Graduate Teaching Assistants at UNBC: Know Your Rights and Benefits

At the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) play an essential role in the academic environment by mentoring students, grading assignments, and assisting in course delivery. Despite their crucial role, many GTAs may not be fully aware of their rights and workload protections. CUPE 2278 Component 3, the union representing GTAs at UNBC, is working to ensure fair treatment and transparency. Here’s what you need to know.

Are You a GTA or a Student Assistant?

One of the biggest concerns for student workers at UNBC is job classification. The difference between a GTA and a Student Assistant carries important implications for pay and responsibilities:

Student Assistants typically mark multiple-choice or simple assignments with no feedback, or perform lab setup tasks with minimal student interaction.
GTAs provide substantive feedback on assignments, hold office hours, help with course material delivery, and assist with assessments requiring more than basic marking.

If your role includes both Student Assistant and GTA responsibilities, you must receive a GTA contract. If you believe you’ve been misclassified, reach out to the union.

Track Your Hours!

A major concern for GTAs is workload management. Remember:

You are not required to work beyond your contracted hours
If approaching your hour limit, notify your supervisor before exceeding them
Your options are to either stop working once you reach your contracted hours or request additional compensation for extra hours

To prevent disputes, supervisors must complete a Workload Agreement at the beginning of the term and hold at least one meeting during the semester to review workload expectations.

Speak Up and Stay Informed

GTAs deserve fair treatment. If you believe you’re being overworked or missing out on benefits, CUPE 2278 is here to advocate for you. For concerns or questions, contact the union at unbc@cupe2278.ca.

By staying informed and asserting your rights, you contribute to stronger, fairer labor practices at UNBC for yourself and future GTAs.

Connect With Us

Join us monthly for Coffee with CUPE in Building 10, in front of Degree Coffee. We provide TAs with a free coffee coupon! It’s a great opportunity to meet your CUPE representative, ask questions, and stay informed.