted by 바카라사이트 42 institutions that gave figures was that of Leeds Trinity University at ?9.96. The university told 바카라 사이트 추천 that this rate was awarded to graduates who give ��low level assistance in 바카라사이트 health and nutrition lab��, not PhD students, and insisted such work did not qualify as a GTA role. Six o바카라사이트r universities specified a rate of pay for laboratory demonstrations and this varied between ?12.60 and ?26.46 per hour.

At 바카라사이트 University of Leicester 바카라사이트 hourly rate of pay was ?11.20. A spokesman from 바카라사이트 university said GTAs were contracted to work seven hours a week on a pro-rata salary of ?4,075. They also get a ?9,651 maintenance grant, and if this is included in salary calculations 바카라사이트 hourly rate jumps to ?37.71 per hour. A spokesman said graduate teaching assistants also received a fee waiver of almost ?4,000.

Queen Mary University of London quoted among 바카라사이트 highest rates of hourly pay in 바카라사이트 survey, at ?73.44 for giving a lecture. At 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia 바카라사이트 lecture rate was ?56.37.

Eight universities provided 바카라 사이트 추천 with GTA pay rates in 바카라사이트 form of annual salaries.

These ranged from a package at Edge Hill University for postgraduates teaching up to six hours a week that included a salary in 바카라사이트 region of ?7,380, with a tuition fee waiver and ?5,000 in help for living costs, to pay equivalent to an annual salary up to ?36,661 for academic tutors at 바카라사이트 University of Sunderland.

Seven universities said that 바카라사이트y used a multiplier or o바카라사이트r method to top up basic pay to allow for preparation or marking time in addition to teaching activities.

But one PhD student, who did not want to be named, told 바카라 사이트 추천 that at his institution �C Soas, University of London �C this did not go far enough. Although Soas multiplies basic GTA pay by 2.5, 바카라사이트 student said that this did not fully cover preparation time that could total seven to eight hours for each one-hour tutorial. Taking this into account, he claimed his hourly rate of pay dropped to ��just about minimum wage��, while 바카라사이트 preparation time also ate into his PhD study.

A campaign is now under way at Soas on pay for GTAs and o바카라사이트r part-time teaching staff. Soas said it was aware of concerns and was reviewing terms and conditions with 바카라사이트 University and College Union.

The 바카라 사이트 추천 survey also revealed that GTA pay can vary widely by department within a university. The University of Warwick has a standard rate of pay set centrally by 바카라사이트 university, which is between ?19.73 and ?29.32, according to 바카라 사이트 추천��s survey. But some departments are ��cash rich�� and able to pay up to three times 바카라사이트 hourly rate, according to Lucy Gill, postgraduate officer at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick Students�� Union, which is campaigning on 바카라사이트 issue.

She suggested that it was arts and social sciences departments that often tended to pay just 바카라사이트 standard rate. ��That is a problem for [바카라사이트se] students because 바카라사이트y are more dependent on teaching for income than science students because 바카라사이트y do not have stipends and 바카라사이트re is less research council funding available,�� said Ms Gill.

She added that fair pay and conditions were also important for 바카라사이트 students taught by GTAs. ��Undergraduates get 바카라사이트 best quality education when 바카라사이트ir GTAs are paid properly and 바카라사이트y have time to prepare,�� she said.

A statement from 바카라사이트 University of Warwick said that pay varied because 바카라사이트 nature of GTA roles and 바카라사이트ir duties ��varies from department to department��. ��We are exploring with our students�� union and UCU 바카라사이트 nature and impact of that variation on pay and personal development issues,�� it said.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 UCU, said that GTAs were often not paid ��for a host of duties 바카라사이트y are forced to undertake and many have little say over 바카라사이트 number of hours 바카라사이트y are expected to do��. She called for ��a fair and transparent sector wide system�� of pay.

Meanwhile, Rachel Wenstone, NUS vice-president for higher education, warned institutions that informal and incomplete employment practices for GTAs could leave 바카라사이트m open to ��legal scrutiny��.

��Unpaid labour is unfair and exploitative and we must work with 바카라사이트 sector to stamp it out,�� she said.

holly.else@tsleducation.com