Should I worry about Fall?

[desp1]

I am in a physics Ph.D. program and have been here for many years, and had no trouble with TA positions before. I just found out I am unemployed for the summer because the number of summer classes has fallen. Does this mean I should worry about Fall and try to find a job elsewhere, or is there no relationship? Anybody else had this happen?

[fuzzylogician]

The short answer: Contact your department, we can't answer this question.

 

Longer answer: There is no way that we can give you a reply that is relevant to your situation. You need to talk with whoever is in charge of TA assignments in your program about their priorities, why you were not assigned a TAship for the summer (despite promises?) and the chances of that repeating itself in the Fall. How can anyone here possibly know the enrolment status of students in your program? That's something your own department may or may not know and share with you; we also have no way of knowing how assignments are made and whether a low enrolment rate would affect you specifically, being that you are posting here anonymously and anyway we can't know how the coordinator at your program chooses who to assign TAships to and who to pass over if there is more demand than need. Learning that someone else at another university/discipline had their TA assignment taken away or returned will not really teach you anything that would be relevant to your own situation.

[desp1]

I already talked to him, and I am below the first and second year students on the priority list because that's how long they guarantee a position in my program, though I am above most of the others on the priority list. He does not know the exact number of students that will be admitted in the Fall.

[rising_star]

In my PhD department, summer teaching and fall TA positions were completely unrelated so this wouldn't be a big concern. But, if you're out of years of funding, this could be a concern.

[orangeglacier]

I would imagine at most schools, the number of summer classes offered changes a lot more from year to year than the number of fall classes, since every enrolled student takes classes in the fall, but students choose whether or not to stay over the summer and take more classes.

[Jhiatus3]

As others have commented, it really depenends on your department and the specifics of your contract with them reguarding terms of appoitment and length of funding for the allotted duration of your degree.  My sense is in the fall you'll be more likely to have a teaching spot.  There is no real relationship between summer enrollment numbers and fall numbers.  The full historically is larger and more consistent. 

 

If I understand correctly, you are currently feeling uncertain about the fall.  You want to feel more certain about the fall teaching opportunities (funding).  And right now, the way you are wanting to find that certainty is by depending on the department and student enrollment. 

 

This is tough position to be in as a gradstudent, and one so many grad students tend to default to.  Here are some options you might consider to bring yourself more in control of your grad school destiny. 

 

* Find out of your university has a Graduate Student Union.  See if they have further reasources for finding funding, as well as reasources for reviewing the obligations of the department to offer you funding (in accordance with the stipulations of your acceptance).

* You can begin the search for external fellowships and assistantships, typically found in the Graduate College (external fellowship office).  Even if you are certain that you will have funding/teaching in the fall, having a fall back plan is crucial as department policies can be a bit tricky and (of course student enrollment is variable). 

*Search your community colleges or online colleges for adjunct teaching opportunities if you have at least a Master's degree. 

*In the worse case, look into finacial aid through loans

*One way to get around the "priority issue" is to talk to professors and see if there is anyone with whom you might be able to help as being a paid reserach assistant. If you are willing and able, and take interest in helping a prof with their reserach, they just may take you on as an assistant.  

 

Hope this helps.