First Semester as a G(TR)A

[SumEsseFuiFuturus]

To explain why this isn't in the teaching section: I am officially contracted as a GTRA, but my assignment is administrative, not in teaching or in research.

 

This semester, I was hired in one of the academic offices on campus, with the same stipend and privileges as any other GTRA, I have the parking sticker, the faculty/staff mailbox, and the paycheck. The one thing I don't have, though, is any duties. I come into work every morning until lunch time (unlike the teaching and research GTRAs, I'm contracted for 20 hours, instead of 10 a week), sometimes deliver messages, sometimes copy things, and almost always spend a lot of time doing my own reading/research or looking at fora like this.

 

I guess I shouldn't complain, but I feel guilty not really doing anything commiserate with my higher pay compared to the other student workers, because the faculty member who I work for is still evaluating the work I did last semester for her; we're working on academic procedures, so that all has to be yay'd or nay'd before I can keep working. It's a small department that just doesn't have a high work volume.

 

Should I be more aggressive about trying to get assignments? I'd just keep working on the project on my own, but what I still need to write depends on the approval of the summary pieces, and if I write a handbook about policies that haven't been finalized yet... Well, that would just be silly.

 

Should I feel bad about being a drain on the university's resources?

[TakeruK]

No, it's not your problem if your employer isn't providing you with more work Sometimes I feel like I am not "earning my keep" when I get the easier TA assignments etc. but after awhile, I realise that overall, the University definitely "wins" in terms of the amount of work/productivity they get out of us versus what they provide for us in the end. So I say enjoy the freedom/lessened workload while you still can, and make the most of it (e.g. doing your readings etc.). 

 

However, if you want to gain research or teaching experience, maybe you can talk to whomever creates the GTRA assignments and try to make sure you get something where you can develop the skills you want to have for the future (if teaching/research is what you want to do in the future).